The CHAMP (Child Abuse Medical Provider) Program
has been working since 1997 to improve New York State’s medical response to suspected child abuse. It provides training in the evaluation and treatment of child sexual abuse, education to primary care providers and emergency department medical staff in the identification and reporting child abuse, and access to medical experts through its Centers of Excellence.
CHAMP lost its only source of funding for the 2008-09 budget year.
If funding is not restored, progress being made to improve child safety will be halted and children in New York State will suffer. This is what will be lost:
CHAMP is the only program in New York State that provides standardized education and skills training in the evaluation and treatment of child sexual abuse for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who are already in practice. Without funding for this nationally respected model, there will be no training.
There will not be mentorships at the CHAMP Centers of Excellence. That means medical providers cannot learn directly from the state’s experts in child sexual abuse.
The roster of 52 CHAMP-trained Providers will not be expanded. That means there will not be more trained medical providers in New York State. Abused children in many areas will not have access to a skilled medical examination.
The NYC HHC CETCAN project to standardize and improve medical care in hospital emergency departments is at risk because CHAMP coursework is the main training requirement for doctors.
The roster of 11 Mentors will not be expanded and the 10 CHAMP Centers of Excellence will not be continued. That means that
Some abused children will have to travel long distances to be examined by a child abuse expert.
Medical providers and district attorneys will find it harder to consult with child abuse medical experts.
Quality assurance through educational peer review and continuing education will not continue. That means
Recommended NCA medical standards for New York State Child Advocacy Centers will not be met.
The process to develop a quality assurance program for New York State medical providers doing child sexual abuse evaluations will come to a halt.
Monthly teleconferences for the CHAMP Mentors will cease. As a result
The initiative to standardize New York State medical response to child abuse will cease.
Practice recommendations for diagnosing and treating child abuse will not be developed.
Free, online coursework for New York State medical providers in the recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect will not be expanded. That means that medical providers will continue to overlook or misdiagnose child abuse, resulting in children who will continue to be abused. These children will continue to suffer. Some will die.
