Although all physicians are mandated reporters, not all physicians are experts in child abuse. Child abuse has only recently been recognized as a subspecialty within pediatrics. The American Board of Pediatrics now offers a certificate in child abuse pediatrics to qualified pediatricians. These pediatricians are experts in all types of child abuse, including physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Information about the eligibility criteria can be found on the American Board of Pediatrics website https://www.abp.org/content/child-abuse-pediatrics-certification .
The CHAMP Program uses the American Board of Pediatrics certificate in child abuse pediatrics as the criterion for being a child abuse expert. Only American Board of Pediatrics certified child abuse pediatricians can become Mentors and have their facilities designated as CHAMP Centers of Excellence.
The CHAMP Program uses the designation of Faculty for physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants who have training and experience in providing child sexual abuse evaluations and work with a CHAMP Mentor as part of a child abuse team.
Although the education program to become a CHAMP Network Member improves competence in providing child sexual abuse evaluations, it does not make a professional an expert. Completing the CHAMP education program is not the same as completing a fellowship in child abuse and does not qualify the professional for board certification. Instead, the CHAMP coursework and observership provide the basic medical information needed to care for sexually abused children.
What does it mean to be a CHAMP Network Member?
CHAMP Network Members are physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants with pediatric experience who have taken the online coursework Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse and completed an observership with a CHAMP Mentor.
CHAMP maintains the official list of the medical professionals who have successfully completed this educational program in child sexual abuse evaluation. Only the medical professionals on this list can call themselves CHAMP educated or CHAMP Network Members.
