Our Mission
To provide a comfortable, child-friendly atmosphere where children receive coordinated services during the child abuse investigative process.
Children’s Justice Center Services
The Duchesne County Children’s Justice Center provides:
Interviews conducted by a specially trained Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services Investigators. These interviews are recorded and used by the professionals tasked with investigating the case.
Victim advocacy provided by professionals who can help answer questions, connect families with services, provide information on court proceedings, and track cases.
Medical services that may include physical exams, sexual assault evidence collection, and testing (and in some cases, treatment) for sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy. Our pediatric abuse medical team is a service of Primary Children’s Safe and Healthy Families.
Mental health services that may include screening for risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide safety planning, and connection with professionals specializing in trauma-informed therapy.
Follow up services to coordinate access to resources.
Community outreach that provides information on topics like child abuse, child sexual abuse, consent, and the role of parents and community members in protecting children and reporting abuse.
Multidisciplinary Team
Before there were Children’s Justice Centers (called Children’s Advocacy Centers, or CACs in other parts of the country), investigation of child abuse required multiple interviews of the child victim by the police, social services, medical personnel, mental health professionals and attorneys. Each interview occurred at a different place and rarely in a setting that was familiar or comfortable for the child. The Children’s Justice Center provides a homelike environment where a single interview is conducted by trained Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services Investigators, and all of the professionals then work together to provide the best-possible outcome for the child and family.
The Duchesne County Multidisciplinary Team includes representatives from:
Law enforcement
Child Protective Services
Prosecution
Mental health
Medical
Victim advocacy
Duchesne County School District
Guardian ad Litem’s Office
Attorney General’s Office
Children’s Justice Center