Child Protection Team 

In 1984 Child Protection Teams were created by Florida Statutes based on the premise that the causes, identification, and treatment of child abuse are complex and require the expertise of many professionals.

The Child Protection Team (CPT) are local consultants to the Broward Sheriffs Child Protective Investigations Section (CPIS). The Child Protection Team is operated through the Broward County, Human Services Department, Children's Services Administration and consists of a medical director, a team supervisor, a psychologist, a nurse practitioner, a social worker, and nine masters level mental health professionals. The Team assists the CPIS in their investigations of child abuse.

CPT receives referrals from Law Enforcement and CPIS on children who have been reported to the Abuse Registry. CPT provides a variety of services such as: medical examinations, medical consultations (review of medical records), family assessments, specialized interviews of children and/or their parents, psychological evaluations, consultations, and staffing (sharing of information among professionals involved in the case).

Even when a case is referred to CPT, the CPIS investigator and/or the law enforcement officer stays in charge of the case. CPT will tell the CPIS investigator and/or the law enforcement officer what was found in the examination. CPT will also provide the CPIS investigator and law enforcement officers with recommendations after the case is reviewed.

When a referral is made to the Abuse Registry, CPIS is required by law to investigate the allegation and decide if abuse or neglect has occurred. Sometimes, but not always, a medical examination can help in deciding this. In certain types of allegations, the CPIS investigator is required to have the child examined by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

The CPT medical examination is only one part of the investigation. The doctor or nurse practitioner who will do the medical examination is a highly trained professional. This person is a pediatrician, family practice physician, or Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. CPT examiners receive special training in the identification of findings in child physical abuse and neglect. The medical findings will be considered along with other parts of the investigation when the CPIS investigator and/or the law enforcement officer decides what to do next with the case.