The Center for Child Justice partners with Pediatric Healthcare Associates to provide on-site forensic medical evaluations. Forensic medical evaluations are performed at the Center for Child Justice by medical practitioners who are specially trained. This examination emphasizes the detection and documentation of sexual and/or physical abuse in children.

What to Expect from the Exam:

• The Physician’s Assistant (PA) and/or CAC staff take a medical history from the caregiver.
• The PA conducts non-invasive physical examinations, including the anal and genital areas. They use special equipment called a colposcope to better visualize the anal and genital areas.
• The PA can recommend and refer families for outside testing such as sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy testing, if indicated.

What the Exam does NOT do:

• The PA does not conduct “internal” or invasive exams of children.
• The PA does not conduct another full, comprehensive interview of children. However, they do work closely with CAC staff to be as informed as necessary to complete an effective medical evaluation.

Proper medical attention in a child abuse investigation is crucial for accurate assessment, timely intervention, and safeguarding the well-being of the child, ensuring both physical and emotional healing. In addition, the medical exam often provides caregivers with peace of mind that their child is healthy.