Memorandum of Agreement with Law Enforcement

The mission of the Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center, Inc., is to provide an interdisciplinary approach to improve early detection, intervention, joint investigation and successful prosecution of child abuse cases and to coordinate resources and facilitate treatment of child victims and their families.

This agreement is made by and between the Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Walton County Sheriff's Office, Fort Walton Beach City Police Department, Defuniak Springs Police Department, Crestview City Police Department, Niceville Police Department, Valparaiso City Police Department, Shalimar City Police Department, Office of Special Investigations-Eglin Air Force Base, Office of Special Investigations-Hurlburt Field , Bridgeway Mental Health Center, Cope Mental Health Center, Department of Children and Family Services, Office of the State Attorney, First Judicial Circuit, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Judge Advocate General Office, Hurlburt Field, Judge Advocate General Office, Eglin AFB, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Family Advocacy, Hurlburt Field, Family Advocacy, Eglin AFB, and the Child Protection Team to take effect as of the date all signatures are affixed.

This agreement is intended to adopt an interdisciplinary approach committed to the following:

1. Sharing Information and resources to enhance the investigation and prosecution of child physical and sexual abuse cases and facilitate treatment of child victims and their families. Effectively respond to all cases of child physical and sexual abuse.
2. Bring the training, experience and resources of all agencies to focus on the fundamental problems of abuse facing today's children and their families.
3. Promote training opportunities for all agencies involved in child abuse cases as well as the community.

Specifically, we agree

1. to develop, achieve and maintain interagency and interprofessional cooperation and coordination in case management and handling of child sexual and physical abuse cases.
2. to participate in a case management and multi-disciplinary team approach to child physical and sexual abuse cases.
3. to participate in weekly case management and review meetings and to share pertinent information.
4. to provide training and education for agency personnel, other professionals and volunteers in the community who are involved in child physical and sexual abuse cases.
5. to seek changes in the law as necessary to achieve our goals.
6. to serve as a source of information, education and referral for the community on issues pertaining to child victims.
7. to provide extensive initial case screening, assessment and validation procedures in order to appropriately investigate and document information received in abuse cases.
8. to limit the trauma associated with the investigative process for child victims and insure that proper treatment is provided as early as possible.