Child advocacy center protocol changed

A bill that expands and creates protocols for the state’s seven child advocacy centers was passed by the Legislature April 5.

Under LB993, introduced by Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford, each county child advocacy center must have a location for conducting forensic interviews and medical evaluations for alleged child victims of abuse and neglect.

The bill requires that each county have protocols to:
• outline mandatory reporting of child abuse;
• define the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement, child protective services and other response agencies; and
• ensure that coordination of these teams is occurring at all levels of the community response.

The bill requires advocacy centers to report the name and address of each team member and the number of times the team met within a calendar year to the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.

The increased services at the centers are estimated to cost $870,000.

Senators passed the bill on a 48-0 vote.