When considering

which agencies handle child abuse cases, most people's minds immediately

jump to the Department of Family and Children Services and local law enforcement

divisions.

But here in

Fayette County, a variety of agencies cooperate in monthly meetings to

track the most serious reported cases of child abuse. While DFCS, law

enforcement and court agencies participate, others are involved to make

sure the victims get the assistance and protection they need.

Fayette County's

Board of Education, Health Department, Mental Health Department and coroner's

office also join in the monthly meetings to assist in managing serious

child abuse cases. The Sheriff's Department and all local police departments

participate in the meetings along with officials from the district attorney's

office and the juvenile court system.

The group recently

announced its new protocol for handling the investigation and resolution

of child abuse cases. The protocol outlines the responsibilities of each

agency in handling child abuse cases from initiating the investigation

to assisting victims to securing prosecution of offenders.

The protocol

hadn't been updated in several years, and the document helps each agency

know its responsibilities in each case, said Debbie Barron of the Fayette

County Magistrate Court.

"We make

sure the work is getting done," Barron said. "We don't want

any children to fall through the cracks."

The protocol

is designed to help expedite prosecution when possible by encouraging

cooperation between police and the court system. That can also help reduce

the trauma experienced by victims when the abuse has to be recounted over

and over again during the judicial process.

Barron said

the protocol also helps eliminate a duplication of services by clearly

outlining the responsibilities of each agency.

One new revision

to the protocol is actually an addition to the list of agencies involved.

The Fayette County Marshall's office is now participating in the monthly

meetings "since they're out and about and might come upon similar

problems" while enforcing county ordinances and other state laws,

Barron said.

"We do

have some cases where the parents go beyond spanking," Barron said.

"Those parents push it further than they should, and it's right here

in our county."

State law also

requires the child abuse committee to review each and every child fatality

recorded in Fayette County, regardless of the circumstances. Those reports

must be forwarded to state officials to determine the child's cause of

death in each case, Barron said.

The agencies

participating take their job very seriously, she added.

"We have

got a good group of people in Fayette County," Barron said. "...

We have a good response from the agencies that get together and come to

the meetings to discuss the cases."

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