SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 7

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Dede Feldman

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE NEW MEXICO CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN TASK FORCE DEVELOP MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS FOR JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, CONTAIN REPRESENTATIVES FROM CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL FIELDS AND ACT AS A RESOURCE TO MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's child abuse rate is ten percent higher than the national average; and

     WHEREAS, cases of serious child physical abuse and sexual abuse do not have consistent system resolutions; and

     WHEREAS, child abuse victims deserve effective case management; and

     WHEREAS, comprehensive data collection systems facilitate the reporting, investigation, prosecution and disposition of child abuse cases; and

     WHEREAS, national consensus indicates that a multidisciplinary approach to intervention in child abuse cases improves outcomes for victims and holds offenders accountable; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico office of the attorney general developed the New Mexico crimes against children task force to study a comprehensive approach consisting of multidisciplinary teams that improve outcomes for child abuse victims and hold offenders accountable;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to develop a multidisciplinary team for each judicial district in this state; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to require each multidisciplinary team to include a district attorney or assistant district attorney, a representative from each law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction, a representative from the protective services division of the children, youth and families department and an appropriate representative from the medical community; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to require each multidisciplinary team to include treatment providers, victim advocates, tribal representatives, probation officers, school representatives and representatives from other entities bearing an interest in children's welfare; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to require each multidisciplinary team to meet at least once per month and to adopt a formal protocol to investigate, prosecute and manage child abuse cases based upon a model protocol developed by the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at least once every three years the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to review each protocol that is developed and endorsed by each multidisciplinary team; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to require multidisciplinary teams to develop a tracking, recording and review system for child abuse cases; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to continue to contain representatives from all necessary professional fields and act as a resource to multidisciplinary teams by developing a model protocol, collecting data and reviewing cases; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be requested to continue to convene and to provide annual recommendations for legislative initiatives to the legislative health and human services committee; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico crimes against children task force be permitted to apply for and receive grants from public and private organizations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the attorney general, the secretary of public safety, the secretary of children, youth and families, the secretary of health, the secretary of public education, the New Mexico district attorneys association, the county sheriff's association and the city police chiefs association.

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