University of Miami
Child Protection Teams
Miami North
1150 N.W. 14th St., Suite 212
Miami, FL 33136
(305) 243-7550
Miami South
15321 South Dixie Highway Ste#201
Miami, FL 33157
(305) 255-5584
Medical Director: Walter Lambert, MD
Team Coordinators: Maryela Suarez
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The Child Protection Team (CPT) was established within the University of Miami, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics in January 1980. This multidisciplinary team involves pediatricians, nurses, case workers and psychologists who collaborate in the assessment of children and families referred by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) due to allegations of child abuse and neglect. CPT serves children from Dade and Monroe Counties. CPT’s multidisciplinary team provides forensic medical evaluations; nursing assessments; psychosocial evaluations; specialized interviews; multi-agency staffing; deposition and expert testimony; and psychological evaluations children and their families. CPT assesses family and personality functioning, documents physical injuries related to abuse, and determines placement recommendations (e.g., foster care, residential setting) for child victims.

The Assessment Center, established in 1996, provides medical examinations, developmental screenings, and/or psychological evaluations to approximately 1,500 children per year age birth through 18 years, shortly after they are removed from their home as a result of child maltreatment. The objective is to identify the abused child’s needs immediately after his/her removal from the home and provide early intervention in an effort toward reducing failed placements, the duration of time spent in foster care, and the re-occurrence of child abuse and child fatalities. These evaluations also assist with identifying any characteristics that may require specialty intervention (i.e., vision, speech and language therapy, treatment for developmental delays, additional medical appointments). Each child leaves the office with a “blue book” folder that includes the results of the physical examination, as well as anticipatory guidance information to assist foster parents in caring for these children.