Collier County Child Advocacy Council, Inc.
Child Protection Team
1036 6th Avenue North
Naples, FL 34102
(239) 263-8383
Medical Director: Barbara Rumberger, MD
Team Coordinator: Jacqueline Stephens
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Mission Statement:
To minimize trauma to abused children and enhance the families’ capabilities to provide a safe environment. This is achieved through a cooperative, multidisciplinary team approach to the identification, intervention and treatment of child abuse and neglect.

History and Philosophy:
The Collier County Child Advocacy Council, Inc., Child Protection Team has been providing community based services to the children who live in Collier County since 1986. Over the past 16 years, referrals have continued to increase steadily. During the first year of operation the team provided services to 167 children, ages 0 through 17. Last year, medical and social services were provided to over 1,051 children and their families that needed help in a time of crisis. This year we have seen a continuation in referral rates and expect to provide services to over 1,200 children suspected of being abused, neglected, exposed to family violence or victimized by other types of crime. The agency has expanded to meet the needs of child victims and their non-offending family members.

The purpose of the agency is to facilitate a coordinated interdisciplinary team approach to the diagnosis, consultation, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The team operates on the premise that the causes, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect are complex and require the expertise of many professionals to effectively intervene and insure the child’s protection. The Child Protection Team provides the needed medical, psychological, social, and legal consultants to assist the Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF), law enforcement, and other professionals working with these children and their families.

In addition to the core services of the Child Protection Team, the Family Visitation Center was added in 1997 and has been in operation for over five years. The Family Visitation Center provides family assessments and determines the impact of domestic violence on children.

The Child Victim Rapid Response program was added during the fall of 1999. This program provides for youth advocates to be placed in local elementary schools. The goal of this program is to provide early intervention to child victims; reducing further victimization, insuring they receive help, breaking the cycle of violence, and helping these children perform better in school. Additionally, school based educational groups can be conducted to assist children and provide training for teachers.

The programs and services of the Collier County Child Advocacy Council, Inc. are designed to fit within the organization’s mission of reducing trauma children may experience when they are involved in a crime and helping families to keep their children safe.

Organizational Structure:
The Collier County Child Advocacy Council, Inc., Child Protection Team is a non-profit organization and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The Board is comprised of Collier County residents who have a great commitment to the agency and the children in our community. The Board provides fiduciary oversight to all programs including the Child Protection Team, Family Visitation Program and the Child Victim Rapid Response program.

Child Protection Teams are independent, community based programs that provide expertise in evaluating alleged maltreatments of child abuse and neglect, assessing risk factors, and providing recommendations for interventions to protect children and enhance families capacities to provide a safer environment.