California Penal Code § 11166.4

Penal Code
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
(a) Each county may use a children’s advocacy center to implement a coordinated multidisciplinary response pursuant to Section 18961.7 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to investigate reports involving child physical or sexual abuse, exploitation, or maltreatment. (b) A county that utilizes a child advocacy center to coordinate its multidisciplinary response pursuant to subdivision (a) shall require the children’s advocacy center to meet the following standards: (1) The multidisciplinary team associated with the children’s advocacy center shall consist of a representative of the children’s advocacy center and at least one representative from each of the following disciplines: law enforcement, child protective services, district attorney’s offices, medical providers, mental health providers, victim advocates, and in the case of an Indian child, a representative from the child’s tribe, including, but not limited to, a tribal social worker, tribal social services director, or tribal mental health professional. Members of the multidisciplinary team may fill more than one role, within the scope of their practice, as needed. (2) The multidisciplinary team associated with the children’s advocacy center shall have cultural competency and diversity training to meet the needs of the community it serves. (3) The children’s advocacy center shall have a designated legal entity responsible for the governance of its operations. This entity shall oversee ongoing business practices of the children’s advocacy center, including setting and implementing administrative policies, hiring and managing personnel, obtaining funding, supervising program and fiscal operations, and conducting long-term planning. (4) The children’s advocacy center shall provide a dedicated child-focused setting designed to provide a safe, comfortable, and neutral place where forensic interviews and other children’s advocacy center services may be appropriately provided for children and families. (5) The children’s advocacy center shall use written protocols for case review and case review procedures, and shall use a case tracking system to provide information on essential demographics and case information. (6) The children’s advocacy center shall verify that members of the multidisciplinary team responsible for medical evaluations have specific training in child abuse or child sexual abuse examinations. (7) The children’s advocacy center shall verify that members of the multidisciplinary team responsible for mental health services are trained in and deliver trauma-focused, evidence-supported mental health treatments. (8) The children’s advocacy center shall verify that interviews conducted in the course of investigations are conducted in a forensically sound manner and occur in a child-focused setting designed to provide a safe, comfortable, and dedicated place for children and families. These interviews are confidential and are not public records. (9) (A) The children’s advocacy center or other identified multidisciplinary team member custodian shall ensure that all recordings of child forensic interviews be released only in response to a court order. The court shall issue a protective order as part of the release, unless the court finds good cause that disclosure of the interview should not be subject to such an order. The protective order shall include all of the following language: (i) That the recording be used only for the purposes of conducting the party’s side of the case, unless ordered by the court. (ii) That the recording not be copied, photographed, duplicated, or otherwise reproduced except as a written transcript that does not reveal the identity of the child, unless ordered by the court. (iii) That the recording not be given, displayed, or in any way provided to a third party, except as permitted in clause (iv) or (v) of this subparagraph or as necessary in preparation for or during trial. (iv) That the recording remain 

‹ Prev All California sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.