Child Abuse Response

The UNM Section on Child Safety and Well-Being has 3 dedicated clinical services, addressing child physical abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse, and child foster care needs. UNM also supports community education programs to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome and end corporal punishment.

As a critical resource for New Mexico’s children, UNM Health provides high-quality medical care and social work services for survivors of child abuse and neglect through two programs:

  • Child Abuse Response Team (CART) – Child physical abuse and/or neglect
  • Para Los Niños (PLN) – Child sexual abuse

As a health care provider, social service professional or law enforcement representative, you may refer a child to us for care.

UNM Health’s Expert Team

UNM Health’s goal is to help affected children feel safe while they receive compassionate care from a multidisciplinary team of specialists, who may include:

  • Child abuse pediatricians
  • Nurses
  • Social workers
  • Behavioral health care providers
  • Radiologists
  • Pediatric surgeons

Child Abuse Response Team

CART medically evaluates children when they’re referred to us or come to the hospital or emergency department for care following possible physical abuse or neglect.

Services Provided

  • Physical exam and review of medical history
  • Laboratory and radiology tests
  • Forensic photography, including bite mark analysis
  • Care coordination with social services and law enforcement
  • Expert witness services in legal proceedings involving child abuse and neglect

Contact Us

During business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday) and after hours, please call 505-456-9714.

To reach an attending physician during business hours use the physician access line at 505-272-2000.

Documents

Para Los Niños

PLN provides comprehensive evaluation, treatment and follow-up care for children and adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse or assault.

Services Offered

  • Sexual assault evidence kits and photo documentation (when available)
  • Genital examination using video colposcopy
  • Crisis counseling
  • Coordination with child abuse pediatrician for care of sexually transmitted infections or genital concerns
  • Second opinions on difficult or controversial cases
  • Expert medical review on cases of alleged sexual abuse
  • Care coordination with social services and law enforcement
  • Expert witness services in legal proceedings involving child abuse, neglect and child sexual abuse

Contact Us

During business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday) call 505-272-6849.

For a response to an emergency during business hours, contact the on-call physician listed on Amion physician scheduling, or call the physician access line at 505-272-2000.

After hours and on weekends, call 505-884-SANE (884-7263) for pediatric triage, emergency sexual abuse evaluations and rape kits.

Community Outreach

UNM Health works to prevent child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and assault throughout New Mexico by increasing community awareness. CART and PLN experts train and educate health care providers, students, social services, law enforcement, state agencies, legal experts and other professionals about child maltreatment, child sexual abuse and adolescent sexual assault.

To report child abuse or neglect, call the child abuse hotline at #SAFE or 855-333-7233.