The Audrey Hepburn Children at Risk Evaluation (CARE) Center is a comprehensive child abuse center providing state-of-the-art pediatric forensic medicine evaluations in a home-like setting. Beyond providing clinical excellence in child abuse forensic medicine, the CARE Center is active in treatment, consultation, prevention, training, education and research.
 
The physicians at the Audrey Hepburn CARE Center are the only fellowship trained child abuse pediatricians in Louisiana and provide care to more than 1,000 children a year from across Louisiana and southern Mississippi.   The physicians aid in the proper recognition, intervention, protection and prevention of maltreated children, including physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse. The physicians are also trained in advanced technology and procedures, which are utilized for the physical examination, documentation of diagnosed maltreatment and collection of evidence.  The CARE Center physicians assist the investigating agencies in distinguishing abuse from non-abusive physical injuries and allegations. 
 
The department maintains specialized staff for the comprehensive management of child abuse.  Trained nurses assist the physicians in reassuring the families and child that the exam is not painful. A case manager, with special training in victim assistance and coordination of care beyond the program, provides resources and information for each family. On-site counseling from an outside agency, who specializes in sexual assault, is available for crisis management and ongoing therapy.  An attorney, with child abuse prosecutorial experience, assists in the management and proper reporting of abuse cases and legislation. The Audrey Hepburn CARE Center actively participates in the multidisciplinary process in each parish for a timely and accurate response to allegations of abuse. 
 
The Audrey Hepburn CARE Center provides information and presentations to parents, the community and media on child abuse and abuse prevention. The center also advocates legislation and policies that ensure the protection of children and has successfully changed Louisiana laws to further the prosecution of offenders and protection of children and mandatory reporters.

 

 

Medical Director, Audrey Hepburn CARE Center, Children’s Hospital
Assistant  Professor of Clinical Pediatrics,
Fellowship Director, Pediatric Forensic Medicine,
LSU Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics

 

Professional School:

Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE

Residency: 

St. Louis University, School of Medicine Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital

Fellowship:

LSU Health Sciences Center,  Pediatric Forensic Medicine
Specialty Training:

Pediatrics; child abuse medicine

Special Interests: Management of child abuse and neglect, Community education on child

abuse specifically dispelling myths, Research

 

 

 

Forensic Pediatrician, Audrey Hepburn CARE Center, Children's Hospital

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, LSU Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

Professional School: 

Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN

Residency: 

University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX

Chief Residency:

University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX

Fellowship: 

LSU Health Sciences Center, Pediatric Forensic Medicine

Specialty Training: 

Pediatrics, Child Abuse Medicine

Special Interests:  Management of child abuse and neglect, Professional Education on the

understanding the medical finding related to abuse, and research