CHILD PROTECTION EVALUATIONS The Forensic Stepchild |
| |
| Authors: | Kathryn Kuehnle Martha Coulter Gregory Firestone |
| |
| Affiliation: | Kathryn Kuehnle is a Florida licensed psychologist who received her doctorate from the University of Minnesota. She maintains a private practice where she specializes in evaluating and treating victims of abuse and neglect. She also holds the position of assistant research professor at the University of South Florida in both the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy and the College of Public Health, Department of Community and Family Health. She lectures extensively and is the author of a book, book chapters, and journal articles on evaluating and treating child abuse victims;. Martha Coulter received her doctorate in maternal and child health welfare at the University of North Carolina. She received an M.S.W. from Tulane University. She is an associate professor at the University of South Florida, College of Public Health and serves as director of the James and Jennifer Harrell Center for the Study of Domestic Violence. She has numerous publications in the fields of family violence and child health;. Gregory Firestone is a clinical psychologist, mediator, and mediator trainer. He is the director of the University of South Florida Mediation Institute and currently serves on the board of directors of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Academy of Family Mediators. Dr. Firestone has provided child protection mediation, consultation, and training for the courts throughout the United States;. |
| |
| Abstract: | In child protection cases, the mental health evaluator is required to have a broad range of expertise in family violence and child and adult psychological issues. This article reviews epidemiological as well as other quantitative data to provide an empirical foundation by which to understand the problem of family violence, the characteristics of abusers and victims, and the consequences to the child who is a witness to or victim of family violence. Forensic evaluation guidelines and recommendations for structuring child protection evaluations are addressed. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
