[§588-1] Children's advocacy program; establishment, purpose. (a) There is established a children's advocacy program within the judiciary.

(b) The purpose of the program shall be to:

(1) Develop, achieve, and maintain interagency and interprofessional cooperation and coordination in the case management of intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sex abuse cases;

(2) Obtain evidence useful for both criminal prosecution as well as protective action in civil proceedings;

(3) Reduce to the absolute minimum the number of interviews of child sex abuse victims so as to minimize revictimization of the child;

(4) Coordinate the therapeutic and treatment program for child sex abuse victims and their families;

(5) Provide for a multidisciplinary team and case management approach which is focused first, on the alleged or suspected child sex abuse victim's needs and conditions; second, on the family members who are supportive of the child and whose interests are consistent with the best interests of the child; and third, on law enforcement and prosecutorial needs;

(6) Provide for the training and continuing education of skilled professional interviewers of child sex abuse victims; and

(7) Serve as the focus of information and referral for child sex abuse programs. [L 1986, c 169, pt of §1]