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Human Services Council, Norwalk Community Health Center Help Abused Kids

NORWALK, Conn. -- Children’s Connection, a program of the Human Services Council, recently announced its partnership with the Norwalk Community Health Center to provide child friendly forensic medical exams to children who have been abused. 

The Norwalk Community Health Center on Connecticut Avenue teamed up with the Human Services Council for a new program to help abused children.

The Norwalk Community Health Center on Connecticut Avenue teamed up with the Human Services Council for a new program to help abused children.

Photo Credit: Alfred Branch

As one of eight Children’s Advocacy Centers in Connecticut, Children’s Connection is fully accredited by the National Children's Alliance. The program brings together the Multidisciplinary Team of Greater Norwalk , a collaboration of public and private resources to facilitate the prevention, investigation, assessment, prosecution and treatment of child sexual and severe physical abuse and neglect. 

The new linkage agreement with the Norwalk Community Health Center enables the Multidisciplinary Team of Greater Norwalk to provide non-emergent specialized medical exams at the community health center instead of at Norwalk Hospital, which can feel overwhelming and often less confidential to the families. The health center has made the service more accessible and comfortable for children. 

The collaboration had been discussed throughout 2015 and finalized in the fourth quarter of the year. The move was made in response to the team’s medical provider moving from the hospital to the clinic. 

“Dr. Janet Karpiak is so amazing with children and families during this very difficult situation and has the specialized training needed to provide these delicate exams. She is a true gem. When she announced she would be changing jobs, we knew we had to follow her to the Norwalk Community Health Center," said Kari Pesavento, director of the Children's Connection program. "We are also grateful to have our continued partnership with Norwalk Hospital Emergency Department to provide our emergent exams.”

In addition to our specialized medical services, through the multidisciplinary team, Children’s Connection provides forensic interviews, victim advocacy, referrals for mental health services and prosecution of cases involving sexual or severe physical abuse of children.

For more information about the program, visit their website or call (203) 849-1111.

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