Gov. Henry McMaster recently signed into law a measure aimed at helping child abuse investigations in the state.
McMaster was joined by Lt. Gov. Pamela S. Evette, members of the General Assembly, and children advocacy leaders for a ceremonial bill signing of S.229, the Child Abuse Response Protocol Act.
The act institutes a statewide decorum to effectively and efficiently respond to child abuse cases.
McMaster took to Twitter to state that the law was vital in determining the an abused child’s mental state.
“Today, I was proud to sign the Child Abuse Response Protocol Act,” McMaster tweeted. “This important legislation ensures that investigations into child abuse will be thoughtfully and deliberately conducted by specifically-trained professionals and will prioritize the child’s health.”
The law sets the protocol to follow in cases of child abuse, targeting for the least possible amount of distress for victims.
A Child Abuse Protocol Review Committee, comprised of 13 members, will be appointed by Gov. McMaster to follow through on the legislation.
The committee will include members with backgrounds in law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical, mental health, education and victim advocacy that will review protocol on a yearly basis and provide updates as needed.
