With education and collaboration as our core values, we are always looking for new ways to become involved with our community. Not only do we teach medical professionals, but we also provide child maltreatment education to non-medical professionals such as child protection agency workers, forensic interviewers, judges, law enforcement, therapists, teachers, and school counselors. During our teaching sessions, we frequently address child maltreatment recognition and management, but we are not limited to this topic alone. Our providers are often asked to discuss normal child development and safety, adverse childhood experiences, long-term effect of child maltreatment, and positive parenting.

In addition to community education, we also encourage a “pay it forward” model of giving within the community. Numerous organizations and patient families donate toys to our clinic as prizes after our evaluations. We particularly appreciate stuffed animals such as teddy bears that can be used as calming/distraction/demonstrational aids during our clinic visits. Our clinic also regularly participates in the Blue Santa program to bless children of families who are in need during the holiday season. These donations and giving endeavors benefit families that interact with our clinic and network of community partners by providing joy and happiness during a possible very difficult time. We greatly appreciate the generosity of community members and organizations, and the privilege to have a positive impact on the lives of the children we evaluate.

Our physicians enjoy many opportunities for advocacy at regional and state levels. As members of the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Texas Pediatric Society), we have been actively involved in legislative advocacy as subject matter experts in child maltreatment. Fellows are also encouraged to attend the annual Texas Pediatric Society meeting to learn about the latest opportunities for advocacy at the state level. We are also members of the Alamo Area Coalition Against Trafficking (AACAT), which is an organization of numerous local and federal organizations working together to rescue victims of human trafficking and prevent the future commercial exploitation of children through community awareness.

If you are interested in collaboration with our division for education, or community involvement, or wish to donate any resources to influence the lives of children who are suspected victims of child maltreatment, please contact our clinic at 210-704-3800.