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Medical Services

In partnership with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Mission Kids can refer for specialized medical services to help start the healing process.

Even if abuse is no longer physically present, medical exams are an important opportunity for a child to hear “Your body is okay.”

The Child Abuse, Referral and Evaluation (CARE) Clinic is an outpatient clinical service that evaluates kids and adolescents for possible sexual or physical abuse or neglect. The CARE Clinic Staff is made up of nationally-recognized pediatricians who are certified in child abuse response, as well as social workers and mental health clinicians. Learn more about CHOP CARE here.

The CARE Clinic team will do everything possible to protect the wellbeing of your child and make the process as comfortable as possible.

The exam will begin with a discussion about your child’s medical history and why they were referred to the clinic. At times, team members may request to talk with your child alone, usually briefly. Clinic staff will never perform a full, comprehensive interview, but they will work with law enforcement and child welfare professionals to make sure kids get the care they need to heal.

Compassionate, kid-centric medical exams are what you can expect.

The team will conduct a physical head-to-toe exam to check for signs of abuse or other medical conditions. This may include the anal and genital areas, and if so, team members may use special equipment called a colposcope to better visualize these areas. However, rest assured that the CARE Clinic will not conduct “internal” or invasive exams of children. Additionally, team members may test for sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy, if necessary.

During or after the exam, the team’s mental health clinicians will meet with caregivers to discuss a plan for counseling. If any follow-up care is needed, the provider will refer you to additional services. Depending where you live, the CARE Clinic may utilize their telemedicine system to provide additional care.

Learn about other services available through Mission Kids

Forensic Interviews

Our child-centered interviews offer a safe place for kids to share their experience, guiding investigators and tailoring services to meet their needs while limiting additional trauma.

Collaborative Services

Uniting top prosecutors, detectives, social workers, pediatricians, and therapists, our multidisciplinary team keeps kids at the center of their investigation.

Family Advocacy

No family should go through a child abuse investigation alone. Mission Kids advocates make sure families are supported at every step.