At age nine, Irma was sexually assaulted by her stepfather. Her aunt brought her to our clinic severely physically and emotionally injured. Surgery restored her physical health, but it took two years of individual and mother-daughter therapy to rebuild her spirit.
Children who have been victims of or witnesses to violence and neglect experience the worst of childhood. The primary concern of the Violence Intervention Program is to provide protection, healing, and hope for child victims and their non-offending family members.
The VIP Community-Based Assessment and Treatment Center provides around-the-clock forensic and medical services as well as mental health services for children, ages 0-18, who have been victims of sexual or physical assault or witnesses to domestic violence.
CATC examines thousands of children like Irma every year. As the only program in Los Angeles County available 24 hours a day to law enforcement, social services and parents, CATC is an important advocate for children in the arena of legal and social services. CATC is internationally acclaimed and has pioneered research and technology that is the standard of care for child abuse victims around the world.
CATC is part of the VIP HUB, a comprehensive health care system for foster children in Los Angeles County.
Forensic/Medical services are provided by health care professionals trained to deal with child victims. Services include:
- Forensic evaluations including photo-documentation and evidence collection
- Medical evaluation and treatment
- STD and pregnancy prophylaxis
- Coordination with law enforcement, courts, and social services
- Case management and advocacy services
- 24-hour crisis intervention
- Bilingual, multicultural and victim-sensitive services
- Follow-up medical care
- On-site Department of Children and Family Service workers
- Court consultation
- Subspecialty consultations and services through LAC+USC Medical Center
| VIP's Community-Based Assessment and Treatment Center is located at: 2010 Zonal Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90033 For appointments and referrals call (323) 226-3961 |
| Other Medical HUB sites in Los Angeles County |
| Harbor UCLA Medical Center 1000 W. Carson Street Torrance, CA 90509 Child Crisis Center: (310) 222-3567 K.I.D.S. Clinic: (310) 222-6504 |
| High Desert MACC 44900 N 60th Street West Lancaster, CA 93536 (661) 945-8353 |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. MACC 1721 E. 120th Street Los Angeles, CA 90059 (310) 668-6400 |
| Olive View-UCLA Medical Center 14445 Olive View Drive Sylmar, CA 91342 (818) 364-4680 |
| Childrens Hospital Los Angeles 4650 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027 CARES Team (forensic exams): (323) 361-4977 Initial Exams: (323) 361-2350 |
At the VIP Community Mental Health Center (VIP CMHC), housed in the S. Mark Taper Family Advocacy Center adjacent to the Medical Clinic, children and their non-offending family members can receive crisis intervention and ongoing mental health treatment.
