Ann S. Botash, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, is a nationally recognized expert in child sexual abuse evaluation. She directs the University Hospital’s Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation (CARE) program in Syracuse, New York www.upstate.edu/gch/services/care/ . The multidisciplinary CARE team works closely with law enforcement officials, child protective services, and community agencies concerned with children's welfare to provide comprehensive and sensitive medical management.
Dr. Botash has also worked to establish the McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Site. This site provides a safe place to reduce trauma for abused children and their non-offending family members during the treatment process. One of New York State's Child Advocacy Centers, it facilitates the work of community agencies to prevent, investigate, and treat child abuse www.mcmahonryan.org/ .
In order to better serve all children and adolescents in New York State, Dr. Botash created the Child Abuse Medical Provider (CHAMP) Network to educate healthcare professionals in the identification and management of child sexual abuse cases. A New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) grant helps support CHAMP activities that include coursework and continued learning through webcasts and case reviews accessed through its website www.champprogram.com . The NYSDOH also funded Dr. Botash's writing a primer for medical providers, Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse: Education Manual for Medical Professionals. It is now available as the online course Evaluating Child Sexual Abusewww.champprogram.com/courses.asp .
In 2005 Dr. Botash received the Ambulatory Pediatric Association’s award for Public Policy and Advocacy. In addition to her work with child abuse, the award recognized her role in creating the Community Oriented Advocacy Training (COAT) program. COAT teaches advocacy skills through clinical projects in systems-based care.
