Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) recently received a US $ 5,000 grant from the J. Milton & Nellie E. Hoffa Memorial Foundation in support of the CPC Child Protection Team (CPT). The Child Protection Team is a legally mandated program that works in partnership with Child Protection Investigators (CPIs) from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and local law enforcement agencies in children suspected of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect abuse . Services include forensic interviews, psychological and psychosocial assessments, forensic medical assessments, and court certificates. CPT is the only state-authorized provider performing these functions in Sarasota and DeSoto counties and has historically cared for 700 children a year.

Funding this grant supports the services provided by the child protection team. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the CPT has seen an increase in cases of sexual abuse and provides more services to fewer children as the severity of cases has increased.