SB 1107 Summary

• Establishes a child and family advocacy center fund administered by the Arizona Attorney General, consisting of appropriated monies and other available sources, with monies continuously appropriated.

• Requires child and family advocacy centers seeking funding to be either accredited by a national organization promoting multidisciplinary child abuse investigation programs or annually certify compliance with specific standards including maintaining a neutral facility, conducting evidence-based forensic interviews, and maintaining a multidisciplinary case review team.

• Mandates funded centers provide or refer for medical evaluations by trained health care providers, mental health therapy by trauma-focused professionals, evidence-based community training, and comply with safety assessment and investigation protocols.

• Distributes fund monies as follows: up to 5% for Attorney General administrative costs, 5% to a statewide membership organization supporting child advocacy centers, 47.5% equally among qualifying centers, and 47.5% based on each center's proportion of victims served.

• Provides civil immunity to child and family advocacy center employees and designated agents participating in investigations unless they acted with malice or are suspected of abusing the child subject to investigation.