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WESTCHESTER INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (WIHD) CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER (CAC) DIRECTOR RECEIVES HONORS

MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER, JENNIFER CANTER, M.D. INDUCTED INTO THE RAY HELFER SOCIETY

Valhalla, NY – January 2008-- The Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) announces the recent induction of Jennifer Canter M.D. into the Ray Helfer Society, an honorary society of physicians who are leaders in the field of child abuse and neglect.  Dr. Canter is the Medical Director of WIHD’s Children’s Advocacy Center.

Dr. Jennifer Canter, Medical Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) at the WIHD for the past six years, is also the Director of Child Protection for the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the New York Medical College School of Medicine and an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the New York Medical College School of Public Health.  She is a board-certified pediatrician with specialty fellowship training in Child Abuse and Neglect, or “Forensic Pediatrics.”  She lectures extensively to medical, law enforcement, child protective services and community agencies in the Hudson Valley and is engaged in pioneering research projects such as the use of forensic light in the detection of bruising on children and the role of co-sleeping in child fatalities.  In addition, Dr. Canter is an instrumental member of the county’s Child Fatality Review Team, functioning as the forensic pediatrician and engaging in development of prevention initiatives stemming from the fatalities.

 “We are very proud of Dr. Canter’s induction into the Ray Helfer Society.  This honor represents recognition by her physician peers as an expert and leader in the field of child abuse and neglect.  Through the nurturing environment of WIHD’s CAC, Dr. Canter evaluates children who are referred for concerns of physical abuse or sexual exploitation.  As a member of the Society, Dr. Canter will work as an advocate, clinician, researcher and teacher to enhance the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of child abuse and neglect,” said Ansley Bacon, Ph.D., President & CEO of WIHD.

The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-friendly environment where professionals can complete an interdisciplinary assessment of abused children.  The Center’s team works closely with the Westchester County Department of Social Services, Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, Westchester County Attorney’s Office, as well as other representatives from the law enforcement, medical and mental health fields. Dr. Canter is one of 12 statewide mentors for the Child Abuse Medical Providers Network (CHAMP); a model statewide initiative designed to improve the quality of medical evaluations for suspected sexual abuse in New York State.  The CAC has recently been named a “Center Of Excellence” by the CHAMP program as well as an Associate Member of the National Children’s Alliance (NCA); a national organization with a mission to standardize the quality of multi-disciplinary assessments of children in situations of abuse. 

Recently the American Board of Pediatrics designated Child Abuse Pediatrics a formal sub-specialty.  To become a specialist in the field of Child Abuse Pediatrics, pediatricians will soon be required to receive formal fellowship training such as Dr. Canter’s. A limited number of these fellowships are offered nationally, and only two are offered in New York State, one being provided by the Westchester Institute for Human Development’s Children’s Advocacy Center.  WIHD’s fellowship is a three-year post- residency fellowship in Child Abuse Pediatrics that combines clinical work, advocacy, research and program development experience.

The Ray Helfer Society works to promote education and training in the medical aspect of child abuse and neglect, to advocate for improved resources for research, clinical practice and education, to strengthen research, and to emphasize the importance of this field within the medical community .It was founded in 1999 by physicians working in the area of child maltreatment at several of the nation’s top medical schools and named in honor of the late Ray E. Helfer, M.D., a pediatrician and educator from Michigan State University who researched the origins of abuse and neglect and developed methods of detection, treatment, and prevention.  Because abuse had been widely ignored, he campaigned to alert doctors and other professionals to spot its symptoms and report likely cases.

About the Westchester Institute for Human Development

For more than 50 years, WIHD has played a critical role in the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families.  As one of only 67 University Centers of Excellence in the country, the Institute is committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families through research, education, and innovative services.  WIHD programs focus on the development of children, the safety of vulnerable children, and the support of families and communities to promote the health and well-being of people of all ages.  

For more information about the Westchester Institute for Human Development, please call 914-493-8147, or visit www.wihd.org.

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