The Solomon Children's Justice Center in Park City has earned national accreditation from the National Children's Alliance, marking a milestone for Summit County's response to child abuse allegations.
The Summit County Attorney's Office announced the accreditation Oct. 21, as first reported by KSL. According to the county, it is the first Utah children's justice center to seek and receive the credential in more than two decades.
The center was established in 2012 and operates under the Summit County Attorney's Office.
What accreditation means
The National Children's Alliance evaluates Children's Advocacy Centers using nine national standards developed with input from more than 130 child abuse intervention professionals and experts.
The standards address how centers coordinate investigations, provide support services and respond to the needs of children and families.
Accredited centers undergo site reviews on a five-year cycle to assess compliance with updated standards.
For Summit County, the accreditation recognizes the center's work bringing professionals from multiple agencies together to respond to suspected child abuse.
Services for children and families
According to Summit County's official description, the Children's Justice Center provides a child-friendly setting where children can speak with trained professionals about allegations of abuse.
The center uses a multidisciplinary team that includes professionals involved in child protection, investigations and related services.
This approach allows agencies to coordinate their work while helping reduce the number of times a child must describe an experience of suspected abuse.
Specially trained forensic interviewers conduct interviews, and families can receive referrals for mental health care, medical services and other support.
The center also provides professional training for participating agencies.
Local leadership
Ted Walker serves as director of the Summit County Children's Justice Center, according to the county staff directory.
Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson oversees the office responsible for the center's operations.
The center is located at 5870 Silver Summit Parkway in Park City. Residents seeking information about its services can contact the center at 435-615-3919.
