Karly's Law
Background
In memory of Karly Sheehan, a 3-year-old Corvallis, Oregon girl who died from abuse in 2005 after allegations went unchecked, the state of Oregon established Karly’s law. The law mandates that children in Oregon who exhibit suspicious or questionable physical injuries during the course of a child abuse investigation must receive medical attention within 48 hours.
Since 2008, Karly’s Law has helped thousands of Oregon children receive medical care and support in response to suspected physical abuse. Karly’s Law imposes specific statutory requirements on law enforcement, Department of Human Services, and medical providers who have received specialized training to assess injuries that may have been caused by child abuse. The injuries need to be photographed by either Law Enforcement or Child Welfare professionals in the field and a Designated Medical Provider (DMP) who has received specialized training to assess injuries must conduct a medical assessment within 48 hours of initial contact with DHS or law enforcement. The Amani Center is the Designated Medical Provider (DMP) for Columbia County, Oregon and provides specialized medical exams as well as support, consultation and guidance for investigators as a neutral, unbiased third party.
Suspicious Injuries
The suspected injuries include but are not limited to:
- burns or scalds.
- extensive bruising or abrasions on any part of the body.
- bruising, swelling or abrasions on the head, neck or face.
- fractures of any bone in a child under the age of three.
- multiple fractures in a child of any age.
- dislocations, soft tissue swelling or moderate to severe cuts.
- loss of the ability to walk or move normally according to the child’s developmental ability.
- unconsciousness or difficulty maintaining consciousness.
- multiple injuries of different types.
- injuries causing serious or protracted disfigurement or loss of impairment of the function of any bodily organ.
- any other injury that threatens the physical well-being of the child.
Suspicious injuries must be addressed as Karly’s Law requires.
Safe Space for Children
Amani Center has DMP’s on staff that can see children in these circumstances within a 48-hour timeframe. At Amani Center, we strive to fulfill the mandates of Karly’s Law and honor her legacy by offering a safe, supportive atmosphere and providing medical assessments to children who are suspected victims of abuse or neglect. When the DMP sees these children, they will receive a Forensic Medical Assessment along with a Forensic interview. Because of this, the Center maintains several open appointment times to accommodate these urgent assessments.
Learn More About Karly’s Law
Amani Center staff also assist in providing education on Karly’s Law to our Community Partners and work in partnership with local medical providers to ensure that they have the training and information needed to respond to sentinel injuries and identify physical abuse concerns during primary care visits.
Karly’s Law Training
Click the link below to view a training video on what you need to know about Karly’s Law. This training is designed to provide basic knowledge about the key points of Karly’s Law.