Screening and evaluating abused and neglected children entering protective custody.

Clinical research has documented a variety of problems that abused and neglected children present as a result of their having been maltreated. When these children enter protective custody, however, they rarely receive systematic screening and/or assessment of their current mental health functioning as a part of case management. The Screening and Evaluation Project (SEP) is a clinical research study examining the range of problems in 167 children entering protective custody. Both empirical and theoretical grounds support the importance of early screening and evaluation programs for children in these circumstances. Practical issues in implementing such programs are also discussed.