B26-0412 • 2025

Child Abuse Investigation Multidisciplinary Team Certification Amendment Act of 2025

Children

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Parker
Last action: 2026-01-27
Official status: Under Council Review
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official metadata lists a 'Last action' date of January 27, 2026, which appears inconsistent with the bill year (2025) and current real-time; however, the text analysis relies only on the provided excerpt content.

Child Abuse Investigation Multidisciplinary Team Certification Amendment Act of 2025

This bill updates D.C. law to define accredited Children's Advocacy Centers, require investigation teams to try working with them, and mandate annual proof of accreditation.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'CAC' as an accredited Children’s Advocacy Center that has a service agreement with the District of Columbia.
Requires Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT) to make reasonable efforts to work with an accredited CAC during investigations.
States that not having a CAC cannot be used as a reason to delay or stop an investigation by D.C. authorities.
Creates a rule for the annual review and designation of the District's Children’s Advocacy Center.
Requires the CAC to send proof of its national accreditation status to the Council each year.

Who It Names or Affects

Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT) that investigate child abuse cases
Children's Advocacy Centers in the District of Columbia with service agreements
The D.C. Council, which receives annual accreditation reports

Terms To Know

CAC: An accredited Children’s Advocacy Center that has a service agreement with the District of Columbia.
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT): A group involved in coordinating child abuse investigations, which must try to work with an accredited CAC.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact cost of these changes.
The law only takes effect after approval by the Mayor and a 30-day congressional review period.
The text requires accreditation from a national body with expertise in the CAC model but does not name specific accrediting organizations.

Bill History

2026-01-27 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Committee Mark-up of B26-0412 by the Youth Affairs Committee - Not Considered
2025-11-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Public Hearing on B26-0412 View Public Hearing Record
2025-10-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-10-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary by Youth Affairs
2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0412 Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Referred to Committee on Youth Affairs
2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
B26-0412 Introduced by Councilmember Parker at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Child Abuse Investigation Multidisciplinary Team Certification Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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_____________________________ 2
Councilmember Zachary Parker 3
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A BILL 6
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_________________________ 8
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 10
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_________________________ 12
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To amend the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Act of 1977 to define “CAC” as an 15
accredited Children’s Advocacy Center, to mandate the use of an accredited Children’s 16
Advocacy Center during Multidisciplinary Team investigations, to establish an annual 17
reassessment and designation of the District’s Children’s Advocacy Center, and to 18
require the Children’s Advocacy Center supply to Council proof of its accreditation status 19
upon annual designation. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may 22
be cited as the “Child Abuse Investigation Multidisciplinary Team Certification 23
Amendment Act of 2025”. 24
Sec. 2. The Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Act of 1977, effective September 23, 25
1977 (D.C. Law 2-22; D.C. Official Code § 4-1301.51 et seq) is amended as follows: 26
(a) Section 102(2B) (D.C. Official Code § 4-1301.02), is amended as follows: 27
“(2B) “CAC” means an accredited Children’ s Advocacy Center under an 28
agreement for services with the District of Columbia.” 29
(b) A new subsection (c) is added to read as follows: 30
“(c) The MDT shall make reasonable efforts to enter into an agreement for services with 31
an accredited Children’s Advocacy Center for the purposes of coordinating the MDT 32
investigation. The absence of a CAC shall not constitute grounds for the District’s investigating 33

authority to delay or fail to carry out an MDT investigation. 34
(c) A new subsection (d) is added to read as follows: 35
“(d) The CAC serving as a member of the MDT shall, on an annual basis for the life of its 36
service agreement, provide the D.C. Council with documentation reflecting its accreditation 37
status in good standing by a national accrediting body with demonstrated expertise in the CAC 38
model.” 39
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 40
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 41
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 42
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 43
Sec. 5. Effective date. 44
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 45
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 46
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 47
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 48
Columbia Register. 49