WORCESTER – Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early Jr. recognized a team which supports, aids, and cares for victims of child abuse on Thursday with the Team Excellence and Merit (TEAM) Award his office created in 2019. The team supports victims of child abuse and their families across Worcester County.
The multidisciplinary team of professionals includes members from the Worcester County District Attorney’s Child Abuse Unit and nationally accredited Children’s Advocacy Center, the Child Protection Program at UMass Memorial Medical Center, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, police from across Worcester County and Seven Hills Behavioral Health.
The group also received the award during National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is acknowledged in April.
This team works in tandem to ensure victims and their families receive the help and services they need while assessing the course of any investigation, ranging from mental and health evaluation and treatment to social service needs.
The Full list of recipients are:
The Child Protection Program at UMass:
- Sasha Svendsen, MD
- Peter Sell, DO
- Lorna Kogon, CPNP-PC
- Kara Thompson, CPNP-PC
- Mary Harris, LICSW, RPT-S
- Molly Hanson, LCSW
- Michelle Abdelnour, LSW
North Central Area Office:
- Melissa Huggins, DCF
- Jillian Thatcher, DCF
- Fitchburg Police Det. Jeff Hurley
South Central Area Office:
- Emily Kline, DCF
- Frances Cochran, DCF
- Southbridge Police Det. Lt. Carlos Dingui
- Northbridge Police Det. Sgt. Richard Gorman
Seven Hills Behavioral Health:
- Elizabeth Cheyne
Worcester East Area Office:
- Lynne Norcross, DCF
- Abigayl Garcia, DCF
- Shrewsbury Police Det. Brian Thibodeau
- Grafton Police Det. Daniel Wenc
Worcester County District Attorney Child Abuse Unit:
- Courtney Sans
- Mark McShera
- Nathan Morse
- Matthew Corey
- Katie Becker
- Melissa Baima
- Tracy DeFusco
- Jennifer Altomare
- Gina Melendez
- Chelsea Mahoney
- Nakeida Bethel-Smith
Andrea Boutiette - Rachel Murphy
- Nikole Crank
- Kaleigh Lawton
