Four chapters on the organizing of case management teams discuss team organizing in various contexts, including university and private hospitals, cities, and rural areas. Eleven chapters on the diagnostic tasks of team members and consultants encompass the diagnosis of various types of abuse (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect), the roles of various disciplines in diagnosing abuse, and various means of diagnosis. Case conferences are discussed in four chapters, which address program and case coordination, conducting effective team meetings, group process and interprofessional communication, and guidelines for team decisions and case management. Six chapters on the legal system and child protection teams cover the legal basis for such teams; the legal liability of agencies, child protection teams, and individuals; the attorney's role with the team; team recommendations to the courts; the expert witness; and the child witness. Specialized teams are examined in chapters which consider institutional abuse case review teams, military installation teams, and State or regional consultation teams. Stages of team development, training models for new and established teams, interdisciplinary teams in professional schools, and a national survey of teams and their operations are discussed in the section on child protection team development. The concluding section of the book addresses the influence of child protection teams on the development of community resources and child abuse prevention programs. Chapter references, subject index. For individual chapters, see NCJ 115143-58.