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16th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
ACYF Commissioner's Award Book
Brenda Mirabal Rodriguez, MD |
Puerto RicoDr. Brenda Mirabal Rodriguez, a pediatrician, founded and currently directs the Bio-Psychosocial Program for the multidisciplinary evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of child victims of intra-family violence—the first program established in Puerto Rico to provide these services. Her expertise in the area of child abuse and neglect has been recognized in Puerto Rico, the United States, and Spain. One of her major accomplishments has been the development of the Integrated Center for Girls and Boys, sponsored by the Department of the Family, the Administration for Families and Children. Located in the Carolina region, the project incorporates the Child Advocacy Center concept, providing all the needed interagency and interdisciplinary services to children victims of sexual abuse in the same place. Throughout her professional career, Dr. Rodriguez has participated in various committees and commissions, including: the Commission for the Citizen's Security, Children's Justice Act Task Force, and the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Forensic Sciences Institute. She also is the founder and Director of the Violence Prevention Center for Hispanic Youth. Dr. Mirabal, a Professor in the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico, completed medical school at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine; her residency in pediatrics at Wayne State University in Detroit; a fellowship in the area of ambulatory pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas; and a master's degree in public health at the University of Texas School of Public Health. She has written over 12 professional articles addressing violence and child maltreatment. A pioneer, Dr. Mirabal has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the eradication of child abuse and neglect in Puerto Rico. Her devoted practice and expertise together with her innovative leadership earn her the well-deserved reputation of Puerto Rico's most knowledgeable and prominent authority in the field of child maltreatment and, specifically, the treatment of child sexual abuse. |