Multidisciplinary child protection teams — Investigation of child sexual abuse, online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors, child fatality, child physical abuse, and criminal child neglect cases — Protocols.
RCW 26.44.180
in effect(1) Each agency involved in investigating child sexual abuse, online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors, as well as investigations of child fatality, child physical abuse, and criminal child neglect cases, shall document its role in handling cases and how it will coordinate with other local agencies or systems and shall adopt a local protocol based on the state guidelines. The department and local law enforcement agencies may include other agencies and systems that are involved with child sexual abuse victims in the multidisciplinary coordination. (2)(a) Each county shall develop a written protocol for handling investigations of criminal child sexual abuse, online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors, and child fatality, child physical abuse, and criminal child neglect cases. The protocol shall address the coordination of such criminal investigations among multidisciplinary child protection team members, identified as representatives from the prosecutor's office, law enforcement, children's protective services, children's advocacy centers where available, local advocacy groups, community sexual assault programs as defined in RCW 70.125.030 , licensed physical and mental health practitioners that are involved with child sexual abuse victims, and any other local agency involved in such criminal investigations, including those investigations involving multiple victims and multiple offenders. The protocol shall be developed by the prosecuting attorney with the assistance of the agencies referenced in this subsection. (b) County protocol for handling investigations of online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors must be implemented by July 1, 2021. (3) Local protocols under this section shall be adopted and in place by July 1, 2000, and shall be submitted to the legislature prior to that date. Beginning on July 28, 2019, local protocols under subsection (1) of this section must be reviewed every two years to determine whether modifications are needed.
(1) Each agency involved in investigating child sexual abuse, online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors, as well as investigations of child fatality, child physical abuse, and criminal child neglect cases, shall document its role in handling cases and how it will coordinate with other local agencies or systems and shall adopt a local protocol based on the state guidelines. The department and local law enforcement agencies may include other agencies and systems that are involved with child sexual abuse victims in the multidisciplinary coordination.
(2)(a) Each county shall develop a written protocol for handling investigations of criminal child sexual abuse, online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors, and child fatality, child physical abuse, and criminal child neglect cases. The protocol shall address the coordination of such criminal investigations among multidisciplinary child protection team members, identified as representatives from the prosecutor's office, law enforcement, children's protective services, children's advocacy centers where available, local advocacy groups, community sexual assault programs as defined in RCW 70.125.030 , licensed physical and mental health practitioners that are involved with child sexual abuse victims, and any other local agency involved in such criminal investigations, including those investigations involving multiple victims and multiple offenders. The protocol shall be developed by the prosecuting attorney with the assistance of the agencies referenced in this subsection.
(b) County protocol for handling investigations of online sexual exploitation and commercial sexual exploitation of minors must be implemented by July 1, 2021.
(3) Local protocols under this section shall be adopted and in place by July 1, 2000, and shall be submitted to the legislature prior to that date. Beginning on July 28, 2019, local protocols under subsection (1) of this section must be reviewed every two years to determine whether modifications are needed.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.44&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026