FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 22, 2026) - Attorney General Russell Coleman joined Kentucky prosecutors, law enforcement, advocates and medical professionals to release an updated framework for the collaborative response to child sexual abuse.
The Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse unveiled its Kentucky Model Protocol for Local Multidisciplinary Teams 2026 Wednesday morning during a news conference at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort. It marked the first time the Protocol had been updated since 2021. Following feedback from those who encounter child victims every day, the Commission made the framework more user friendly with a table of contents and more charts and reference materials.
Watch the news conference here.
“Those using this Protocol are working some of the most heinous crimes against our children. While it’s something I wish we didn’t need, I am grateful we have it,” said Attorney General Coleman. “As a father and the Attorney General I’m indebted to the Commission and all those who stare into this darkness to help Kentucky kids find justice, healing and hope.”
The Statewide Model Protocol is a mandatory blueprint law enforcement officers, social workers and prosecutors follow to investigate child sex abuse cases. The protocols seek to minimize trauma, encourage collaboration among agencies, and hold offenders accountable.
“The Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse appreciates the work of professionals across the state who serve abused children and their families every day. We hope that this updated protocol will help them in their work and that they are encouraged by today's public commitment by leaders in their fields,” said Laura Kretzer, chair of the Kentucky Multidisciplinary Commission on Child Sexual Abuse.
“Every child who walks through the doors of a Children’s Advocacy Center in Kentucky is met by the passionate local multidisciplinary team — all united around one unwavering commitment: healing the whole child,” said Natalie Pasquenza, CEO of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kentucky. “The Model Protocol ensures that coordinated commitment reaches every corner of the Commonwealth, so that no matter where a child lives in Kentucky, they will get the care they need.”
"We should all be proud of this protocol. It is so much more than words on paper. It is a clear signal that coordinated, trauma-informed care for victims of child sexual abuse is not optional- it it the Kentucky standard," said Joelle Hirst, the founder and nurse manager of Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, whose brother was the victim of sexual assault as a teenager.
To conclude today’s announcement, General Coleman, the Commission, and a group of statewide partners signed a pledge committing to the protocol and protecting Kentucky's kids.