Welcome to the Ray E. Helfer Society

The Ray E. Helfer Society, founded in 1999 and named in honor of Dr. Ray E. Helfer, was originally established as an honorary society of physicians seeking to provide medical leadership regarding the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research concerning child abuse and neglect. It has grown to be the primary sub-specialty society for physicians devoted to the problem of maltreated children. Members are encouraged to login and visit the Member Center to take advantage the Society's benefits. Non-members are encouraged to browse through this site and, if applicable, consider membership in our organization.

Our Vision

Children will thrive in a society that values them.

Our Mission

To help prevent and reduce the harm resulting from child maltreatment, by advancing the work of physicians in the areas of education, clinical care, research and advocacy.

Announcements and Updates

Society Now Accepting Abstract Submissions for 2020 Annual Conference

The Call for Submissions to present at The Ray E. Helfer Society 's Annual Meeting, April 19-22, 2020, San Diego, California, is now open. Select this link to submit your idea! The deadline to submit is November 1, 2019.

Important Helfer Event Dates to Remember - Mark Your Calendar!

The Society will host pre-conference seminars at the San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment Jan. 25-26, 2020. Helfer's Annual Meeting will take place April 19-22, 2020, in San Diego, California.

2019 Conference Presentations Available

Members may now access copies of presentations from the 2019 Annual Meeting in Orlando. Visit Presentation Archives (login required) in the Member Center for access to the new and past presentations.

UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION: Helfer Society Announces Headquarters Relocation

Our new address, effective May 1, 2019, is 218 Glorieta Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32095. Our phone number remains 630.359.4273.

Employment Opportunities

Select this link to review the latest job postings on our Employment page.

Donate to the Friends of the Ray E. Helfer Society

Membership

Membership in The Ray Helfer Society puts you in touch with a community of physicians seeking to provide leadership to enhance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The Society is named after Ray E. Helfer, a pioneer in the prevention of child abuse. Dr. Helfer, a pediatrician and educator, helped research the origins of abuse and neglect and also developed methods of detection, treatment and prevention. You can learn more about the Society by visiting the About the Society section of this web site. A brief biography of Ray E. Helfer and his efforts in the prevention of child abuse is available by selecting this link.

The organization offers two primary types of membership: Scholar and Regular. A membership application is available in both the Scholar and Regular sections of this web site under the Membership tab.