Child Abuse, Violence Intervention Program (VIP)

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Astrid Heppenstall Heger, M.D.

Current Position:

  • Founder and Executive Director of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP)

  • Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

  • Helps provide the geography and leadership for the Child Abuse and Neglect Program that includes a 24/7 forensic clinic, a follow-up clinic for children in foster care, urgent care services for children entering foster care and children in the general Pediatric Practice at the Medical Center as well as a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder clinic, sexual assault center and a program aimed at the abuse of the elderly and disabled, the Adult Protection Team. The VIP also provides 24/7 access to mental health services and advocacy.

Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Residency: LAC+USC Pediatrics

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Catherine A. DeRidder, M.D.

Current position and specialty:

  • Associate Program Director, Violence Intervention Program

  • Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC

  • Child Abuse Pediatrics

Hometown: Naperville, IL
Undergraduate: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Medical School: Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
Residency: Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN
Fellowship: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA
What does working at LAC+USC mean to you? We strive to do our best to care for the most vulnerable children in Los Angeles.

Haylee Finkel, D.O.

Current Position: 

  • Pediatrician at the LAC+ USC HUB/Violence Intervention Program, providing medical care for children within the LA County foster and dependency system.  I also work in the HUB's Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Clinic, providing diagnoses and referrals for appropriate services for children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. 


Medical School:  Touro University Nevada
Residency:  LAC+USC

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Jorge A. Fuentes, M.D.

Current position and specialty: 

  • Medical Director of the LAC+USC VIP Hub clinic

  • Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the USC Keck School of Medicine

  • General pediatrics 

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA 
Undergraduate: UCLA
Medical School:  USC Keck School of Medicine 
Residency: LAC+USC Medical Center Women’s and Children’s
What does working at LAC+USC mean to you? I love working with the patient population that makes up the community that surrounds our Medical Center.  Working at LAC+USC means that I get to work with colleagues and individuals that also enjoy and are committed to providing services to this specific patient population. 

Katie Santohigashi, M.D.

Current position: Primary care pediatrics for youth in the LA county foster system
Medical School: USC Keck School of Medicine
Residency: LAC+USC, Pediatric chief resident

Supriya Sharma, M.D.

Hometown: Pleasanton, CA 
Undergraduate: University of California, Santa Barbara 
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine, Grenada 
Residency: University Hospitals Case Western Reserve - Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Cleveland 
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine & Child Abuse Pediatrics - Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA
What does working at LAGMC/USC mean to you? It is a privilege that get I get to pursue my passion of serving the county's most vulnerable patients and work towards their healing in both the emergency department and VIP Clinic.