Virginia’s House Honors Tinney As MDT Member of Year
The often unheralded work of protecting children caught in the legal system happens in careful interviews, coordinated investigations, and the steady collaboration among professionals determined to keep the vulnerable safe.
That work was recognized last month as Virginia’s House in Graham announced Shelly Tinney, a child protective investigator for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, as the Young County Multi-Disciplinary Team Member of the Year for 2025.
Ms. Tinney has spent more than two decades serving children and families in Young County, building a reputation among colleagues as a calm, reliable presence in some of the most difficult cases the community faces, Virginia’s House outreach coordinator Morgan Shook said in a statement.
Virginia’s House serves as a central hub in those cases. The organization works closely with law enforcement, Child Protective Services, prosecutors and medical professionals to investigate allegations of child abuse and sexual abuse. Through forensic interviews and counseling services, the center helps ensure children do not have to repeatedly relive traumatic experiences while investigations move forward.
The work is carried out through the county’s Multi-Disciplinary Team, a coordinated group of professionals who respond together when abuse is reported. The team typically includes CPS investigators, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, forensic interviewers, mental health providers, medical personnel and victim advocates.
The MDT’s work is crucial to Young County law enforcement’s prosecutions of perpetrators: children tell their story once, agencies share information, and cases move forward in a way that protects both the child and the integrity of the investigation.
Within that system, Ms. Tinney has become a cornerstone, the statement said.
Colleagues say her decades of experience, attention to detail and steady commitment to children make her someone others depend on in the most complex situations.
“She has spent a large part of her life dedicated to keeping children safe and has done an outstanding job doing so,” one colleague wrote in a nomination submitted to Virginia’s House.
Others described Ms. Tinney as intelligent, articulate and highly professional during investigations, while another called her “the definition of a seasoned professional who continually demonstrates an exemplary work ethic.”
Those who work alongside her say Ms. Tinney is known for showing up — no matter the time of day or the difficulty of the case — with a focus on doing what is best for the child.
Virginia’s House officials said her willingness to collaborate and communicate across agencies reflects exactly what the MDT model is designed to accomplish.
The organization extended its congratulations and appreciation to Ms. Tinney for her service to Young County’s children and families.