 Two types or reporting persons:  Mandated  Non-mandated  Non-mandated reports can be ANYONE who expect abuse or neglect has occurred  No responsibilities to call  No responsibilities to the investigation  No responsibilities to provide contact information

 of the CPL dictates Individuals required to report child abuse or neglect

Sec. 3. (1) An individual is required to report under this act as follows: (a) A physician, dentist, physician’s assistant, registered dental hygienist, medical examiner, nurse, person licensed to provide emergency medical care, audiologist, psychologist, marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor, social worker, licensed master’s social worker, licensed bachelor’s social worker, registered social service technician, social service technician, a person employed in a professional capacity in any office of the friend of the court, school administrator, school counselor or teacher, law enforcement officer, member of the clergy, or regulated child care provider who has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect

 Child- defined as being under 18 years of age.  Person responsible- a parent, a guardian or any adult living with a child or adult for any amount of time.

 Vulnerable Adult-Any person 18 years of age or older who is a potentially a target of abuse, neglect or exploitation  Elderly  Developmentally Disabled  Injured  Physically Disabled

 Child Abuse- harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare that occurs through non-accidental physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or maltreatment, by a parent, a legal guardian, or any other person responsible for the child’s health or welfare or by a teacher, a teacher’s aide, or a member of the clergy.

 Child neglect means harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare by a parent, legal guardian, or any other person responsible for the child’s health or welfare that occurs through either of the following:  (I) Negligent treatment, including the failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care.  (ii) Placing a child at an unreasonable risk to the child’s health or welfare by failure of the parent, legal guardian, or other person responsible for the child’s health or welfare to intervene to eliminate that risk when that person is able to do so and has, or should have, knowledge of the risk.

 Exploitation- using money of vulnerable adult for their own purposes.  Abuse-Action resulting in the harm of an adult a person is responsible for.  Neglect-Failing to meet the needs of an adult in which a person is responsible for.

 Physical abuse  Physical neglect  Sexual abuse  Mental Injury  Medical neglect  Improper supervision  Munchausen's

 Substance abuse  Maintaining a drug residence  Domestic violence (amongst adults)  Prior termination of parental rights

 Masturbating excessively.  Showing unusually aggressive behavior toward family members, friends, toys, and pets.  Complaining of pain while urinating or having a bowel movement, or exhibiting symptoms of genital infections such as offensive odors, or symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease.  Having symptoms indicating evidence of physical traumas to the genital or anal area.  Beginning wetting the bed.  Disclosures/fear of caretakers

 Marks clearly indicative of abuse such as loop marks, linear marks, or marks on parts of the body which are unlikely to be self inflicted or accidental.  Broken bones not indicative of accidents such as spiral fractures  Injuries which are not explained by information attained from the parents  Disclosures of abuse/fear of caregivers

 Children are unclean/unkempt  Homelessness  Concerning disclosures of household’s condition  Absenteeism

 Children without legal caregiver; unsupervised  Children who are hurt and cannot state where their caretaker was at the time  Children who report being left home alone  Children exposed to people you feel or know are unsafe  Unable to reach parents in the case of emergencies  Unavailable to meet the needs of the child(ren)  Absenteeism

 Child’s behaviors has changed as a direct correlation to changes in the parents home  Child has developed a mental health diagnoses due to the conditions at home  Parents who do not have amicable relationships  Child disclosing any form of maltreatment

 Children who are ill for long periods of time and parents are not able to articulate how they will or have addressed the issue  Missing doctors appointments  Refusal to allow/provide medical care needed for the child(ren)

 Often is a parent, usually a mother, but can be the adult child of an elderly patient  Might be a health care professional  Is very friendly and cooperative with the health care providers  Appears quite concerned (some might seem overly concerned) about the child or designated patient  The child has a history of many hospitalizations, often with a strange set of symptoms  Worsening of the child’s symptoms generally is reported by the mother and is not witnessed by the hospital staff

 Parents or caretakers slurring speech  Parents missing appointments  Disclosures of substance abuse in the home.  Smelling of substance (alcohol, marijuana)  Parents who are unable to focus (jittery, listless, hyper, tired)

 Marks on parents (generally the mother or female caregiver)  One parent is domineering relative to the other; one subservient  Disclosure of past or current violence in the home  Any fear observed of a caretaker in the residence

 Not all abuse or neglect  Most are generally obvious as to whether or not the parent were to some extent responsible.  Due to the impact of these cases it is important to report ALL of these cases to CPS  Put the information in the hands of CPS, let them make the decisions about closing/rejecting these cases.

 Head Lice  Truancy  Domestic Violence/Criminality  Substance Abuse (confused?)  Negative or delinquent behaviors by minors (who don’t have children)  Physical Discipline  Child home alone

 See and interview (if age appropriate) all children residing in the home  See the home  Interview all adults residing in the home  Interview all non-custodial parents  Make collateral contacts to all applicable parties  Background checks

 Preponderance  Burden of proof needed to confirm the alleged maltreatment  Means “more likely than not” or approximately 51% likelihood

 Category V- no preponderance (Cannot locate).  Category IV-no preponderance (Appox. 70% of all cases)  Category III- preponderance of evidence; services offered, may not monitor, no CR, no court  Category II- preponderance of evidence; services referred, monitor, CR, no court  Category I- Court needed or required, preponderance of evidence, possible foster care placement, DHS monitoring, services provide, CR

 Written notice of the outcome  Protecting the identity of the reporting person  Contacting the reporting person

 Mandated reporters are such due to position or affiliation with an organization. This responsibility exists both:  In the normal practices of employment  When at home  When out and about in the community  Anytime abuse or neglect is suspected

 Once child abuse or neglect is suspected the CPL (Child Protection Law) dictates:  An oral report is to be made immediately OR cause an oral report to be made  A written report is required  Within 72 hours of the oral report (DHS 3200)  All Applicable Demographics  Alleged abuse or neglect concerns  Name and contact information of the reporting party (you)

 Mandated reporters working for a hospital or school are to:  provide information (make copies) of abuse or neglect reports which are made to DHS  They go to person in charge at the organization

 Make yourself available to the investigating agency. Your input will ALWAYS be requested  When your report is assigned  When there are changes to the investigation  Safety is a priority over confidentiality  Providing information is expected and required  Important also in development of professional relationships

 Mandated reporters should not attempt to:  Investigate  Ask questions of the family or child(ren) once they have already attained information to make a report  Use strong discretion when informing families they reported  Dangerous  Effects the outcome of the investigation  Safety of children  Services for the families

Orally report abuse and neglect immediately to CI (centralized intake) ( )  Make follow up with written reports to CI  Make sure the person in charge is made aware of the report being made  Disclose reporting if you choose (may depend on the situation; an example is a therapist)

 Providing information to your superior does not diminish or change your responsibility to report child abuse or neglect!!!  You have your own responsibility separate from your affiliation with your employer to report abuse and neglect

 When in doubt...make the call