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Receiving community referrals, which includes those from State-mandated professional reporters and the population at large, is the gateway to CPS. In this chapter, the function of accepting referrals (also termed "reports") is described in terms of specific features. The chapter examines who is considered a mandated reporter, the criteria for accepting or screening out a referral, the key decisions discussed in policy and who is assigned the responsibility for making these decisions, and what notifications to other agencies are required by policy.
The policy materials for almost all States addressed the function of reporting and who is mandated or required to report alleged maltreatment.(1) In several cases, State statutes specified the classes of mandated reporters. (See table 3-A.)
The review of policy indicated a range of configurations from widely mandated and accepted reporting (any person with reason to suspect child abuse or neglect, including anonymous sources) to more narrowly mandated reporting (specified categories limited to certain professional reporters).
| Category Mandated | Number and Percentage of States |
|---|---|
| Social Services personnel | 49 (96.1%) |
| Medical personnel | 49 (96.1%) |
| Mental Health personnel | 47 (92.2%) |
| Education personnel | 47 (92.2%) |
| Child daycare providers | 47 (92.2%) |
| Legal, law enforcement or criminal justice personnel | 46 (91.2%) |
| Substitute care providers including foster parents | 42 (82.4%) |
Professionals were mandated to report by almost all the States. In approximately one-quarter of the States, non-professional sources, including victims, parents, relatives, and community members were required to report.
Several States had specific language that designated "other" mandated reporters. These included Christian Science practitioners, funeral directors, commercial film and photographic print professionals, substance abuse treatment agencies, legislators, clergy members, guardians ad litem, other health professionals (e.g., dentists, chiropractors), child visitation monitors, domestic violence shelter employees, mediators, veterinarians, firefighters, employers of contracted entities providing direct services, spiritual practitioners, clergy serving in nonpastoral capacities, alcohol and other drug counselors, physical therapists, dieticians, and speech language therapists.
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The policy materials for almost all States included specific criteria for accepting or excluding referrals alleging child abuse and neglect. Policy documentation of screening criteria varied from State-to-State in terms of level of detail and scope. (See tables 3-B and 3-C.)
Forty-three States (84.3%) required referrals to meet the statutory criteria for abuse and neglect in that State. The policy materials of 10 of these States included only mention of the statute. The remaining 33 State policies included a blanket statement regarding what is considered abuse and neglect and other specific criteria such as "child under 18" or that the alleged perpetrator must be a "parent, guardian, or caretaker."
Other miscellaneous criteria for screening included maltreatment of married children under the age of 18, dependent children, children under the age of 13 with diagnosed sexually transmitted diseases, children with inadequate clothing or hygiene, multiple reports on the same family, instances where a family with a child that has been removed from the home has a new baby, mental illness that prevents parents from providing adequate care for their children, sexually aggressive youth, juvenile sex offenders returning to a home with other children, instances of child death due to child abuse or neglect where other children are in the home, high reporter validity by a mandated reporter, domestic violence in the home, women using drugs during pregnancy, instances where the parent or guardian has reason to know that the child would be maltreated, maltreatment occurring as a result of parent or guardian negligence, and reports regarding all children from birth through age 4 years.
Forty-one States (80.4%) additionally specified specific exclusionary criteria. Some exclusions mirrored inclusion criteria. For example 23 States (45.1%) included blanket exclusions based on the definition of child abuse and neglect; 14 States (27.5%) specified that children over 18 years of age would be excluded. However, the addition of some exclusionary criteria further refined and narrowed the definition of what could be screened-in for an investigation or assessment.
Although differences in the size of the net cast by States in defining criteria for inclusivity or exclusivity were identified, they did not relate to State administrative structures or to the presence or absence of an alternative response track.
Features of the intake procedures included the availability to receive reports, methods for documenting reports, and timeframes for accepting and forwarding a report. These features were examined in relation to published recommendations from the Council on Accreditation (COA) in order to compare findings to one set of standards in the field.
The COA recommends that intake be available 24-hours a day. The majority of States addressed this recommendation in policy and met this guideline. (See table 3-D.) In 44 States (86.3%), policy specified procedures to ensure that referrals could be accepted 24-hours a day.
Forty-seven States (92.2%) indicated that specific forms were required for documenting referrals. Many policy manuals simply listed the name of the required form. The following information was most commonly collected:
The COA standards further recommend that action be taken within 24 hours of the initial report for every report of neglect, abuse, or exploitation in order to determine if the child is in danger and should be removed; how the child is being affected by the situation and if the care and protection of the child meets accepted standards.
Forty-eight States (94.1%) provided information regarding timeframes in written policy. (See table 3-E.) States varied in their explanation of timeframes for forwarding a report for investigation. Timeframes were defined in some cases as "time to forward the report to an investigation unit" or as "time from receipt of the report to the beginning of the investigation." A number of States did not define timeframes specifically within hours or days, but used terms that were more open to interpretation, such as "immediate." It appeared that, at least for high-priority or severe cases, most State policies stipulated a 24-hour standard.
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When a referral is received, a number of options may be defined in policy for appropriate action based on screening criteria. The three most common pathways specified as outcomes of the screening decision were for the case to be accepted for investigation, referred to another agency, or screened out. (See table 3-F.)
Forty-five States (88.2%) indicated that reports could be referred to other agencies. Examples of cases to be referred cases to outside agencies included:
Thirty-two States (62.7%) indicated that a possible outcome of screening was to refer the case to another part of the child welfare agency. Criteria for referring cases to other child welfare units included:
Twenty-two States (43.1%) had provisions for sharing case information with other agencies (most commonly law enforcement). Thirteen States (25.5%) identified the assignment of a case to an alternative response as an option at the point of screening. Nine States (17.6%) identified screening outcomes that fell into the "other" category, such as, insufficient information to identify the child or family, maltreatment types that do not fall within the child protection mandate, and identification of an Indian child.
State policies indicated that a decision protocol for forwarding cases for investigation was applied to the majority of cases. In 29 States (56.9%) there was one approach to decision making across cases. Of these States, 13 primarily relied upon the worker's decision with supervisor approval; 2 relied on the worker alone making the decision; 7 relied upon the supervisor making the decision; 5 relied upon a joint worker and supervisor decision; and 2 had other protocols.
In the majority of the remaining States, there were different protocols related to different case circumstances. For example most investigations might be decided by only the worker, unless the case was considered to be marginal, or the supervisor might review specific types of cases. Examples included screened-out cases, referrals for special service needs, immediate response referrals, cases where eligibility is in question, or cases where a mandated reporter makes reports.
In some cases, State policies described a procedure that fell into the "other" category. These "other" cases generally involved joint decisionmaking processes by two different child protection entities. Examples of different configurations of decisionmaking processes included:
Forty-two States (82.4%) had a written policy on whom or what entities should be notified of screening decisions. (See table 3-H.) The most frequently notified group was law enforcement.
The above categories were not mutually exclusive.
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The review of current policies on screening revealed that more than two-thirds of the States addressed many of the key elements that support the screening and intake procedures in a comprehensive and systematic manner including the following:
States varied, however, in the specific policy related to many of these features, and even more strikingly in many features of the screening and intake function. For example, there was less agreement on the following:
| Policy in Less Than 33% of States Addressed: | Policy in 33-66% of States Addressed: | Policy in More Than 66% of States Addressed: |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Regardless of the structure of the administration of CPS, there was wide variety in the features of policy related to screening and intake. (See table 3-2 for a summary of screening and intake policies.)
| State | SSP | MED | MHP | EDU | LEG | CCP | SUB | VIC | PAR | REL | FRI | PER | ANO | OTH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | |
| AL | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| AR | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | ||||||
| AZc | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | ||
| CA | M | M | M | M | M | |||||||||
| CO | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| CTb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| DCb | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | |
| DEa | M | M | M | M | A | M | ||||||||
| FL | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | ||||||
| GA | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | ||||||
| HIb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | |
| IAb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | |
| IDa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M | |
| ILb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| INa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M | ||
| KSb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| KY | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | |
| LAb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| MA | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | ||||||
| MD | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | M | |
| ME | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M | |||||
| MI | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| MN | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| MO | ||||||||||||||
| MS | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M | ||||||
| MT | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| NCa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| ND | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| NEa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| NHa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | |
| NJa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| NMa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M | |
| NV | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | M | |
| NYb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | |
| OHb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | M | |
| OKa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M |
| OR | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| PAb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | M | A | A | A |
| RIa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | |
| SCb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | M | |
| SD | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| TNa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| TXa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M |
| UTa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | |
| VAb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| VT | ||||||||||||||
| WAbc | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | M | A | A | A | M | |
| WIb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | M |
| WVb | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | ||||||
| WYa | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | ||||||
| Key: SSP = social service personnel; MED =
medical personnel; MHP = mental health personnel; EDU = education personnel;
LEG = legal, law enforcement, or criminal justice personnel; CCP = child
daycare providers; SUB = substitute care providers; VIC = victim; PAR = parent;
REL = other relative; FRI = friend or neighbor; PER = alleged perpetrator;
ANO = anonymous; OTH = other; M = mandated; A = accepted. a Everyone is a mandated reporter. b Anyone who suspects CAN may report. c Anyone with responsibility for the care of a child is mandated. |
||||||||||||||
| State | Meets Statutory Definition of CAN | Specifies Physical Abuse | Specifies Sexual Abuse | Specifies Emotional Abuse | Specifies Neglect | Medical Neglect | Child Under 18 | Ability to Locate Child | Perpetrated by Parent , Guardian, Family | Perpetrated by Caregiver, Institution | CAN by Third Party with Relationship with Family | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| AL | X | X | X | X | X | Xa | X | |||||
| AR | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| AZ | X | X | X | Xb | X | X | X | |||||
| CA | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| CO | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| CT | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| DC | X | |||||||||||
| DE | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| FL | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| GA | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| HI | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| IA | X | X | X | |||||||||
| ID | X | |||||||||||
| IL | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| IN | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| KS | X | |||||||||||
| KY | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| LA | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| MA | X | X | ||||||||||
| MD | X | |||||||||||
| ME | Xc | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| MI | X | X | X | |||||||||
| MN | X | Xd | X | |||||||||
| MO | X | X | X | |||||||||
| MS | X | X | ||||||||||
| MT | Xe | |||||||||||
| NC | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| ND | X | X | ||||||||||
| NE | X | |||||||||||
| NH | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| NJ | X | X | ||||||||||
| NM | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| NV | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| NY | X | X | X | |||||||||
| OH | X | X | ||||||||||
| OK | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| OR | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| PA | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| RI | X | Xf | X | X | X | |||||||
| SC | X | X | X | |||||||||
| SD | X | |||||||||||
| TN | X | |||||||||||
| TX | X | |||||||||||
| UT | X | |||||||||||
| VA | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| VT | X | |||||||||||
| WA | X | X | ||||||||||
| WI | X | X | ||||||||||
| WV | X | X | ||||||||||
| WY | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Notes: a Alabama: Also, married child under 18 b Arizona: Definition of neglect includes medical neglect. c Maine: Referrals containing allegations of CAN of infants and pre-kindergarten children may not be screened out due to insufficient staff. d Minnesota: There must be sufficient information to identify the child or at least one member of the family. e Montana: All reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. f Rhode Island: Child must be under 18 and living at home, or under 21 and living in DCF placement or DCF custody. |
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| State | Reporter Reliability | Does Not Meet Definition for CAN | Child Over 18 | Cultural and Religious Differences, Spiritual Healing | Medical Neglect | Educational Neglect | Poverty, Dirty House, Hygiene | Reasonable Discipline | Harm to Unborn Child | CAN in Other State or County | Third Party Perpetrator | Duplicate Report | Lack of Info, Cannot Locate Child | Substance Abuse | Custody Issues | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| AL | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| AZ | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| CO | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| CT | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| DC | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| DE | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| FL | X | X | X | Xa | X | X | X | |||||||||
| GA | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | Xb | ||||||||
| HI | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| IA | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| ID | X | |||||||||||||||
| IL | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| KS | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| KY | X | X | ||||||||||||||
| LA | X | Xc | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| MA | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| MD | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| ME | Xd | |||||||||||||||
| MI | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| MN | Xe | |||||||||||||||
| MO | Xf | X | X | |||||||||||||
| MS | X | Xg | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| MT | X | |||||||||||||||
| NC | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| ND | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| NE | X | |||||||||||||||
| NM | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| OK | X | X | Xh | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| OR | Xi | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| PA | X | X | ||||||||||||||
| SC | X | |||||||||||||||
| SD | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| TN | X | X | ||||||||||||||
| TX | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| UT | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| VA | X | |||||||||||||||
| VT | X | X | ||||||||||||||
| WA | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| WV | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| WY | X | X | Xj | X | ||||||||||||
| a Florida: Excludes reports alleging CAN
on Military bases and Indian reservations. b Georgia: Excludes juvenile delinquency unless also separate allegation of maltreatment, and incidents 6 months old or older unless otherwise directed by policy (i.e. severe maltreatment or ongoing risk). c Louisiana: Exclusions include parent failure to provide glasses, braces, immunizations, and corrective shoes. d Maine: No specific allegation of abuse and neglect. e Minnesota: Law enforcement is notified whenever reports of maltreatment do not involve an alleged offender within the family. f Missouri : Reports for “Newborn Crisis Assessment” for a drug involved infant are excluded. g Mississippi: Reports which suggest a need to be addressed by another agency and pose no immediate danger are excluded. h Oklahoma: Exclusions for commencing investigation include inattention to minor health issues such as insect bites and minor colds. i Oregon: Exclusions include lack of immunizations. j Wyoming: Reports accepted if there is evidence that caretakers’ behavior is preventing school attendance. |
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| State | 24-Hour Availability | Required Form | Description of Required Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Yes | Yes | CPS Intake Data and Report of Harm – pertinent information regarding a referral |
| AL | Yes | ||
| AR | Yes | Yes | Referral and narrative screens in “CHRIS” system |
| AZ | Yes | Yes | Information entered into CHILD Case Management System |
| CA | Yes | Identifying information on child and reporter, information on all adults, alleged perpetrator, and all children in home, allegations, child characteristics, family factors, information regarding collateral contacts | |
| CO | Yes | Yes | Intake and Assessment Form |
| CT | Yes | Yes | Department LINK system and CPS Reports Protocol DCF-2073a and DCF-2073b |
| DC | Yes | Yes | FACES case management system |
| DE | Yes | Yes | FACTS Family Abuse Report |
| FL | Yes | Not specified | |
| GA | Yes | Yes | Child Abuse and Neglect Intake Worksheet |
| HI | Yes | Yes | Standard statewide computer system |
| IA | Yes | Yes | Child Protective Services Intake Form |
| ID | Yes | Yes | Information and Referral Screen of FOCUS |
| IL | Yes | Yes | All identifying information. Narrative description of Abuse/Neglect |
| IN | Yes | Yes | 48-hour written report (Preliminary report of investigation) |
| KS | Yes | Yes | CFS 1000 Face Sheet, CFS 1001 Report and Request for Services |
| KY | Yes | Yes | DSS-115 |
| LA | Yes | Yes | Extent and cause of injuries, how child came to attention of reporter, name of possible perpetrator, contact information for reporter |
| MA | Yes | Yes | Abuse and neglect narrative |
| MD | Yes | Yes | Risk Assessment DHR/SSA 396 Intake Worksheet |
| ME | Yes | Yes | Automated in SACWIS system |
| MI | Yes | Yes | CPS Intake Record or corresponding computer screen |
| MN | Yes | SSIS documentation | |
| MO | Yes | Yes | Not specified |
| MS | Yes | Yes | Fill-in-the-blank, small narrative section; information on victim, perpetrator, type of maltreatment, caretakers, witnesses, other household members |
| MT | Yes | Yes | CAPs report and request screen |
| NC | Yes | Yes | Name, address, age of child, name and address of parents and alleged perpetrator, names and ages of other children in home, nature and extent of injury to child |
| ND | Yes | SFN960 | |
| NE | Yes | Yes | Standard screen which is part of SACWIS, called INFOCUS |
| NH | Yes | Intake and referral log | |
| NJ | Yes | Yes | Referral Response Form 9-7 |
| NM | Yes | Yes | Not specified |
| NV | Yes | Yes | Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Form |
| NY | Yes | Yes | SCR system, or if local Form DSS-2221 |
| OH | Yes | ||
| OK | Yes | Yes | Referral Information Report |
| OR | Yes | FACIS 307 | |
| PA | Yes | Yes | Not specified |
| RI | Yes | Yes | CPS Report which is a computerized report. All calls to the hotline are recorded. |
| SC | Yes | Yes | Child Welfare Services and Intake and Central Registry Form |
| SD | Yes | Yes | Information on family demographics, nature of referral, details of the allegations |
| TN | Yes | Purpose of intake, contact information for family, child and family information, family environment, maltreatment | |
| TX | Yes | Yes | CAPS includes allegations, background, and demographic information |
| UT | Yes | Referral Form and Intake Checklist | |
| VA | Yes | Yes | Automated in Online Automated Services Information System OASIS, which is the State SACWIS System. |
| VT | Yes | Yes | Intake Form SRS-241 |
| WA | Yes | Yes | CAMIS person search intake screen – for all persons, victims, perpetrators, parents, and family members listed in referral |
| WI | Yes | ||
| WV | Yes | Yes | SACWIS system – CPS-1 |
| WY | Yes | Yes | WYCAPS (SS-1) |
| State | Required Timeframes |
|---|---|
| AK | Priority 1 = 24 hours; Priority 2 = 72 hours; Priority 3 = 7 calendar days |
| AL | High risk = immediate response; reports of serious physical abuse or sexual abuse = within 3 working days; all other reports = within 5 working days |
| AR | Priority 1 = within 2 working hours; Priority 2 = within 3 working hours |
| AZ | Immediate = all reportsa |
| CO | High risk = immediate to 24 hours; Moderate to low risk: as soon as possible to 72 hours; Low risk: as soon as possible to 4 working days |
| CT | Failure to respond immediately could result in death or serious injury = 2 hours; report of abuse from a school = same day; nonlife threatening situation, severe enough to warrant same or next day action = 24 hours; nonlife threatening situation, indicates need for timely response = 72 hours |
| DC | Emergency situations are immediate. Nonemergency within 24 hours |
| DE | Urgent call = 1 hour; routine call = 3 hours |
| FL | All reports requiring an immediate on-site assessment are forwarded immediately; other reports within 24 hours |
| GA | Broad guidelines given in policy. Most serious within 24 hours of report. Five days specified for less serious. Each county makes own specific policies. |
| HI | Immediate response = within 24 hours if meets criteria; all others = within 1 week |
| IA | 1 to 12 hours, depending on risk level |
| ID | Child in immediate danger = immediately; child not in immediate danger = 48 hours; child without parental care, not in immediate danger = 5 days |
| IL | Within 1 hour |
| IN | Risk of life = within 1 hour; all other abuse = within 24 hours; no abuse allegations = within 5 days |
| KS | No later than 72 hours |
| KY | Immediate to 48 hours, depending on severity |
| LA | Immediate |
| MA | No later than 24 hours in a nonemergency situation |
| MD | When sufficient information is obtained, investigation should occur. |
| ME | All appropriate reports are forwarded immediately. |
| MI | Within 24 hours; emergency or high-risk referrals = immediate response |
| MN | Imminent danger = immediate; infant medical neglect = immediate; no imminent danger = within 72 hours |
| MO | Immediate |
| MS | Reports of intentional burning, intentional torture, serious injury, sexual abuse, or abuse that would be a felony crime under State or federal law = immediate; physical injury that is not serious or specified = within 24 hours |
| MT | Immediate response if report indicates child is in immediate danger; timely response to those of less urgent nature |
| NC | Reports of abuse = within 24 hours; reports of neglect or dependency = within 72 hours. Certain high-risk situations require immediate response. |
| ND | 24 to 72 hours |
| NH | Within 24 hours |
| NJ | One hour is immediate response is required; end of work day if response is required within 72 hours; 3 work days if a 10 day response is required |
| NM | Emergency referrals = 1 to 3 hours; Priority 1 = within 24 hours; Priority 2 = within 5 calendar days |
| NV | Investigation must begin no later than 3 days after receipt of referral. |
| NY | Immediate |
| OH | For emergency reports = immediate; all others = within 24 hours |
| OK | Immediate |
| OR | 1 day |
| PA | Immediate = if emergency protective custody might be necessary, or within 24 hours |
| RI | Emergency = within 10 minutes of report; immediate = within worker’s shift; routine = within 24 hours |
| SC | 24 hours |
| SD | 14 days |
| TN | Priority 1 = midnight the same day; Priority 2 = midnight the next day; Priority 3 = within 5 working days |
| UT | 1 working day |
| VA | Child fatality, injury or threatened injury in which a felony or Class 1 misdemeanor is also suspected, sexual abuse, abduction of child, felony or Class 1 drug offense involving a child, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor = immediate |
| VT | 72 hours |
| WA | “Emergent response begins no later than 24 hours after referral is received”; nonemergent response begins within 10 days from referral. Referrals forwarded within 3 working days |
| WI | Within 24 hours |
| WV | Depending on severity, 0 to 2 hours, within 72 hours, or within 14 days |
| WY | Within 24 hours |
| a Arizona: Entry before end of shift, once entered report automatically sent to local supervisor. | |
| State | Screen Out | Refer to Other CW Agency | Refer to Other Agency | Accept for Investigation | Accept for Other CPS Response | Share Information | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| AL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| AR | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| AZ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CA | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| CO | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| CT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| DC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| DE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| FL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| GA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| HI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| IA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| ID | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| IL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| IN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| KS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| KY | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| LA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| MA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| MD | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| ME | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| MI | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| MN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| MO | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| MS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| MT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| ND | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| NE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NH | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NJ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NV | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| NY | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| OH | Yes | Yes | |||||
| OK | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| OR | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| PA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| RI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| SC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| SD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| TN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| TX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| UT | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| VA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| VT | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| WA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| WI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| WV | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| WY | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| State | Worker Decides and Supervisor Approves | Worker Only | Supervisor Only | Joint Worker and Supervisor | Other | Not Specified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | X | |||||
| AL | X | |||||
| AR | Xb | X | Xc | |||
| AZ | X | |||||
| CA | X | Xd | ||||
| COa | X | X | ||||
| CT | X | |||||
| DC | Xe | |||||
| DE | X | |||||
| FL | X | X | Xf | |||
| GA | X | |||||
| HI | Xg | Xh | ||||
| IA | X | |||||
| ID | Xi | Xj | Xk | Xi,k | Xl | |
| IL | X | |||||
| IN | X | |||||
| KS | X | |||||
| KY | X | |||||
| LA | X | |||||
| MA | X | |||||
| MD | X | X | X | |||
| ME | X | |||||
| MI | X | X | ||||
| MN | X | |||||
| MO | X | |||||
| MS | X | Xm | ||||
| MT | X | |||||
| NC | X | |||||
| ND | Xn | |||||
| NE | X | |||||
| NH | X | |||||
| NJ | X | |||||
| NM | X | |||||
| NV | X | |||||
| NY | X | |||||
| OH | X | |||||
| OK | X | |||||
| OR | Xo | X | Xp | |||
| PAr | X | X | ||||
| RI | X | Xq | ||||
| SC | X | |||||
| SD | X | |||||
| TN | Xr | |||||
| TX | X | |||||
| UT | X | Xs | ||||
| VA | Xt | |||||
| VT | X | Xu | ||||
| WA | X | |||||
| WI | X | |||||
| WV | X | |||||
| WY | X | |||||
| a Varies by county b When a report is considered marginal c Supervisor conducts daily reviews; can override worker's decision. d Evaluated out e Hotline operator makes decision and supervisor assigns priority. f QA reviews are done for two samples by QA unit and supervisor-worker's decision may be overridden. g Accepted cases for investigation h Screen out cases-supervisor reviews and agrees case is not accepted, agrees case is not accepted and may be sent for diversion, case is unapproved and assigns it for our service. i Service needs j Supervisor may override k Safety issues l For children 6 years of age or younger, supervisor reviews case. m Any report that is screened out for CPS investigation must be reviewed by a supervisor within the same working day. n Joint decision between State and County with the State having final responsibility. o Immediate response, questions on eligibility. p Team-worker, supervisor, caseworker, multidisciplinary team members. Depends on county size and when the team meets. Teams in larger counties meet more frequently than do those in smaller counties. q Downgrading a response priority must be approved by an administrator. r All s Staff decision with a licensed intake worker, a licensed caseworker, or a treatment supervisor. t Worker and/or supervisor u When a worker and supervisor disagree on whether or not to substantiate, the final decision is made by the district director or assistant distract director. |
||||||
| State | Law Enforcement or Court Personnel | Reporter | Parents | Alleged Perpetrator | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Xa | ||||
| AR | X | ||||
| AZ | X | Xb | |||
| CO | Xc | ||||
| CT | X | X | Xd | ||
| DC | Xe | ||||
| DE | X | X | |||
| FL | X | X | Xf | ||
| GA | X | Xg | |||
| HI | X | X | |||
| IA | X | X | |||
| ID | X | ||||
| IL | X | X | |||
| KS | X | X | Xh | ||
| KY | X | Xi | |||
| LA | Xj | Xk | |||
| MA | X | Xm | |||
| ME | Xl | ||||
| MI | X | ||||
| MN | X | ||||
| MS | X | Xn | |||
| MT | X | ||||
| NC | X | X | |||
| NH | Xo | ||||
| NJ | X | ||||
| NM | X | X | X | ||
| NY | X | ||||
| OH | X | ||||
| OK | X | ||||
| OR | Xp | Xq | |||
| PA | X | ||||
| RI | X | ||||
| SC | Xr | X | X | ||
| SD | X | ||||
| TN | Xs | Xt | |||
| TX | X | ||||
| UT | X | ||||
| VA | Xu | X | Xv | ||
| VT | Xw | ||||
| WA | Xx | X | X | ||
| WI | Xy | Xz | |||
| WY | X | X | X | Xaa | |
| a When CAN is of a “serious”
nature, such as defined on page 67–68 of Chapter 7 and in AL policy
review form. b Local office c County director in suspicious death cases d Noncustodial if there is an investigation e Youth Prevention and Service Division for sexual abuse, Priority 1 reports, and immediate danger f Florida Local Advocacy Council and Institutional Licensing authority for institutional reports g Mandated reporter receives letter but it does not specify the decision made about the report h Victim and other relevant individuals who are interviewed i Regional office of the Office of the Inspector General, Division of Licensed Child Care – reports alleging CAN, dependency of child in licensed childcare facility; Cabinet Division of Child Care – reports involving a licensed child daycare facility; Office of the Inspector General, Division of Licensed Child Care and Department for Community Based Services’ Division of Child Care – reports of CAN, dependency alleged in a daycare center licensed through the Office of the Inspector General j Law enforcement is informed based on each local office written agreement k Reporter is informed at the completion of investigation l Most professional referents m Director of area office if a foster home or employee n Mandated professional reporters may be notified if requested and if they have an ongoing relationship with alleged victim o Assessment supervisor in the regional office p In accordance with local multidisciplinary team protocol and if crime is suspected, worker danger, trouble gaining entry, and possible child removal. q Child Care Division must be notified when allegation is made of abuse in child daycare program r For sexual abuse cases s Juvenile court judge, and for severe cases, law enforcement t Child Advocacy Center and district attorney’s office u For all felony physical or sexual abuse report v Commonwealth’s attorney for all felony physical or sexual abuse reports. w District director for allegations of CAN by department employee. x Physical and sexual abuse may be referred within 48 hours; generally neglect cases are not referred to law enforcement y All sexual abuse reports z Tribes aa Alleged victim |
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[Go To Contents]
1. Policy materials of two States did not discuss mandated reporting.
2. Intake refers to the decision to accept a referral for further examination by the CPS agency.
Main Page of Report | Contents of Report
Home Pages:
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