Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting State Summaries

These summaries provide snapshots of state child abuse reporting laws regarding who is mandated to report, what must be reported, when the reporting duty is triggered, and how to make a report. Click the "Select State" button below to choose a state.

NOTE: Mandatory child abuse reporting is determined by state law. Information in these summaries is taken from the Child Welfare Information Gateway as well as directly from state statutes. Statutes can be very difficult to interpret and they are regularly updated. In addition, attorney general opinion and case law, which can be difficult to find, play a role in how the statutes are implemented and understood. It is critical that agencies consult with legal counsel when developing policies and/or staff training on mandatory child abuse reporting.

How to Use the FPNTC Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Resources

The FPNTC offers the following resources to help Title X-funded grantees and service sites develop and deliver state and agency specific training. Because mandatory child abuse reporting is determined by state law, most of these resources are templates which must be completed by the Title X agency before use.

1. Review state statutes.

   The Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting State Summaries will help Title X grantee administrators and clinic managers understand state statutes in order to develop agency policies and training.

2. Develop or revise agency policy.

   The Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Policy Template will help Title X grantee administrators and clinic managers to develop a policy that complies with state mandatory reporting laws.

3. Develop and conduct agency and state specific training.
   1. The Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting in Title X-Funded Family Planning Settings: Instructions for Customizing and Delivering a State-Specific Training will help Title X grantee administrators and clinic managers to develop staff training that complies with state reporting laws and agency policies. The instructions and accompanying slide template include links to state specific information and facilitator notes that are easily customized to state laws.
   2. The Trauma-Informed Child Abuse Reporting in a Family Planning Setting Video can be shown as part of an in-person training or assigned to staff to enhance state mandatory child abuse reporting training. It does not include information on state-specific reporting laws.