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Northern Mariana Islands

Who is mandated to report?

Are all health clinicians mandated to report?

  • Yes.

Who else is a mandated reporter?

  • Reports are required from the following:
    • Any health-care worker, including anesthesiologists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, dentists, health aides, hypnotists, massage therapists, mental health counselors, midwives, nurses, nurse practitioners, osteopaths, naturopaths, physical therapists, physicians, physician’s assistants, psychiatrists, psychologists, radiologists, religious healing practitioners, surgeons, or x-ray technicians
    • Teachers or other school officials
    • Daycare providers, nannies, au pair workers, or any other person who is entrusted with the temporary care of a minor child in return for compensation, except babysitters who are themselves minor children
    • Counselors or social workers
    • Peace officers or other law enforcement officials

For more information, refer to Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect at the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

When is the reporting duty triggered?

What is the standard?

  • A report is required when a mandated reporter comes into contact in a professional capacity with a child who the person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect is abused or neglected.

For more information, refer to Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect at the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

What must be reported?

How does state law define child abuse and neglect for reporting purposes?

  • Mandated reporters must report abuse or neglect as defined by section 5313 of title 6 of the Code of the Northern Mariana Islands and legal guidance interpreting the statute.
    • A person commits the offense of child abuse if the person:
      • Willfully and intentionally strikes, beats or by any other act or omission inflicts physical pain, injury or mental distress upon a child under the age of 18 who is in the person's custody or over which the person occupies a position of authority, such pain or injury being clearly beyond the scope of reasonable corporal punishment, with the result that the child’s physical or mental health and well-being are harmed or threatened;
      • Through willful or negligent act or omission fails to provide a child under the age of 18, who is in the person’s custody or over which the person occupies a position of authority, with adequate supervision, medical care, food, clothing or shelter with the result that the child’s physical or mental health and well-being are harmed or threatened; or
      • Commits any act that would constitute a criminal offense under 6 CMC §§ 1306-1311 against a child under the age of 18 who is in the person’s custody or over which the person occupies a position of authority.
    • Child abuse does not include the exercise of reasonable and traditional parental discipline, which may be determined in reference to prevailing community and cultural standards.

Are child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, statutory rape, incest, intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation and/or trafficking of a minor reportable as child abuse or neglect and if so, how are they defined and what is reportable?

For the most current definitions of these terms, refer to the Northern Mariana Islands Code, and to Title 6, Division 5 for the entire chapter on Abuse of Neglect of Children, at the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Law Revision Commission website.

How to report:

What is the method of reporting?

  • This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

What is the timeline in which to report?

  • Any mandated reporter who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect a child is or was abused or neglected shall report promptly to the Department of Public Safety. This notification shall be made within 24 hours.

For more information, refer to Making and Screening Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect at the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

To whom are reports made?

  • Reports may be made to the Department of Public Safety or the Division of Youth Services.

For more information, refer to Making and Screening Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect at the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

State/County Hotline?

  • Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
  • 1-800-422-4453

Confidentiality:

What federal confidentiality laws apply to health information collected during a Title X visit?

  • Title X regulations 42 CFR 59.11
  • HIPAA 45 CFR 164.502

Is there an exception in federal confidentiality law that allows a clinician to comply with mandatory child abuse reporting laws?

  • Yes.