Who is a mandated reporter?
A mandated reporter, as defined by the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), is someone required to report knowledge or reasonable suspicion of child abuse, obtained while acting in a professional capacity or within the scope of one’s employment.
Mandated reporters include but are not limited to:
- Teachers and school personnel
- Child care providers
- Medical professionals
- Mental health professionals and social workers
- Law enforcement professionals
- Clergy members
- Volunteers
Consequences of Failing to Report or Submitting a False Report
A mandated reporter who fails to report an incident of known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect as required by this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months confinement in a county jail or by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by both that imprisonment and fine. If a mandated reporter intentionally conceals his or her failure to report an incident known by the mandated reporter to be abuse or serve neglect, the failure to report is considered a continuing offense.
NOTE: Penal Code 11166(h) When two or more persons, who are required to report, jointly have knowledge of a known or suspected instance of child abuse or neglect, and when there is agreement among them, the telephone report may be made by a member of the team selected by mutual agreement and a single report may be made and signed by the selected member of the reporting team. Any member who has knowledge that the member designated to report has failed to do so shall thereafter make the report.
Request Mandated Reporter Training
To obtain more information about free mandated reporter training and to see if your organization qualifies for training, please, contact:
Robert Bufanda
Policy & Program Specialist
Child Welfare Services
Tulare County HHSA
(559) 687-6848
RBbufanda@tularehhsa.org
