Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Requirement

Beginning on January 1, 2013 all Oregon community college employees will become mandatory child abuse reporters.  This requirement passed by the Oregon Legislature as a part of HB 4016 (2012) adds community college and university employees to the list of public and private officials who are required to report suspected cases of child abuse under Oregon law.  The duty to report suspected child abuse cases as a mandatory reporter is a 24-hour-a-day, 7 day-a-week responsibility. This legal duty is personal to you as a community college employee and applies whether or not you are on work time. Volunteers, Board members, contractors or students who are not employees are not mandatory reporters unless they are a mandatory reporter based on other requirements.

Since this is a personal responsibility to you as an RCC employee, the ultimate obligation for understanding your duties as a mandatory reporter is yours. We want to make sure you have all the tools that you need to educate yourself on this requirement a Frequently Asked Questions document has been created.

If you would like to learn more about Mandatory Reporting requirements or view a video created by DHS, here is a link to the DHS website and link- http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/abuse/mandatory_report.shtml

As a community college employee you must report when you have “reasonable cause to believe” that any child with whom you come in contact has suffered abuse or that any person with whom you come in contact has abused a child. You must immediately report the suspected abuse or abuser to local law enforcement or the local Department of Human Services office.  Here is a link to your local DHS/law enforcement contact numbers - http://cms.oregon.gov/dhs/children/pages/abuse/cps/cw_branches.aspx

Similarly to the Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Requirement, public employees are also required to report adult abuse according to ORS 124.060. However, the difference is that the reporting requirement is not 24/7 but rather only while acting in official capacity. For more information on Adult Abuse Requirements, view the brochure here or contact the Oregon Department of Human Services, Seniors and People with Disabilities office: 503-945-5884.

If you have specific questions, please refer to the DHS link above.

Contact Information:
Here are the local DHS and law enforcement contact numbers: