Reporting Abuse and Neglect Ria E. Baker, Ph. D.

Types of Abuse and/or Neglect Child Child Elderly Elderly Disabled Disabled

Priority for your Report Priority I Reports: Priority I Reports: - Priority I reports include all reports of children who appear to face an immediate risk of abuse or neglect that could result in death or serious harm. Investigations of these reports must be initiated within 24 hours of receiving the call report. Priority II Reports: Priority II Reports: - Priority II reports include all reports of abuse or neglect that are not assigned as Priority I. These investigations must be initiated within 10 days of receiving the report.

When a Report is Not Assigned Some reports received do not meet the statutory definition of abuse or neglect, as defined in the Texas Family Code, and thus are not assigned. Reasons for not assigning include: the situation does not appear to involve a reasonable likelihood that a child will be abused or neglected in the foreseeable future; the situation does not appear to involve a reasonable likelihood that a child will be abused or neglected in the foreseeable future; the allegations are too vague or general to determine whether a child has been abused or neglected or is likely to be; the allegations are too vague or general to determine whether a child has been abused or neglected or is likely to be; the report does not give enough information to locate the child or the child's family or household; or the report does not give enough information to locate the child or the child's family or household; or the situation is already under investigation, in which case, staff are to merge the intake into the open investigation. the situation is already under investigation, in which case, staff are to merge the intake into the open investigation.

Child Abuse and Neglect Defined Abuse is the mental, emotional, physical, or sexual injury to a child or failure to prevent such injury to a child. Abuse is the mental, emotional, physical, or sexual injury to a child or failure to prevent such injury to a child. Neglect includes (1) failure to provide a child with food, clothing, shelter and/or medical care; and/or (2) leaving a child in a situation where the child is at risk of harm. Neglect includes (1) failure to provide a child with food, clothing, shelter and/or medical care; and/or (2) leaving a child in a situation where the child is at risk of harm.

Abuse of Adults or those who have Disabilities Defined Abuse: the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, or cruel punishment Abuse: the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, or cruel punishment –Scratches, cuts, bruises, and burns –Welts, scalp injury, gag marks –Sprains, punctures, broken bones, bedsores –Confinement –Rape and other forms of sexual abuse –Verbal and psychological abuse

Neglect of Adults or those who have Disabilities Defined Neglect – the failure to provide for one’s self the goods or services which are necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness, or the failure of a caretaker to provide such goods or services Neglect – the failure to provide for one’s self the goods or services which are necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness, or the failure of a caretaker to provide such goods or services –Malnourishment and dehydration –Over or under-medication –Lack of heat, running water, or electricity –Unsanitary living conditions –Lack of medical care –Lack of personal hygiene or clothes

Exploitation of Adults or those who have Disabilities Defined Exploitation – the illegal or improper act or process of using the resources of an elderly or disabled person for monetary or personal benefit Exploitation – the illegal or improper act or process of using the resources of an elderly or disabled person for monetary or personal benefit –Taking social security or supplemental security income (SSI) checks –Abuse joint checking accounts –Taking property and other resources

Reporting Abuse Texas Abuse Hotline number is 1 (800) Texas Abuse Hotline number is 1 (800) Professionals may also have the option to make their report of abuse/ neglect of children, or abuse/neglect/exploitation of persons 65 years of older and adults with disabilities through the Internet. The secure web site for electronic reporting is as follows: Professionals may also have the option to make their report of abuse/ neglect of children, or abuse/neglect/exploitation of persons 65 years of older and adults with disabilities through the Internet. The secure web site for electronic reporting is as follows: Professionals are encouraged to use this website to report non- emergency situations that do not require a response within 24 hours. All reports, which meet the statutory definitions of abuse and neglect are assigned a priority based on the level of risk and severity of harm to the child. * Please note: If you suspect that abuse, neglect, or exploitation is evident, invest time in reporting over the phone. The priority of the case may be bumped down due to professionals who wait to report or who report online.

Information to Provide for Your Report Tell exactly what happened and when Tell exactly what happened and when Record all injuries or incidents that you observed Record all injuries or incidents that you observed Include dates and time of day Include dates and time of day Information that you have about the child/adult/persons with disability and the suspected abuser Information that you have about the child/adult/persons with disability and the suspected abuser Keep all this information secure Keep all this information secure * Reports should be made asap, but no later then 48 hours before bruises and marks starts to fade. The investigators have to be able to see the signs. (Texas Department of Family Protective Services, 2007)

Reports by People who are Hearing Impaired, Speech Disabled A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech- disabled and wishes to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child or to report abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly or adult with disabilities, may use Relay Texas to contact the Abuse Hotline (Statewide Intake). Relay Texas can be accessed by dialing 711 or The caller uses a TTY to type conversations to a relay agent who then reads the typed conversation to a hearing person. The relay agent transmits the hearing person's spoken words by typing them back to the TTY user. Statewide Intake's phone number is , or a report may be made by use of the Internet at A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech- disabled and wishes to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child or to report abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly or adult with disabilities, may use Relay Texas to contact the Abuse Hotline (Statewide Intake). Relay Texas can be accessed by dialing 711 or The caller uses a TTY to type conversations to a relay agent who then reads the typed conversation to a hearing person. The relay agent transmits the hearing person's spoken words by typing them back to the TTY user. Statewide Intake's phone number is , or a report may be made by use of the Internet at

Resources Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards Texas Council on Family Violence Texas Council on Family Violence Texas Council on Family Violence Texas Council on Family Violence Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Texas Association Against Sexual Assault A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases - State Bar of Texas (in English) A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases - State Bar of Texas (in English) A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases - State Bar of Texas (en Espanol) A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases - State Bar of Texas (en Espanol) A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases A Handbook for Parents and Guardians in Child Protection Cases Legal forms for a Suit Affecting the Parent Child Relationship in Texas - If you are a grandparent who now has custody of children and now need the legal forms for custody and to make decisions, the forms are available at online at Legal forms for a Suit Affecting the Parent Child Relationship in Texas - If you are a grandparent who now has custody of children and now need the legal forms for custody and to make decisions, the forms are available at online at Supreme Court Task Force on Child Protection Case Management and Reporting Supreme Court Task Force on Child Protection Case Management and Reporting Supreme Court Task Force on Child Protection Case Management and Reporting Supreme Court Task Force on Child Protection Case Management and Reporting Building a Better Court - Measuring and Improving Court Performance and Judicial Workload in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases Building a Better Court - Measuring and Improving Court Performance and Judicial Workload in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases Building a Better Court - Measuring and Improving Court Performance and Judicial Workload in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases Building a Better Court - Measuring and Improving Court Performance and Judicial Workload in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges Texas Lawyers for Children Texas Lawyers for Children Texas Lawyers for Children Texas Lawyers for Children National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare Child Welfare Information Gateway (formerly the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information) Child Welfare Information Gateway (formerly the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information) Child Welfare Information Gateway Child Welfare Information Gateway

References All information gathered for the production of this presentation was taken from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services All information gathered for the production of this presentation was taken from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services