The final report from the Timothy Montoya Task Force has been published and is available for download. See Report

Mandatory Reporting

50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Laws

A mandatory reporter is a person who is legally required to make a report of suspected child abuse or neglect. In many states, including Colorado, people often have questions about mandatory reporting laws. For years, the Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) has received questions from mandatory reporters who are unclear on what Colorado law requires them to do. 

In 2022, Colorado’s Mandatory Reporting Task Force was created through legislation. The task force was created and placed within the CPO. The task force is tasked with analyzing 19 specific policy considerations regarding child abuse, neglect and legal requirements for mandatory reporters. The task force was also charged with analyzing best practices regarding these policies, as well as analyzing the disproportionate impact of mandatory reporting on under-resourced communities, communities of color, and people with disabilities.

To aid the task force in this analysis, the CPO has created this 50-State comparison of mandatory reporting laws. The CPO has also created a resource that captures which groups in each state are required in statute to be mandatory reporters. To view this resource as a PDF click here, and to access a spreadsheet of this resource, click here.

This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email.

Resource Guide

Below, you will find questions regarding mandatory reporting, child abuse and neglect and related laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Please note that research for this resource was completed in December 2023, and will not be updated. When you click on a question, you will see a map that presents how each state answers that question in its laws. When you click a state, a new box will appear with both a quote of the statute that provides the answer to the question, and a full citation of where that portion of state statute can be found. Each map contains a legend that explains what each color indicates. Clicking on the button labeled “Additional Info” will let you learn more about the trends found in law, the CPO’s data collection process and some important context for fully understanding the information presented in the map. You can also download a spreadsheet containing all the information used to create the map by clicking the “Download Data” button.

The CPO would like to thank and acknowledge Child Welfare Information Gateway for having collected state law information in the past; their resources were a valuable starting point for this work.

  • Immediately (No Max)
  • Immediately (w/Max)
  • Promptly
  • Within 24 Hours
  • Other
  • Not Found
  • Yes
  • No, requirement is universal regardless of profession
  • No
  • Other
  • Not Found
  • Yes
  • Has related policy
  • Not Found
  • Yes
  • No
  • No, but joint reports possible
  • No/Not Found
  • Yes, for all
  • Yes, for some
  • Yes, but not required
  • Yes, for some occupations
  • Yes, mentioned as task force topic
  • No/not found

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

What timeframe is given for mandatory reporting requirements in statute?

Almost all states specify a timeframe for mandatory reporters to report suspected child abuse or neglect in statute. In the majority of states, these reports must be made “immediately”, as can be seen in the states coded as Immediately (No Max) and Immediately (w/Max).

Whether or not they use the term “immediately”, states requiring a report be made within a fixed number of hours include Connecticut (within 12 hours); Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, Viginia and West Virginia (within 24 hours); and Washington (within 48 hours).

Some states use terms or phrases that are distinct from, but may be considered roughly synonymous with, immediately. Kansas and Montana require the report be made “promptly”, Connecticut requires the report “as soon as practicable”, Maryland requires the report “as soon as possible”, and Nevada requires the report “as soon as reasonably practicable”. Two states use terms in addition to immediately: California requires the report be made “immediately or as soon as is practicably possible”, and Washington requires that “an immediate oral report must be made”, and elsewhere clarifies that it must be made “at the first opportunity, but in no case longer than 48 hours”.

Two states offer varying timelines based on either the type of suspected abuse or neglect, or the profession of the reporter. Delaware requires a report to be made immediately if certain criteria are met, such as sexual abuse or the death of a child. If those criteria are not met, the report “may be made” orally or online, but the term immediate is no longer present. Texas broadly requires anyone with suspicion of abuse or neglect to immediately make a report. However, for certain named professions the report is specifically required within 48 hours.

Research for this question was completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. Please note that this resource does not capture information regarding follow-up timelines. For instance, some states require an initial oral report with a follow-up written report, but such policies are not captured here. As with all the information presented in this 50-State comparison of mandatory reporting laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In two states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered an affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citations provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Does statute limit the requirement to report concerns of abuse or neglect to circumstances mandatory reporters encounter in their professional capacity?

Twenty-one states specify in statute that mandatory reporters are only obligated to make a report of child abuse or neglect if such a suspicion arises within the scope of their professional capacity. For instance, North Dakota’s requirement to report applies to a number of listed occupations “if the knowledge or suspicion is derived from information received by that individual in that individual’s official or professional capacity.” These states are categorized on the map as “Yes”.

Seventeen states have universal mandatory reporting, meaning that everyone (or sometimes all adults) is required to make a report regardless of their profession, with some caveats and exceptions. In these states, the question of professional or official capacity is a moot point. These states are categorized as “No, requirement is universal regardless of profession”.

Missouri, Pennsylvania and Washington have unique laws on this topic and have therefore been classified as “Other”. Missouri lists several medical occupations for whom the requirement exists when they are “engaged in the examination, care, treatment or research of persons”. For another list of occupations, a requirement to immediately report exists without the engagement caveat.

In Pennsylvania, statute sets forth a list of occupations who are mandated reporters. These mandated reporters must report if any of a number of circumstances exist, one of which is if they come “into contact with the child in the course of employment, occupation and practice of a profession or through a regularly scheduled program, activity or service.” Reporting is also mandatory for individuals who are directly responsible for the care of children, or if they receive certain types of disclosures, which are not necessarily tied to professional or official capacity.

Washington mandates reporting for any person who, in their official supervisory capacity, suspects abuse or neglect caused by a person over whom they regularly exercise supervisory authority and who interacts with children as part of their employment, contract or volunteering.

Oregon specifies that the requirement to report, which is limited to a set of professions or statuses, is “personal” to those individuals alone “regardless of whether the official is employed” by a list of entities.

Research for this question was completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. As with all the information presented in this 50-state comparison of mandatory reporting laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In some states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citations provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Does statute allow institutions, such as hospitals or schools, to implement internal policies regarding how mandatory reporters make reports?

Four states – California, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota – were identified as having statute that allows or encourages institutions to create internal policies to assist mandatory reporters in making reports:

California statute specifies that “internal procedures to facilitate reporting and appraise supervisors and administrators of reports may be established” provided they are not inconsistent with the law, with some additional caveats. In Missouri, every employer must ensure that any mandated reporter employee has immediate and unrestricted access to the communications technology needed to make a report and is temporarily relieved of other work duties to make the report. North Dakota statute allows the chief administrator of an entity employing more than 25 mandatory reporters to designate an agent to file reports on behalf of entity staff and volunteers. And in South Dakota, each hospital (or similar institution) and school district must have a written policy on reporting of child abuse and neglect.

In three states, this type of law could not exactly be found, but statute contained similar provisions that may be of interest. In Kansas, statute requires the Secretary for Children and Families – or their designee – to create rules and regulations for reporting incidents in institutions operated by the Department for Children and Families. In Rhode Island, the Commissioner of Education must promulgate policies and procedures for the creation and handling of reports made by principals, headmasters, executive directors, and others in charge of educational programs. And in Texas, each institution of higher education must adopt a policy governing the reporting of child abuse and neglect for the institution and its employees, including a requirement for each employee to report child abuse and neglect.

Research for this question was completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. Please note that this resource does not capture prohibitions on institutions or employers screening reports, stopping reports or retaliating against reporters, which can be found in many states. It also does not capture requirements that mandatory reporters must notify personnel or institutions after making a report. As with all the information presented in this 50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In many states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered an affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citations provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Does notifying a supervisor of a concern of abuse or neglect, or delegating the reporting responsibility to another, satisfy the reporting requirement in statute?

In seven states – Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, North Dakota, South Dakota and Virgnia – statute establishes that mandatory reporters can satisfy their legal requirement to report suspected child abuse or neglect by either delegating the task of making the report or notifying a supervisor. In Maine, statute requires that a member of staff must notify either a person in charge or a designated agent, who can then cause a report to be made. If the member of staff makes this type of notification but does not receive confirmation that a report has actually been made within 24 hours of the notification, the member of staff must still make the report themself. North Dakota statute allows the chief administrator of an entity employing more than 25 mandatory reporters to designate an agent to file reports on behalf of staff and volunteers.

In four states – Delaware, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio – delegation or supervisor notification does not satisfy the requirement to report, but statute does allow for one report to be made jointly by two or more people. In Missouri and Ohio, this is specific to members of medical institutions. Statute explicitly states that delegation or notification does not waive the legal reporting requirement in Alaska, California, DC, Michigan, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.

In Arizona, Indiana and Wyoming, statute describes certain situations where reporting is not required due to a report being made, or a belief that a report has been or will be made, by another person. Statute in Arizona specifies that the supervisor or administrator of a mandatory reporter does not have a requirement to report if they have a reasonable belief that the report has been made by the listed employee. Indiana statute states that individuals have an obligation to make a report, unless a report has already been made to the best of the individual’s belief. And in Wyoming, statute states there is an obligation for individuals to report, unless a report has already been made or will be made.

Research for this question completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. As with all the information presented in this 50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents, or other resources. In many states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered an affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citations provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Does statute include “medical neglect” or lack of medical care in definitions related to child abuse and/or neglect?

Most states (43) include “medical neglect” or lack of medical care in statutory definitions related to child abuse and/or neglect. Such mentions in statute could not be found in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Washington.

Research for this question was completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. As with all the information presented in this 50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In several states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered an affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citation provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Does statute explicitly address implicit bias and/or diversity, equity and inclusion in its mandatory reporting standards or training?

Implicit bias and racial disparities are explicitly addressed in statute related to mandatory reporting in Colorado, DC, Illinois, and New York.

In Coloradolegislation created the Mandatory Reporting Task Force, for which this 50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Laws has been developed. The resulting statute includes a legislative declaration that mentions the results of implicit bias, and the task force is directed to analyze, among other things, the disproportionate impact of mandatory reporting on under-resourced communities, communities of color and persons with disabilities; and standardized training that addresses implicit bias.

In DC, statute requires the Office of the Attorney General, in consultation with the Child and Family Services Agency, to develop and approve a training curriculum that includes information on the impact of racial bias on the child welfare system and mandatory reporting.

In Illinois, training for mandatory reporters must include a section on both implicit bias and racial and ethnic sensitivity. The implicit bias section must provide tools to adjust automatic patterns of thinking and ultimately eliminate discriminatory behaviors. Training must include a pre-test to assess baseline implicit bias levels, an implicit bias training task and a post-test to reevaluate bias levels after training. The curriculum must be developed in consultation with organizations demonstrating expertise and/or experience in the following areas: implicit bias; youth and adolescent developmental issues; prevention of child abuse, exploitation, and neglect; culturally diverse family systems; and the child welfare system.

New York statute requires the Office of Children and Family Services to update training issued to mandatory reporters so that it includes protocols to reduce implicit bias, among other things, and mandatory reporters must receive this training by 2024. Effective in November 2024, the agency must also update training to include guidance on identifying abused or maltreated children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The agency must also update guidelines, standards and criteria to local child protective services to include protocols to reduce implicit bias in decision-making processes. As of November 2024, guidelines must also include guidance on identifying an abused or maltreated child who has an intellectual or developmental disability. Finally, statute requires that the child abuse and maltreatment hotline must utilize protocols to reduce implicit bias from decision-making processes.

Research for this question was completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. As with all the information presented in this 50-State Comparison of Mandatory Reporting Laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In many states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered an affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citations provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Does statute address training requirements for mandatory reporters?

At least 23 states address training for mandatory reporters in statute. In DC, Illinois, Iowa and New York, training is required for all mandatory reporters. Iowa statute also requires that licensing boards with authority over the licenses of mandatory reporters must ensure they are in compliance with training requirements as a condition of licensure, with some exceptions. Similarly, for mandatory reporters who are not in a licensed profession but are employed by an entity subject to licensure, registration, or approval by a state agency, their completion of training is a condition of renewal of their employer’s licensure, registration or approval.
Training is required only for some mandatory reporters in Alaska, Massachusetts, Nevada, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. In California, some specific types of employers are required to provide their mandatory reporter employees with training, but outside of that group employers are “strongly encouraged” to provide such training.

In 11 states, training is mentioned in statute but not required for mandatory reporters. In Louisiana, statute allows state regulatory departments, boards, commissions, and agencies to provide continuing education credits for the completion of mandatory reporting training. In Michigan, a state agency must create comprehensive training materials for mandatory reporters, and employers of mandatory reporters must distribute those training materials. However, statute does not specify that the actual training must also be provided.

Research for this question was completed by December 2023, and will not be updated. As with all the information presented in this 50-state comparison of mandatory reporting laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In many states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citation provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.

Additional Information and Methodology Notes

Who is exempted from mandatory reporting requirements in statute?

At least 41 states have created exemptions to mandatory reporting requirements for certain occupations and/or situations in state statute. The most frequently identified exemptions are briefly outlined below. For more specific information and to see the full context of these statutes, please consult the information, quotes, and citations provided in the map tool.

  • An exemption to mandatory reporting requirements is granted to certain religious figures by statute in 35 states. This exemption is often limited to situations in which the religious figure gains information that would otherwise prompt a report of child abuse or neglect while offering spiritual counseling, hearing an individual’s confession, or engaging in some other pertinent religious activity. States use a range of terms to describe these religious figures, often using the term “clergy”, and some states include Christian Science practitioners in this category.
      • This type of exemption is found in statute in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
  • Twenty-five states have statute that in some ways exempts attorneys from a requirement to file reports involving their clients.
      • This type of exemption is found in statute in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, DC, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee (in cases of child sexual abuse), Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
      • Statute also specifically waives reporting requirements for certain individuals working with attorneys in DC, Louisiana and Utah. Oregon exempts guardians ad litem from mandatory reporting requirements.
  • Mandatory reporting exemptions for certain types of counselors exist in statute in five states.
      • This type of exemption is found in statute in Arizona, DC, Florida, Oregon and Washington.
  • Exemptions from mandatory reporting for certain types of physicians exist in statute in four states.
    • This type of exemption is found in statute in Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Research for this question was completed by April 2024, and will not be updated. As with all the information presented in this 50-state comparison of mandatory reporting laws, research for this information was limited to state statute and does not include regulations, state agency documents or other resources. In ten states, a direct answer to this question was not found in the CPO review of statute and they are categorized as such. This should not be considered an affirmative declaration that such policy does not exist. This resource was prepared by the CPO’s Public Policy Analyst Bryan Kelley, who can be contacted by email. To view the full context of these statutes, and to see if there have been recent updates or changes, please consult the citation provided for each state. To view and download the full spreadsheet with extended information on all states, click here.