Subchapter J. CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
GENERAL Sec.
25.401. Definitions.
CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
25.411. Suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements.
25.412. Photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report.
25.413. Suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement.
25.414. Immunity from liability.
25.415. Confidentiality—waived.
25.416. Noncompliance.
Authority The provisions of this Subchapter J issued under the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2); and section 16 of the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act (63 P. S. § 271.16), unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Subchapter J adopted November 8, 1996, effective November 9, 1996, 26 Pa.B. 5400, unless otherwise noted.
GENERAL
§ 25.401. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Child abuse—A term meaning any of the following:(i) A recent act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious physical injury to a child under 18 years of age.
(ii) An act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious mental injury to or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age.
(iii) A recent act, failure to act or series of acts or failures to act by a perpetrator which creates an imminent risk of serious physical injury to or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age.
(iv) Serious physical neglect by a perpetrator constituting prolonged or repeated lack of supervision or the failure to provide the essentials of life, including adequate medical care, which endangers a child’s life or development or impairs the child’s functioning.
ChildLine—An organizational unit of the Department of Public Welfare which operates a 24-hour a day Statewide toll free telephone system for receiving reports of suspected child abuse, referring reports for investigation and maintaining the reports in the appropriate file.
Individual residing in the same home as the child—An individual who is 14 years of age or older and who resides in the same home as the child.
Perpetrator—A person who has committed child abuse and is a parent of the child, a person responsible for the welfare of a child, an individual residing in the same home as a child or a paramour of a child’s parent.
Person responsible for the child’s welfare—A person who provides permanent or temporary care, supervision, mental health diagnosis or treatment, training or control of a child in lieu of parental care, supervision and control. The term does not include a person who is employed by or provides services or programs in a public or private school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school.
Recent acts or omissions—Acts or omissions committed within 2 years of the date of the report to the Department of Public Welfare or county agency.
Serious mental injury—A psychological condition, as diagnosed by a physician or licensed psychologist, including the refusal of appropriate treatment, that does one or more of the following:(i) Renders a child chronically and severely anxious, agitated, depressed, socially withdrawn, psychotic or in reasonable fear that the child’s life or safety is threatened.
(ii) Seriously interferes with a child’s ability to accomplish age-appropriate developmental and social tasks.
Serious physical injury—An injury that causes a child severe pain or significantly impairs a child’s physical functioning, either temporarily or permanently.
Sexual abuse or exploitation—The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement or coercion of a child to engage in or assist another person to engage in sexually explicit conduct or a simulation of sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction, including photographing, videotaping, computer depicting or filming, of sexually explicit conduct or the rape, sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, molestation, incest, indecent exposure, prostitution, statutory sexual assault or other form of sexual exploitation of children.
CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
§ 25.411. Suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements.
(a) General rule. Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6311 (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse), osteopathic physicians, physician assistants or certified respiratory care therapists who, in the course of their employment, occupation or practice of their profession, come into contact with children shall report or cause a report to be made to the Department of Public Welfare when they have reasonable cause to suspect on the basis of their professional or other training or experience, that a child coming before them in their professional or official capacity is a victim of child abuse.
(b) Staff members of public or private agencies, institutions and facilities. Osteopathic physicians, physician assistants or certified respiratory care therapists who are staff members of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility or agency, and who, in the course of their employment, occupation or practice of their profession, come into contact with children shall immediately notify the person in charge of the institution, school, facility or agency or the designated agent of the person in charge when they have reasonable cause to suspect on the basis of their professional or other training or experience, that a child coming before them in their professional or official capacity is a victim of child abuse. Upon notification by the osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist, the person in charge or the designated agent shall assume the responsibility and have the legal obligation to report or cause a report to be made in accordance with subsections (a), (c) and (d).
(c) Reporting procedure. Reports of suspected child abuse shall be made by telephone and by written report.
(1) Oral reports. Oral reports of suspected child abuse shall be made immediately by telephone to ChildLine, (800) 932-0313.
(2) Written reports. Written reports shall be made within 48 hours after the oral report is made by telephone. Written reports shall be made on forms available from a county children and youth social service agency.
(d) Written reports. Written reports shall be made in the manner and on forms prescribed by the Department of Public Welfare. The following information shall be included in the written reports, if available:
(1) The names and addresses of the child and the parents or other person responsible for the care of the child, if known.
(2) Where the suspected abuse occurred.
(3) The age and sex of the subjects of the report.
(4) The nature and extent of the suspected child abuse including any evidence of prior abuse to the child or siblings of the child.
(5) The name and relationship of the persons responsible for causing the suspected abuse, if known, and any evidence of prior abuse by those persons.
(6) Family composition.
(7) The source of the report.
(8) The person making the report and where that person can be reached.
(9) The actions taken by the reporting source, including the taking of photographs and X-rays, removal or keeping of the child or notifying the medical examiner or coroner.
(10) Other information which the Department of Public Welfare may require by regulation.
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 25.415 (relating to confidentiality—waived); and 49 Pa. Code § 25.416 (relating to noncompliance).
§ 25.412. Photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report.
An osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist may take or cause to be taken photographs of the child who is subject to a report and, if clinically indicated, cause to be performed a radiological examination and other medical tests on the child. Medical summaries or reports of the photographs, X-rays and relevant medical tests taken shall be sent to the county children and youth social service agency at the time the written report is sent or as soon thereafter as possible. The county children and youth social service agency shall have access to actual photographs or duplicates and X-rays and may obtain them or duplicates of them upon request.
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 25.415 (relating to confidentiality—waived); and 49 Pa. Code § 25.416 (relating to noncompliance).
§ 25.413. Suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement.
An osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child died as a result of child abuse shall report that suspicion to the coroner of the county where death occurred or, in the case where the child is transported to another county for medical treatment, to the coroner of the county where the injuries were sustained.
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 25.415 (relating to confidentiality—waived); and 49 Pa. Code § 25.416 (relating to noncompliance).
§ 25.414. Immunity from liability.
Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6318 (relating to immunity from liability) an osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist who participates in good faith in the making of a report, cooperating with an investigation, testifying in a proceeding arising out of an instance of suspected child abuse or the taking of photographs shall have immunity from civil and criminal liability that might result by reason of the osteopathic physician’s, physician assistant’s or certified respiratory care therapist’s actions. For the purpose of any civil or criminal proceeding, the good faith of the osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist shall be presumed. The Board will uphold the same good faith presumption in any disciplinary proceeding that might result by reason of an osteopathic physician’s, physician assistant’s or certified respiratory care therapist’s actions in participating in good faith in the making of a report, cooperating with an investigation, testifying in a proceeding arising out of an instance of suspected child abuse or the taking of photographs.
§ 25.415. Confidentiality—waived.
To protect children from abuse, the reporting requirements of § § 25.411—25.413 (relating to suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement) take precedence over the confidentiality provisions in § 25.213(c) (relating to medical records) and any other ethical principle or professional standard that might otherwise apply to osteopathic physicians, physician assistants or certified respiratory care therapists.
§ 25.416. Noncompliance.
(a) Disciplinary action. An osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist who willfully fails to comply with the reporting requirements in § § 25.411—25.413 (relating to suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement) will be subject to disciplinary action under section 15(a)(6) or (b)(7) of the act (63 P. S. § 271.15(a)(6) or (b)(7)).
(b) Criminal penalties. Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6319 (relating to penalties for failure to report), an osteopathic physician, physician assistant or certified respiratory care therapist who is required to report a case of suspected child abuse who willfully fails to do so commits a summary offense for the first violation and a misdemeanor of the third degree for a second or subsequent violation.
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