Management
Week 1 - Discussion Question 3
Review your state's mandated reporter statute. Provide details about this in your
post. If faced with a mandated reporter issue, what are the steps in reporting the
issue? Create a mandated reporter scenario and post it. Respond to one of your
peer's scenarios using the guidelines for submission/reporting in your state. Be sure
to include a reference to your state's website related to mandate reporting.
, Question/Answer
A mandated reporter is a person who, because of his or her profession, is legally required to
report any suspicion of elder or child abuse or neglect to the relevant authorities (Mandated
Reporter, 2019). In the state of California nurses are mandated reporters and are trained to
recognize signs of abuse and neglect. One does not have to be physically present or witness the
abuse to identify suspected cases of abuse, or even have definite proof that someone may be
subject to abuse or neglect. Rather, the law requires that a person have a “reasonable suspicion”
that a child or adult has been the subject of abuse or neglect. Under the law, this means that it is
reasonable for a person to entertain a suspicion of child abuse or neglect, based upon facts that
could cause a reasonable person, in a like position, drawing, when appropriate, on his or her
training and experience, to suspect abuse or neglect (CA Child Abuse, 2019). In California the
first step when making a report is to call the abuse hotline, and depending on the severity of the
case, police may be called first. After a report is made to a social worker at adult or child
protective services a written report is filled out and faxed.
Sample Report: