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NEW STATE LAW MAKES MORE PEOPLE ‘MANDATED REPORTERS’

NEW STATE LAW MAKES MORE PEOPLE ‘MANDATED REPORTERS’

Scott Marshall, NewEraProgress.com

September 26, 2012

More local people who deal with young people are now responsible for reporting suspicions of child abuse or neglect in Virginia, a result of the child-abuse scandal at Penn State University.

That includes people older than 18 who are associated with or employed by a public organization responsible for children, a private sports organization or team, public or private day camps, youth centers or youth recreation programs, and public private institutions of higher learning.

That also includes volunteers.

As of July 1, Virginia’s new laws took effect, which essentially mean that many more people are responsible for being “mandated reporters,” meaning they must report suspicions of abuse or neglect, according to Amherst County authorities.

“This is significant; the available reports have vastly been increased because of the law,” said Glenn Sullivan, who heads the Amherst County office of the Department of Social Services and who himself was a child-abuse investigator for 12 years. “This is all a result of Penn State.”

Former PSU coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted of molesting young people over a series of years. The information had been reported, but no action was taken.

Sullivan said, “This is a major change in child protective services, because it has to do with the number of complaints that will be generated and investigated.”

Sullivan and others expect that the number of reported cases will increase. Last year, the local Department of Social Services received 215 referrals, resulting in 164 validated investigations — a 164 percent increase during the past three years.

As for the new law, “I think it is going to increase our numbers,” said Amherst County’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Maddox. Sometimes, people may incorrectly assume that a teacher or someone involved with children daily has already reported the information, Maddox said.

Another change is that suspicions must be reported as soon as possible but no later than in 24 hours, rather than 72 hours.

“If you don’t report, then you’re responsible, and don’t assume someone else has reported,” Sullivan said. “And even so, you might have information critical to the investigation …

“If I were a coach on a sports team, I would want to know about this law,” he said.

Penalties include a $1,000 fine for a second failure to report a suspicion. In the case of rape or sodomy, a person who fails to make the required report can be found guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, according to the law.