LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 303.02 Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
 
  PROCEDURES
  1. If there is impending danger involved, call 911.
     
  2. Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) employees who are mandated reporters shall make a report immediately, or as soon as is practically possible.
     
  3. For consultation on the necessity to report by telephone, reporters and employees shall call the Los Angeles County Child Protection Hotline: (800) 540-4000.
     
  4. To make an emergent child abuse report, immediately contact:
     
    1. Child Protection Hotline: (800) 540-4000.
       
    2. Telecommunication Device for the Deaf: (800) 272-6699.
       
    3. If calling from outside of California: (213) 639-4500.
       
  5. If there appears to be an imminent risk to the child which is not determined to require 911:
     
    1. Contact the police or sheriff’s department immediately by telephone:
       
      1. Los Angeles Police Department – Abused Child Unit: (213) 486-0530.
         
      2. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department: (562) 946-8531.
         
    2. A follow-up call to the Los Angeles County Child Protection Hotline (800) 540-4000.
       
    3. Submit an electronic follow-up Suspected Child Abuse Report (SCAR SS 8572)  via the Electronic Mandated Reporter system within 36 hours by following the directions in the blue box.
       
  6. Non-Emergent Child Abuse/Neglect 
     
    1. Non-emergent reports include incidents of suspected child abuse or neglect that do not require immediate attention or in which the victim is not in immediate danger.
       
    2. Complete a non-emergent report in the Child Abuse Reporting Electronic System (CARES) via the Electronic Mandated Reporter system by following the directions in the green box.
       
      1. CARES report shall not be made if the child is subject to an immediate risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation or in imminent danger of severe harm or death; staff must utilize procedures A, C, or E - see above.
         
      2. Only mandated reporters may use CARES.
         
    3. If the reporter has no internet access, file a SCAR (SS 8572) paper form and fax it to (213) 742-7047.
       
      1. Program managers shall ensure that all mandated reports have access to hard copy SCAR (SS 8572) forms.
         
  7. The program manager/designee shall ensure that a copy of the completed SCAR is saved electronically in the IBHIS Non-Disclosure Admin folder, not discoverable under regular legal discovery proceedings (IBHIS Notification Bulletin No. 21-02, June 4, 2021, Scanning in Avatar Quick Guide, Avatar Perceptive Scanning Demo 091819).
     
    1. All completed hard copy reports shall be destroyed upon confirming they have been successfully scanned into the EHR (DMH Policy 401.01).
       
  8. The reporting of child abuse and neglect is a disclosure subject to the accounting requirements of Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and shall be disclosed on the Account Tracking Sheet (DMH Policy 501.03).
     
    1. Paper format for DMH Integrated Behavioral Information Systems (IBHIS)
       
    2. Electronic in Probation Electronic Medical Record System (PEMRS) for Juvenile Justice documentation
       
  9. Staff shall cooperate with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) on any requests for additional information if needed to investigate the report, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements.