11.14 Abuse Reporting Requirements

The California Penal Code requires all health practitioners to report immediately suspected cases of child abuse to the appropriate child protective agency and cases of dependent adult and elder abuse to either the Ombudsperson or to a local law enforcement agency (when abuse is alleged to have occurred in a long-term care facility) or to either the county adult protective services agency or to a local law enforcement agency (when abuse is alleged to have occurred elsewhere). Health practitioners must also report cases in which a person is suspected of suffering from any wound or other injury: inflicted by his or her own act; by another where the injury is by means of a knife, firearm or other deadly weapon; or which is the result of assaultive or abusive conduct. Further, any suspicion of abuse by a health facility or community care facility must be reported to both the local police authority and the county health department.

The University is required to obtain a signed statement from all physicians new to Stanford and certain other employees that states they have knowledge of abuse reporting requirements. Information about mandatory reporting and links to the California penal code provisions are available at http://uhr.stanford.edu/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect. Employees and others who have been identified as Mandated Reporters for Child Abuse are required to sign the online "Acknowledgment of Mandated Reporter Status" form following instructions which can be found here.