ALASKA
MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS
MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS
display: none
Professionals required to report
Professionals Required to Report
“Citation: Alaska Stat. §§ 47.17.020; 47.17.023
The following persons are required to report:
• Health practitioners or administrative officers of institutions
• Teachers and school administrators, including athletic coaches, of public and private schools
• Child care providers
* Paid employees of domestic violence and sexual assault programs, crisis intervention and prevention programs, or
organizations that provide counseling or treatment to individuals seeking to control their use of drugs or alcohol
• Peace officers or officers of the Department of Corrections
• Persons who process or produce visual or printed matter, either privately or commercially
• Members of a child fatality review team or the multidisciplinary child protection team
• Volunteers who interact with children in a public or private school for more than 4 hours a week”
Other persons required to report
“Reporting by Other Persons
Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.020
Mandated reporters may report cases that come to their attention in their nonoccupational capacities. Any other person who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been harmed may report.”
Institutional responsibility to report
“Institutional Responsibility to Report
Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.020(g)
A person required to report child abuse or neglect who makes the report to the person’s job supervisor or to another individual working for the entity that employs the person is not relieved of the obligation to make the report to the department as required by law.”
WHAT ARE THEY REQUIRED TO REPORT
“Standards for Making a Report
Citation: Alaska Stat. §§ 47.17.020; 47.17.023
A report must be made when, in the performance of his or her occupational or appointed duties, a reporter has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has suffered harm as a result of abuse or neglect.
A person providing—either privately or commercially—film, photo, visual, printed-matter processing, production, or finishing services; or computer installation, repair, or other services; or internet or cellular telephone services; who in the process of providing those services observes a film, photo, picture, computer file, image, or other matter and has reasonable cause to suspect that the film, photo, picture, computer file, image, or other matter visually depicts a child engaged in conduct described in § 11.41.455(a) (sexual exploitation of a minor or child pornography) shall immediately report the observation to the nearest law enforcement agency.”
PENALTIES FOR FAILING TO REPORT
“Failure to Report
Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.068
A person who fails to comply with the laws requiring reports of child abuse or neglect or child pornography and who knew or should have known that the circumstances gave rise to the need for a report is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.”
PENALTIES FOR FALSE REPORTING
This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.
PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS
Privileged Communications
Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.060
Neither the physician-patient nor the husband-wife privilege is recognized.
REPORTER’S IDENTITY
“Inclusion of Reporter’s Name in Report
The reporter is not specifically required by statute to provide his or her name in the report.
Disclosure of Reporter Identity
This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.”