U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS
MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS
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Professionals required to report
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2533
The following professionals are required to report:
• Physicians, hospital personnel, nurses, dentists, or any other medical or behavioral health professionals
• Teachers or other school personnel, social service workers, daycare workers, or other child care or foster care workers
• Peace officers or law enforcement officials
Other persons required to report
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2533
Any other person who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected may report.
Institutional responsibility to report
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2533
Whenever any person is required to report in his or her capacity as a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private
institution, school, facility, or agency, he or she shall immediately notify the person in charge of such institution, school, facility, or agency, or his or her designated agent, who then also shall become responsible to report or cause reports to be made. Nothing in this subchapter is intended to require more than one report from any such institution, school, or agency, but neither is it intended to prevent individuals from reporting on their own behalf.
WHAT ARE THEY REQUIRED TO REPORT
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2533
A report is required when any of the following apply:
• A reporter has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect.
• A reporter observes the child being subjected to conditions or circumstances that would reasonably result in abuse or neglect.
PENALTIES FOR FAILING TO REPORT
Failure to Report
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2539
Any person, official, or institution required by this subchapter to report a case of alleged child abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect or to perform any other act, who knowingly fails to do so, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined no more than $500 or imprisoned for no more than 1 year, or both.
PENALTIES FOR FALSE REPORTING
False Reporting
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 14, §§ 2146(c); 2144(a)
A person is guilty of falsely reporting an incident in the second degree when, knowing the information reported, conveyed, or circulated to be false or baseless, he or she reports, by word or action, to the Department of Human Services or Department of Health an alleged occurrence of child abuse or maltreatment that did not, in fact, occur or exist. A person who is found guilty of reporting an incident in the second degree shall be fined $5,000 and be imprisoned for no less than 5 years.
PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2538
The privileged quality of communications between husband and wife and between any professional person and his or her patient or client, except that between attorney and client, shall not constitute grounds for failure to report.
REPORTER’S IDENTITY
Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2534
The report shall include the name, address, and occupation of the reporter.
Disclosure of Reporter Identity
This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.
The information provided is solely for informational purposes and is not legal advice. To determine the U.S. Virgin Islands mandatory reporting laws in a particular case, contact a lawyer in the state.
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