WASHINGTON
MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS
MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS
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Professionals required to report
Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030
The following persons are required to report:
• Practitioners, county coroners, or medical examiners
• Law enforcement officers
• Professional school personnel
• Registered or licensed nurses, social service counselors, psychologists, or pharmacists
• Employees of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families
• Licensed or certified child care providers or their employees
• Employees of the Department of Social and Health Services
• Juvenile probation officers
• Placement and liaison specialists, responsible living skills program staff, or HOPE center staff
• State family and children’s ombudsman or any volunteer in the ombudsman’s office
• Host home programs
• Persons who supervise employees or volunteers who train, educate, coach, or counsel children or have regular unsupervised
access to children
• Department of Corrections personnel
• Any adult with whom a child resides
• Guardians ad litem and court-appointed special advocates
The reporting requirement also applies to administrative and academic or athletic department employees, including student
employees, of public and private institutions of higher education.
Other persons required to report
Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030
Any person who has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect may report.
Institutional responsibility to report
This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.
WHAT ARE THEY REQUIRED TO REPORT
Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030
A report is required when any of the following apply:
• A reporter has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect.
• Any person, in his or her official supervisory capacity with a nonprofit or for-profit organization, has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect caused by a person over whom he or she regularly exercises supervisory authority.
• Department of Corrections personnel observe offenders or the children with whom the offenders are in contact and, as a result of these observations, have reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect.
• Any adult has reasonable cause to believe that a child who resides with him or her has suffered severe abuse.
PENALTIES FOR FAILING TO REPORT
Failure to Report
Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.080; 9A.20.021
Every person who is required to make a report pursuant to the reporting laws and who knowingly fails to make such a report shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
Every person convicted of a gross misdemeanor shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for up to 364 days or a fine of no more than $5,000, or both.
This section applies to only those crimes committed on or after July 1, 1984. The fines in this section apply to adult offenders only.
PENALTIES FOR FALSE REPORTING
False Reporting
Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.060(4); 9A.20.021
A person who intentionally and in bad faith knowingly makes a false report of alleged abuse or neglect shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person convicted of a misdemeanor shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for no more than 90 days or a fine of no more than $1,000, or both.
This section applies to only those crimes committed on or after July 1, 1984. The fines in this section apply to adult offenders only.
PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS
Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.030; 26.44.060
No one shall be required to report when he or she obtains the information solely as a result of a privileged communication as
provided in § 5.6.060.
Information considered privileged by statute and not directly related to reports required by this section must not be divulged without a valid written waiver of the privilege.
Conduct conforming with reporting requirements shall not be deemed a violation of the confidential communication privilege of §§ 5.60.060 (3) and (4) (regarding clergy-penitent and physician-patient privilege), 18.53.200 (regarding optometrist-patient privilege), and 18.83.110 (regarding psychologist-client privilege).
REPORTER’S IDENTITY
Inclusion of Reporter’s Name in Report
Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030
The department shall make reasonable efforts to learn the name, address, and telephone number of the reporter.
Disclosure of Reporter Identity
Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030
The department shall provide assurances of appropriate confidentiality of the identification of persons reporting under this section.