Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting in Oregon (AUDIO ONLY)

In 2016, over 76,000 reports of child abuse and neglect were filed with the Oregon Department of Human Services. Of those, over 38,000 were referred for investigation and over 7,600 were founded. Mandatory reporters play an essential role in the protection of Oregon's most vulnerable children. Under Oregon state law, certain professionals—including attorneys—have an affirmative obligation to make an official report to the Oregon Department of Human Services if they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected. But what does this mean? This program, taught by Brenda Shum of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, will provide an overview of the impact of child abuse, review the purpose of mandatory reporting requirements, and offer practical information to assist lawyers in complying with their duty to report.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand what "child abuse" is under Oregon law
2. Identify mandatory reporters and the consequences of the failure to report
3. Discuss the exceptions to the mandatory reporting requirements
4. Grasp how a report is made and processed