DO YOU SUSPECT A CHILD IS BEING ABUSED OR NEGLECTED?

HOW TO REPORT SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

The abuse of our children will never stop till the public gets involved. It takes each and every one of us to fight this crime. If you suspect that a child is being physically or sexually abused or neglected in any way, you need to call your local Child Protection Services agency. Some states call these agencies Department of Children and Family Services or some are part of the local county/parish Department of Health. What ever the name of the agency, call them. You must report any suspected abuse within the state where it is happening. (If you think a child is being abused in Ohio but you live in New York, you must report it in Ohio.) The easiest way to report it then is to call a hotline or local number as not all states have hotlines.

HOTLINE OR REPORTING NUMBERS TO CALL BY STATE:

Some things to remember...

• Not every state has a toll free reporting hotline.

• States with a toll free hotline may not operate 24 hours a day.

• Some states toll free numbers are only accessible from inside that state .

• If all else fails, call the non-profit agency Childhelp USA at: 

Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline

1-800-4-A-Child

(1-800-422-4453)

TDD: 1-800-2-A-CHILD  

 

STATE BY STATE NUMBERS: 

Alabama - Report by County - 334-242-9500

Alaska - 907-269-3900 (out of state) 800-478-4444 (in state)
or Division of Family & Youth Services Regional Office

Arizona - 888-SOS-CHILD (888-767-2445)

Arkansas - 800-482-5964

California - Report by County 916-445-2832 (out of state)

Colorado - Report by County 303-866-3003 (nationwide)

Connecticut - 800-842-2288 (nationwide) 800-624-5518 (TDD/hearing impaired, in state)

Delaware - 800-292-9582 / 302-577-6550 (out of state)

District of Columbia - 202-671-7233 (nationwide)

Florida - 800-962-2873 (nationwide)

Georgia - Report by County

Hawaii - Report By Island 808-832-5300 (Oahu)

Idaho - Report by Regional Office

Illinois - 800-252-2873 (in state) 217-524-2606 (out of state)

Indiana - 800-800-5556 (in state) Out of state: report by regional office

Iowa - 800-362-2178 (nationwide)

Kansas - 800-922-5330 / 785-296-0044 (out of state)

Kentucky - 800-752-6200 / 502-595-4550 (out of state)

Louisiana - Report by Parish/County 225-342-6832 (out of state, during business hours)

Maine - 800-452-1999 / 207-287-2983 (out of state) 207-287-3492 (TTY)

Maryland - 800-332-6347 (in state) Out of state: report by county

Massachusetts - 800-792-5200 / 617-232-4882 (out of state)

Michigan - 800-942-4357 / 517-373-3572 (out of state)

Minnesota - Report by County

Mississippi - 800-222-8000 / 601-359-4991 (out of state)

Missouri - 800-392-3738 / 573-751-3448 (out of state)

Montana - 800-332-6100 / 406-444-5900 (out of state)

Nebraska - 800-652-1999 / 402-595-1324 (out of state, during business hours)

Nevada - 800-992-5757 / 775-684-4400 (out of state, during business hours)

New Hampshire - 800-894-5533 (in state) / 800-852-3388 (in state, after hours) 603-271-6563 (out of state) / 603-225-9000 (out of state, after hours)

New Jersey - 800-792-8610 (nationwide, 24 hours) 800-835-5510 (TDD/hearing impaired)

New Mexico - 800-797-3260 (24 hours) 505-841-6100 (out of state, 24 hours)

New York - 800-342-3720 / 518-474-8740 (out of state)

North Carolina - Report by county

North Dakota - Report by Regional Office 701-328-2316 (nationwide, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) 800-245-3736 (in state, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Ohio - Report by County 614-466-9824 (nationwide, during business hours)

Oklahoma - 800-522-3511 (nationwide, 24 hours)

Oregon - 800-854-3508 ext.2402 (in state, during business hours) 503-378-5414 (TTY, hearing impaired) 503-378-6704 (nationwide, during business hours)

Pennsylvania - 800-932-0313 (in state) 717-783-8744 (in and out of state)

Rhode Island - 800-RI-CHILD ( 800-742-4453) (nationwide, 24 hours)

South Carolina - Report by County (in state) 803-898-7318 (out of state, during business hours)

South Dakota - Report by County 605-773-3227 (nationwide, during business hours)

Tennessee - Report by County 615-532-3545 (nationwide, during business hours) After hours: contact county Department of Human Services

Texas - 800-252-5400 / 512-834-3784 (out of state, during business hours) 512-832-2020 (out of state, after hours)

Utah - 800-678-9399 (nationwide)

Vermont - Report by County (during business hours) 800-649-5285 (in state)

Virginia - 800-552-7096 / 04-786-8536 (out of state)

Washington - 800-562-5624 (nationwide)

West Virginia - 800-352-6513 / 304-558-7980 (out of state, during business hours)

Wisconsin - Report by County 608-266-3036 (nationwide, during business hours)

Wyoming - 800-457-3659 (In state, report by county) 

Remember, YOU really do have the power to prevent child abuse and neglect. If you see a child being physically abused, there is a good chance that child is also being abused in other ways. Some states require EVERYONE to report suspected abuse or neglect. Other states specify members of certain professions like doctors and teachers must report suspected abuse. But whether you are mandated by law or not to report abuse, it is just the right thing to do. You might save the live of a child by making that call. I wish someone had made that call when I was

growing up!