Legislation Related to Child Maltreatment

CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE (Ark. Code Ann. § 12-12-507)

 (d) In the event that the child abuse hotline receives notification that a client or a resident of any facility licensed or registered by the State of Arkansas has been subjected to child maltreatment while at such a facility, the child abuse hotline shall immediately notify that facility's licensing or registering authority of its receipt of initial notification of suspected maltreatment.

 (e)(1) When a person, agency, corporation, or partnership then providing substitute care for any child in the custody of the department or a department employee or employee's spouse or other person residing in the home is reported as being suspected of child maltreatment, the investigation shall be conducted pursuant to procedures established by the department.

 (2)(A) Such procedures shall include referral of allegations to the Department of Arkansas State Police or appropriate law enforcement agency should the allegation involve severe maltreatment.

 (B) The investigating agency shall immediately notify local law enforcement of all reports of severe maltreatment.

 (f)(1) The child abuse hotline shall accept a report when the allegations, if true, would constitute child maltreatment as defined in § 12-12-503(6) and as long as sufficient identifying information is provided to identify and locate the child or the family.

 (2) The child abuse hotline shall accept a report of physical abuse if any of the following intentional or knowing acts are alleged to occur, but the report shall not be determined to be true unless the child suffered an injury as the result of the act:

 (A)  Throwing, kicking, burning, biting, or cutting a child;

 (B)  Striking a child with a closed fist;

 (C)  Shaking a child age four or older; or

 (D)  Striking a child age seven or older on the face.

 (3)  The child abuse hotline shall accept a report of physical abuse, if any of the following intentional or knowing acts are alleged to occur:

 (A)   Shaking a child age three or younger;

  (B)  Striking a child age six or younger on the face; or

 (C)  Interfering with a child's breathing.

 (4)(A)  The child abuse hotline shall accept a report of physical abuse if a child suffers an injury as the result of a restraint.

 (B)  The report shall not be determined to be true if the injury is a minor temporary mark or causes transient pain and was an acceptable restraint as outlined at § 12-12-503(2)(C)(ii).

 (g)(1) The child abuse hotline shall accept a report if the child or the child's family is present in Arkansas or the incident occurred in Arkansas.

 (2) If the child or the child's family resides in another state, the hotline shall screen out the report, transfer the report to the hotline of the state where the child or the child's family resides or the incident occurred, and send a copy to the appropriate investigating agency in Arkansas to initiate courtesy interviews.

 (3) If the incident occurred in Arkansas and the victim, parents or offender no longer reside in Arkansas, the hotline shall accept the report and the Arkansas investigating agency shall contact the other state and request a courtesy interview with the out-of-state subject of the report.

 (h) The child abuse hotline shall accept telephone calls or other communications alleging that a child is dependent-neglected, as defined in § 9-27-303(15), and shall immediately refer this information to the Department of Human Services.

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Center for Children at Risk

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Department of Pediatrics

Arkansas Children's Hospital

800 Marshall St.

Little Rock, AR  72202

(501) 364-1013