Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-101

Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 17a-101 - (Formerly Sec. 17-38a). Protection of children from abuse. Mandated reporters. Educational and training programs. Model mandated reporting policy

(a) The public policy of this state is: To protect children whose health and welfare may be adversely affected through injury and neglect; to strengthen the family and to make the home safe for children by enhancing the parental capacity for good child care; to provide a temporary or permanent nurturing and safe environment for children when necessary; and for these purposes to require the reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect, investigation of such reports by a social agency, and provision of services, where needed, to such child and family.

(b) The following persons shall be mandated reporters:

(1) Any physician or surgeon licensed under the provisions of chapter 370,

(2) any resident physician or intern in any hospital in this state, whether or not so licensed,

(3) any registered nurse,

(4) any licensed practical nurse,

(5) any medical examiner,

(6) any dentist,

(7) any dental hygienist,

(8) any psychologist,

(9) any school employee, as defined in section 53a-65,

(10) any social worker,

(11) any person who holds or is issued a coaching permit by the State Board of Education, is a coach of intramural or interscholastic athletics and is eighteen years of age or older,

(12) any individual who is employed as a coach or director of youth athletics and is eighteen years of age or older,

(13) any individual who is employed as a coach or director of a private youth sports organization, league or team and is eighteen years of age or older,

(14) any paid administrator, faculty, staff, athletic director, athletic coach or athletic trainer employed by a public or private institution of higher education who is eighteen years of age or older, excluding student employees,

(15) any police officer,

(16) any juvenile or adult probation officer,

(17) any juvenile or adult parole officer,

(18) any member of the clergy,

(19) any pharmacist,

(20) any physical therapist,

(21) any optometrist,

(22) any chiropractor,

(23) any podiatrist,

(24) any mental health professional,

(25) any physician assistant,

(26) any person who is a licensed or certified emergency medical services provider,

(27) any person who is a licensed or certified alcohol and drug counselor,

(28) any person who is a licensed marital and family therapist,

(29) any person who is a sexual assault counselor or a domestic violence counselor, as defined in section 52-146k,

(30) any person who is a licensed professional counselor,

(31) any person who is a licensed foster parent,

(32) any person paid to care for a child in any public or private facility, child care center, group child care home or family child care home licensed by the state,

(33) any employee of the Department of Children and Families or any person who, in the performance of such person's duties, has regular contact with and provides services to or on behalf of children pursuant to a contract with or credential issued by the Department of Children and Families,

(34) any employee of the Office of Early Childhood who is responsible for the licensing of child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes or youth camps,

(35) any paid youth camp director, assistant director and staff member who is twenty-one years of age or older,

(36) the Child Advocate and any employee of the Office of the Child Advocate,

(37) any person who is a licensed behavior analyst,

(38) any family relations counselor, family relations counselor trainee or family services supervisor employed by the Judicial Department,

(39) any victim services advocate employed by the Office of Victim Services within the Judicial Department,

(40) any employee of a juvenile justice program operated by or pursuant to a contract with the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Department, and

(41) any person employed, including any person employed under contract and any independent ombudsperson, to work at a juvenile detention facility or any other facility where children under eighteen years of age are detained and who has direct contact with children as part of such employment.

(c) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall develop an educational training program and refresher training program for the accurate and prompt identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect. Such training program and refresher training program shall be made available to all persons mandated to report child abuse and neglect at various times and locations throughout the state as determined by the Commissioner of Children and Families. Such training program and refresher training program shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of section 17a-101i , to each school employee, as defined in section 53a-65, within available appropriations.

(d) The Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall develop a model mandated reporting policy for use by local and regional boards of education. Such policy shall state applicable state law regarding mandated reporting and any relevant information that may assist school districts in the performance of mandated reporting. Such policy shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

(1) Those persons employed by the local or regional board of education who are required pursuant to this section to be mandated reporters,

(2) the type of information that is to be reported,

(3) the time frame for both written and verbal mandated reports,

(4) a statement that the school district may conduct its own investigation into an allegation of abuse or neglect by a school employee, provided such investigation does not impede an investigation by the Department of Children and Families, and

(5) a statement that retaliation against mandated reporters is prohibited. Such policy shall be updated and revised as necessary.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-101

(February, 1965, P.A. 580, S. 1-3; 1967, P.A. 317; 1969, P.A. 25; 1971, P.A. 216; P.A. 73-205, S. 1; P.A. 74-293, S. 1-3; P.A. 75-270; 75-384, S. 1-6, 9; 75-420, S. 4, 6; P.A. 76-27, S. 1, 2; 76-436, S. 586, 681; P.A. 77-308, S. 1, 4; 77-614, S. 486, 521, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-631, S. 60, 111; P.A. 80-190, S. 4; P.A. 81-91, S. 2; 81-472, S. 29, 159; P.A. 82-203; P.A. 86-337, S. 6; P.A. 88-218; 88-333; P.A. 89-160, S. 1, 2; 89-168, S. 1; P.A. 92-76 , S. 1 ; P.A. 93-91 , S. 1 , 2 ; 93-340 , S. 4 , 19 ; P.A. 94-221 , S. 21 ; P.A. 95-103 ; 95-289 , S. 7 ; P.A. 96-246 , S. 1 ; P.A. 99-102 , S. 13 ; P.A. 00-49 , S. 6 , 7 ; P.A. 02-106 , S. 3 ; 02-138 , S. 12 ; P.A. 09-185 , S. 8 ; 09-242 , S. 2 ; P.A. 10-43 , S. 12 ; P.A. 11-93 , S. 3 ; P.A. 12-82 , S. 8 ; 12-119 , S. 7 ; P.A. 13-214 , S. 7 ; P.A. 14-39 , S. 63 ; 14-186 , S. 6 ; P.A. 15-143 , S. 9 ; 15-205 , S. 1 ; 15-227 , S. 25 ; P.A. 16-163 , S. 16 ; P.A. 17-81 , S. 7 ; P.A. 18-17 , S. 1 .)

Amended by P.A. 22-0087, S. 4 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2022 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2022.

Amended by P.A. 19-0187, S. 6 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2020.

Amended by P.A. 19-0120, S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2019.

Amended by P.A. 19-0118, S. 24 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2019.

Amended by P.A. 19-0064, S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2019.

Amended by P.A. 18-0017, S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2018 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2018.

Amended by P.A. 17-0081, S. 7 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2017 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2017.

Amended by P.A. 16-0163, S. 16 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Regular Session, eff. 6/9/2016.

Amended by P.A. 15-0205, S. 1 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by P.A. 15-0143, S. 9 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Regular Session, eff. 6/30/2015.

Amended by P.A. 14-0186, S. 6 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2014 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2014.

Amended by P.A. 14-0039, S. 63 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2014 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2014.

Annotations to former section 17-38a: Cited. 165 C. 288 ; 177 C. 648 ; 179 C. 155 ; 187 C. 431 ; 189 C. 276; 192 C. 254 ; 195 C. 344 ; 214 C. 256 ; 217 C. 459 . Cited. 6 CA 7 ; Id., 360; 8 CA 656 ; 12 CA 585 ; 23 CA 410 ; 25 Conn.App. 586 ; judgment reversed, see 223 Conn. 492 ; 30 CA 794 ; 31 CA 400 ; judgment reversed, see 230 C. 459 . Cited. 35 CS 241 ; 41 CS 23 . Annotations to present section: Cited. 224 C. 29 ; 240 C. 549 ; 242 C. 1 . Class of persons protected by statute is limited to those children who have been abused or neglected and are, or should have been, the subject of a mandated report; thus, trial court properly concluded that defendant did not owe a duty of care to child who sustained head injury while attending a licensed day care facility because child was not within the class of persons protected by statute. 267 C. 539. Cited. 25 Conn.App. 586 ; judgment reversed, see 223 Conn. 492 ; 26 CA 58 ; 30 Conn.App. 794 ; 40 Conn.App. 233 . In second proceeding re determination of abuse and neglect of a child, no collateral estoppel where issue is termination of parental rights. 50 CA 805 . Arbitration award reinstating driver of children for department who was guilty of drug charges under Secs. 21a-277 and 21a-278 violates public policy of protecting children of the state. 59 CA 793 . Doctrine of predictive neglect; sufficient evidence found for court to determine child was neglected by reason of being permitted to live under conditions, circumstances or associations injurious to her well-being. 105 CA 502 . Act of triggering the limitation on constancy of accusation testimony is the filing of a complaint by the victim with the police, not the filing of a complaint by a mandated reporter with department. 140 CA 241 . Subsec. (a): Cited. 224 C. 263 . Section does not expressly obligate employer to accommodate an employee's work-at-home requests or to refrain from taking adverse action against an employee who persists in efforts to secure such arrangement. 249 C. 766 . Adjudication of neglect may be based on potential risk of harm. 58 CA 119 .

See Sec. 10-145b re revocation of certificates issued by the State Board of Education. See Sec. 17a-49 re grants for programs for treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect.