Sec 8-455. Centralized intake hotline; purposes; report of possible crime; report for investigation; risk assessment tools; access to information; public awareness; definition

A. The department shall operate and maintain a centralized intake hotline to protect children by receiving at all times communications concerning suspected abuse or neglect. If a person communicates suspected abuse or neglect to a department employee other than through the hotline, the employee shall refer the person or communication to the hotline.

B. The hotline is the first step in the safety assessment and investigation process and must be operated to:

1. Record communications made concerning suspected abuse or neglect.

2. Immediately take steps necessary to identify and locate prior communications and reports for investigation related to the current communication using the department's data system and the central registry system of this state.

3. Quickly and efficiently provide information to a law enforcement agency or prepare a report for investigation as required by this section.

4. Determine the proper initial priority level of investigation based on the risk assessment and direct the report for investigation to the appropriate part of the department based on this determination.

C. If a communication provides a reason to believe that a criminal offense has been committed, the hotline worker shall immediately provide the information to both of the following:

1. The appropriate law enforcement agency pursuant to the protocols developed pursuant to section 8-817.

2. If a report for investigation is prepared as required in subsection D of this section and the suspected criminal offense is a criminal conduct allegation, the office of child welfare investigations.

D. A hotline worker shall prepare a report for investigation if all of the following are alleged:

1. The suspected conduct would constitute abuse or neglect.

2. The suspected victim of the conduct is under eighteen years of age.

3. The suspected victim of the conduct is a resident of or present in this state or any act involved in the suspected abuse or neglect occurred in this state.

4. The person suspected of committing the abuse or neglect is the parent, guardian or custodian of the victim or an adult member of the victim's household.

E. All reports for investigation must be investigated as provided in section 8-456.

F. If otherwise required by:

1. Subsection C of this section, information must be provided to the appropriate law enforcement agency even if the identity or location of the person suspected of abuse or neglect or the victim of the abuse or neglect is not known.

2. Subsection D of this section, a report for investigation must be prepared even if the identity or location of the person suspected of abuse or neglect or the victim of the abuse or neglect is not known.

G. The department shall develop and train hotline workers to use uniform risk assessment tools to determine:

1. Whether the suspected conduct constitutes abuse or neglect and the severity of the suspected abuse or neglect.

2. Whether the suspected abuse or neglect involves criminal conduct, even if the communication does not result in the preparation of a report for investigation.

3. The appropriate investigative track for referral based on the risk to the child's safety.

H. A report for investigation must include, if available, all of the following:

1. The name, address or contact information for the person making the communication.

2. The name, address and other location or contact information for the parent, guardian or custodian of the child or other adult member of the child's household who is suspected of committing the abuse or neglect.

3. The name, address and other location or contact information for the child.

4. The nature and extent of the indications of the child's abuse or neglect, including any indication of physical injury.

5. Any information regarding possible prior abuse or neglect, including reference to any communication or report for investigation involving the child, the child's siblings or the person suspected of abuse or neglect.

I. Information gathered through the hotline must be made available to an employee of the department in order to perform the employee's duties. The office of child welfare investigations and the inspections bureau must have immediate access to all records of the hotline.

J. A representative of the:

1. Office of child welfare investigations must be embedded in the hotline to carry out the purposes of section 8-471.

2. Inspections bureau must be embedded in the hotline to carry out the purposes of section 8-458.

K. The department shall publicize the availability and the purposes of the centralized intake hotline.

L. For the purposes of this section, "centralized intake hotline" means the system developed pursuant to this section regardless of the communication methods or technologies used to implement the system.