Recordkeeping Duties of Child Protective Services

(a)There shall be established in Child Protective Services

(1)an active file of child abuse or neglect reports under investigation and those where services are being provided;

(2)a central register of child abuse or neglect which shall consist of substantiated and indicated reports of child abuse or neglect; and

(3)a suspected file as provided in subsection

(e)below.

(b)Child Protective Services shall establish and maintain a 24-hour telephone reporting system that all persons, whether mandated by law or not, may use to report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect.

(c)No information shall be released from the central register unless Child Protective Services has positively identified the person requesting the information and Child Protective Services has inquired into CH. 13 CHILD PROTECTIVE ACT and is satisfied that such person has a legitimate need within the scope of § 13210 to obtain information from the central register.

(d)The central register shall include and shall be limited to the following information:

(1)the names of the subjects of the report;

(2)the date or dates and the nature and extent of the alleged instances of suspected child abuse or neglect;

(3)the home addresses of subjects of the report;

(4)the age and sex of the children harmed or threatened with harm;

(5)the locality in which the harm or threatened harm occurred;

(6)whether the report is a substantiated report or an indicated report; and

(7)the progress of any legal proceedings brought on the basis of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect.

(e)If an investigation of a report of suspected child abuse or neglect does not determine, within 60 days from the date of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect, that the report is an indicated report, substantiated report or an unsubstantiated report, all information identifying the subjects of such report shall be placed in Child Protective Services’ suspected file for a period of one year.

(f)If an investigation of a report of suspected child abuse or neglect does not determine, within one year of the date of the report of suspected child abuse or neglect, that the report is an indicated report or a substantiated report, such report shall be considered an unsubstantiated report and all information identifying the subjects of such report shall be expunged from Child Protective Services’ suspected files.