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Child Welfare
Q. How do I report child abuse?
You can report child abuse to the El Paso County Department of Human Services on the Child Abuse Hotline, which is staffed 24 hours per day seven days per week. The number is 719-444-5700. You may also email your report to Childabusereport@elpasoco.com.
Q. When should I call the Hotline?
You should call the child abuse hotline whenever you believe that a person who lives with the child or is caring for the child and has caused injury or harm or put the child at risk of physical injury. Some examples could include:
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If you see marks on a child’s body that do not appear to have been caused by an accident.
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If a child tells you that he or she has been touched inappropriately or harmed by someone.
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If a child appears to be dressed inappropriately for the weather, appears undernourished or is young and has been left home alone.
Q. Who should report child abuse?
While everyone should report suspected child abuse and neglect, C.R.S. 19-3-304 states that persons required to report child abuse or neglect are designated mandated reporters and subject to a class 3 misdemeanor punishable as provided in section 18-1.3-501 C.R. S. for failure to report. Persons required reporting such abuse or neglect or circumstances or conditions shall include any:
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a. Physician or surgeon, including a physician in training;
b. Child Health Associate
c. Medical Examiner or Coroner
d. Dentist
e. Osteopath
f. Optometrist
g. Chiropractor
h. Chiropodist or podiatrist;
i. Registered nurse or licensed practical nurse;
j. Hospital personnel engaged in the admission, care or treatment or patients;
k. Christian science practitioner;
l. Public or private school official or employee;
m. Social worker or worker in any facility or agency that is licensed or certified pursuant to part 1 or article 6 of title 26, C.R.S.;
n. Mental Heath Professional
o. Dental Hygienist
p. Psychologist
q. Physical therapist
r. Veterinarian
s. Peace officer as described in section 16-2.5-101, C.R.S.;
t. Pharmacist;
u. Commercial film and photographic print processor as provided in subsection (2.5) of this section;
v. Firefighter as defined in section 18-3-201 (1), C.R.S.;
w. Victim’s advocate, as defined in section 13-90-107 (1) (k) (II), C.R.S.;
x. Licensed professional counselors;
y. Licensed marriage and family therapists;
z. Unlicensed psychotherapists;
aa. (1) Clergy member;
bb. Registered dietician;
cc. Worker in the state department of human services;
dd. Juvenile parole and probation officers;
ee. Child and family investigators;
ff. Officers and agents of the state bureau of animal protection, and animal control officers.
gg. Any commercial film and photographic print processor who has knowledge of or observes, within the scope of his or her professional capacity views information depicting a child engaged in an act of sexual conduct
Q. What information should I include in my report?
The Hotline screening staff who answer your call will ask you for as much information as you can provide about the suspected abuse or maltreatment and the family about which you are calling. Even if you have very little information available, please call the Child Abuse Hotline. You will be asked about the nature and extent of the child’s injuries or the risk of harm to the child. It will be important to have the child’s name, home address, age and school that they attend. You will also be asked the name and address of the parent or other person legally responsible who caused the injury or created the risk of harm to the child. Some other helpful information will include the name and addresses of the child’s siblings and parents if it is different from the information provided above.
Q. What is the difference between discipline and abuse?
If the use of discipline is excessive or forceful enough to leave injuries, physical abuse has occurred. The use of instruments, such as a belt or kitchen implement, increases the likelihood of injuries. The intent of the reporting law is not to interfere with appropriate parental discipline but to respond to extreme or inappropriate discipline which appears to be abusive. Reasonable and age appropriate spanking to the buttocks where there is no evidence of physical injury does not constitute abuse.
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