Section 4.20 - Receipt and Initial Processing of Reports of Alleged Abuse or NeglectThe Department maintains a 24-hour intake process for receiving reports of known or suspected incidents of abuse or neglect of children. A report to the Department of abuse or neglect is referred to as a "report" or a "51A report".
(1)Business Days, Business Hours. To report known or suspected abuse or neglect of children on a business day, during business hours, a mandated reporter or any other persons seeking to report an incident of child abuse or neglect, shall contact the Department's Area Office which covers the residence of the child in question. When the residence of the child is unknown or outside the Commonwealth, the reporter should make the report to the Department Area Office closest to the reporter, but the Department shall accept a report submitted to any Area Office of the Department. Each area office of the Department shall have one or more employees designated to receive 51A reports.(2)Evenings, Weekends, and Holidays. (a) A mandated reporter seeking to report known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child during non-business hours shall file a report with the Department pursuant to M.G.L. c. 119, § 51A. When an oral report is made by contacting the statewide Child-At-Risk-Hotline (1-800-782-5200), the mandated reporter shall follow their report to the Child-At-Risk-Hotline within 48 hours with a written report to the Department detailing the suspected abuse or neglect.(b) Any other person seeking to report known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child during non-business hours shall contact the statewide Child-At-Risk-Hotline (1-800-782-5200).(3)Incomplete Reports. The Department may treat incomplete reports as requests for information and referral services.(4)Documentation of Reports of Abuse or Neglect. The Department shall enter the reported information of abuse or neglect into the electronic case record maintained by the Department. The Department shall establish a standard "51A standard report form", which is populated with the reported information and is printable.(5)Identity of Reporter and Anonymous Reports. The Department or Hotline employee shall record the identity of the person making the report in the electronic case record.(a) Mandated reporters who report an incident of child abuse or neglect to the Department must provide their name and address when making the report.(b) The Department shall accept anonymous reports from non-mandated reporters if the reporter refuses to identify themself. However, if the reporter provides any identifying information to the Department, the Department shall record the information for later use by the Department.(c) The Department or Hotline employee shall inform mandated reporters that they are required by law to submit a report to the Department, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 119, § 51A.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1486, eff. 1/6/2023.