KRS § 620.030 — KY Code / Title LI / Chapter 620 / Section 620.030
620.030 Duty to report dependency, neglect, abuse, human trafficking, or female genital mutilation -- Husband-wife and professional-client/patient privileges not grounds for refusal to report -- Statewide reporting system -- Exceptions -- Penalties
Status: in_force

620.030 Duty to report dependency, neglect, abuse, human trafficking, or female

genital mutilation -- Husband-wife and professional-client/patient privileges

not grounds for refusal to report -- Statewide reporting system -- Exceptions --

Penalties.

(1) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent,

neglected, or abused shall immediately cause an oral or written report, including but

not limited to electronic submissions, to be made to a local law enforcement agency

or to the Department of Kentucky State Police, the cabinet or its designated

representative, the Commonwealth's attorney, or the county attorney by telephone

or otherwise. If the cabinet receives a report of abuse or neglect allegedly

committed by a person other than a parent, guardian, fictive kin, person in a

position of authority, person in a position of special trust, or person exercising

custodial control or supervision, the cabinet shall refer the matter to the

Commonwealth's attorney or the county attorney and the local law enforcement

agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police. Nothing in this section shall

relieve individuals of their obligations to report.

(2) (a) Any person, including but not limited to a physician, osteopathic physician,

nurse, teacher, school personnel, social worker, coroner, medical examiner,

child-caring personnel, resident, intern, chiropractor, dentist, optometrist,

emergency medical technician, paramedic, health professional, mental health

professional, peace officer, or any organization or agency for any of the

above, who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is

dependent, neglected, or abused, regardless of whether the person believed to

have caused the dependency, neglect, or abuse is a parent, guardian, fictive

kin, person in a position of authority, person in a position of special trust,

person exercising custodial control or supervision, or another person, or who

has attended such child as a part of his or her professional duties, shall:

1. Immediately make an oral or written report, including but not limited to

electronic submissions, in accordance with subsection (1) of this section;

2. Immediately notify the supervisor of the institution, school, facility,

agency, or designated agent of the person in charge; and

3. If requested, in addition to the report required in subsection (1) or (3) of

this section, file with the local law enforcement agency or the

Department of Kentucky State Police, the cabinet or its designated

representative, the Commonwealth's attorney, or county attorney within

forty-eight (48) hours of the original report a written report, including

but not limited to electronic submissions, containing:

a. The names and addresses of the child and his or her parents or

other persons exercising custodial control or supervision;

b. The child's age;

c. The nature and extent of the child's alleged dependency, neglect,

or abuse, including any previous charges of dependency, neglect,

or abuse, to this child or his or her siblings;

d. The name and address of the person allegedly responsible for the

abuse or neglect; and

e. Any other information that the person making the report believes

may be helpful in the furtherance of the purpose of this section.

(b) Upon notification, the supervisor or the designated agent, if any, shall

facilitate the cooperation of the institution, school, facility, or agency with the

investigation of the report.

(c) Any person who knowingly causes intimidation, retaliation, or obstruction in

the investigation of the report shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(d) This section shall not require more than one (1) report from any institution,

school, facility, or agency.

(3) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is a victim of

human trafficking as defined in KRS 529.010 shall immediately cause an oral or

written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, to be made to a

local law enforcement agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police; or the

cabinet or its designated representative; or the Commonwealth's attorney or the

county attorney; by telephone or otherwise. This subsection shall apply regardless

of whether the person believed to have caused the human trafficking of the child is

a parent, guardian, fictive kin, person in a position of authority, person in a position

of special trust, or person exercising custodial control or supervision.

(4) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is a victim of

female genital mutilation as defined in KRS 508.125 shall immediately cause an

oral or written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, to be

made by telephone or otherwise to:

(a) A local law enforcement agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police;

(b) The cabinet or its designated representative; or

(c) The Commonwealth's attorney or the county attorney.

This subsection shall apply regardless of whether the person believed to have

caused the female genital mutilation of the child is a parent, guardian, or person

exercising custodial control or supervision.

(5) Neither the husband-wife nor any professional-client/patient privilege, except the

attorney-client and clergy-penitent privilege, shall be a ground for refusing to report

under this section or for excluding evidence regarding a dependent, neglected, or

abused child or the cause thereof, in any judicial proceedings resulting from a report

pursuant to this section. This subsection shall also apply in any criminal proceeding

in District or Circuit Court regarding a dependent, neglected, or abused child.

(6) The cabinet shall establish and operate a statewide reporting system for the public

to make reports of child dependency, neglect, and abuse via telephone call or

written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions. The statewide

reporting system shall operate a twenty-four (24) hour on-call response system that

includes but is not limited to a child abuse hotline for the receipt of emergency and

nonemergency reports of child dependency, neglect, and abuse during and after

normal office hours. The cabinet may use contract employees to operate the system.

(7) The cabinet upon request shall receive from any agency of the state or any other

agency, institution, or facility providing services to the child or his or her family,

such cooperation, assistance, and information as will enable the cabinet to fulfill its

responsibilities under KRS 620.030, 620.040, and 620.050.

(8) Nothing in this section shall limit the cabinet's investigatory authority under KRS

620.050 or any other obligation imposed by law.

(9) Any person who intentionally violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty

of a:

(a) Class B misdemeanor for the first offense;

(b) Class A misdemeanor for the second offense; and

(c) Class D felony for each subsequent offense.