Source: http://www.childrenslegalrightsjournal.com/childrenslegalrightsjournal/volume_34_issue_2?pg=46
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 22:12:52+00:00

Document:
Additionally, eleven states grant broad permissions to individuals authorized to place a child in protective custody.94 California, for example, authorizes disclosure to “[p]ersonnel from an agency responsible for making a placement of a child.”95 Some states do place a “need threshold” on the access; for example, Wyoming law grants access to individuals responsible for temporary placements when the information is needed to determine the necessity of protective custody.96 Alternatively, Rhode Island allows disclosure to “individuals or public or private agencies for the purposes of temporary or permanent placement of the person” at the discretion of the director of the child-welfare agency.97 States that place these kinds of added limitations – need thresholds and director approval – on access to child welfare records help ensure disclosures are proper and necessary rather than providing unfettered access to these individuals.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia specifically allow the accused access to the reports or records.102 Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia allow the child or the child’s guardian ad litem or other legal representative to access the reports.103 The purpose of disclosure to the accused may be different than the purpose of disclosure to the child, therefore the distinctions drawn by the states in allowing these different parties access to the information are important to note.
89 MONT. CODE ANN. § 41-3-205(3)(a) (West 2013).
92 CAL. PENAL CODE § 11167.5(b)(7) (West 2013).
94 The states that allow access to persons placing a child in protective custody are California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wyoming. See 45 C.F.R. § 1340.14( i)(2)(vi) (2014); see e.g. IND. CODE ANN. § 31-33-18-2(5) (West 2013); MICH. COMP. LAWS ANN. § 722.627(2)(d) (West 2013); NEV. REV. STAT. ANN. § 432B.290(1)(b) (West 2013); N.J. STAT. ANN. § 9:6-8.10a(b)(4) (West 2013); N.D. CENT. CODE ANN. § 50-25.1-11(1)(b) (West 2013); WYO. STAT. ANN. § 14-3-214(b)(iv) (West 2013) (for statutes granting access to records to persons placing children in protective custody).
95 CAL. PENAL CODE § 11167.5(b)(10).
96 WYO. STAT. ANN. § 14-3-214(b)(iv).
97 R.I. GEN. LAWS ANN. § 42-72-8(b)(2) (West 2013).
98 45 C.F.R. § 1340.14( i)(2)(viii).
99 Id. § 1340.14( i)(2)(ix).
100 Id. § 1340.14( i)(2)(viii).
102 The states that allow the accused access to the child abuse reports or records are Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, and Vermont.
103 The states that allow access to the child, the child’s guardian ad litem, or other legal representative are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

References: § 41
 § 11167
 § 1340
 § 31
 § 722
 § 432
 § 9
 § 50
 § 14
 § 11167
 § 14
 § 42
 § 1340
 § 1340
 § 1340