Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA)

Executive Order 1083 may be viewed in its entirety at: https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/18219427/latest

"Child" means a person under the age of 18 years.

Mandated Reporters" means CSU employees or volunteers required under CANRA and CSU policy to report suspected child abuse and neglect to specified authorities. For the purposes of this policy, "Mandated Reporters" includes two categories: Limited Reporters and General Reporters; "Mandated Reporter" refers to both Limited Reporters and General Reporters.

• "General Reporter" is a category of Mandated Reporter, defined by the CSU as those who are legally required to report child abuse or neglect no matter where it occurs. For the purposes of this policy, any employee who satisfies the criteria for both Limited Reporters and General Reporters will be designated as a General Reporter.
   
• "Limited Reporters" is a category of Mandated Reporter, in accordance with California Penal Code § 11165.7(a)(41), and defined by the CSU as those who are legally required to report child abuse or neglect only if it occurs on CSU premises or at an official activity of, or program conducted by, the CSU.
  
  Upon notification that an individual is a General or Limited Reporter, an employee must complete and submit an "Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status and Legal Duty to Report Child Abuse and Neglect)."

New volunteers are required to sign a statement prior to the start of their service as a volunteer that acknowledges their status as a Limited Reporter. Volunteers who refuse to sign the statement presented to them cannot serve as volunteers, without exception. 
 
Existing volunteers are required to sign a statement that acknowledges their status as a Limited Reporter. Volunteers who refuse to sign the statement within a reasonable period of time cannot continue to serve as volunteers, without exception.

Used in conjunction with the Volunteer Identification Form and Adjunct Faculty Requisition, volunteers must submit the Volunteer Limited Reporter Acknowledgement Form.

Human Resources will send an email to each individual identified as a Mandated Reporter (General Reporter or a Limited Reporter). Embedded in each letter will be a link to an "Acknowledgement" form which must be completed and returned to HR to be maintained in your file.

Positions identified as Mandated Reporter can also be found on Attachment B, which can be viewed at: EO 1083 Attachment B - CANRA (.PDF)

Mandated Reporters must report the following types of abuse or neglect:

• Physical abuse, meaning physical injury other than by accidental means inflicted on a child (Penal Code § 11165.6)
   
• Sexual assault, including sex acts with a child, intentional masturbation in the presence of a child, child molestation, and lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age or with a child under 16 years of age if the other person is at least ten years older than the child (Penal Code § 11165.1(a)(b))
   
• Sexual exploitation, including acts relating to child pornography, child prostitution, or performances involving obscene sexual conduct by a child (Penal Code § 11165.1(c)) 
   
• Statutory rape involving sexual intercourse between a child under 16 years of age and a person 21 years of age or older, which is also a form of “sexual assault” (Penal Code §§ 261.5(d) and 11165.1(a))
   
• Neglect meaning the negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child by a parent, guardian or caretaker under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child's health or welfare (Penal Code § 11165.2)
   
• Willful harming or injuring or endangering a child, meaning a situation in which any person inflicts, or willfully causes or permits a child to suffer, unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or causes or permits a child to be placed in a situation in which the child or child's health is endangered (Penal Code § 11165.3)
   
• Unlawful corporal punishment, meaning a situation in which any person willfully inflicts upon a child cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or a physical injury (Penal Code § 11165.4)

The following are examples of what is not child abuse or neglect for reporting purposes:

• Injuries caused by two children fighting during a mutual altercation (Penal Code § 11165.6)
   
• Voluntary sex acts, if there are no indicators of abuse, unless that conduct is between a person who is 21 years of age or older and a minor who is under 16 years of age (Penal Code § 11165.1(a)).
   
• An injury caused by reasonable and necessary force used by a peace officer acting within the course and scope of his or her employment (Penal Code § 11165.6)
   
• Reasonable and necessary force used by public school officials to quell a disturbance threatening physical injury to person or damage to property, for self-defense, or to obtain Executive Order 1083 Revised July 21, 2017 Page 5 of 9 possession of weapons or other dangerous objects under a child’s control (Penal Code § 11165.4)
   
• Corporal punishment, unless it is cruel or inhuman or willfully inflicts a physical injury (Penal Code § 11165.4)
   
• Not receiving medical treatment for religious reasons (Penal Code § 11165.2(b))
   
• Acts performed for a valid medical purpose (Penal Code § 11165.1(b)(3))
   
• An informed and appropriate medical decision made by a parent, guardian or caretaker after consultation with a physician who has examined the child (Penal Code § 11165.2(b))

Step One - Immediately, or as soon as practically possible, contact ONLY ONE of the following:

• The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
  • Emergent Child Abuse Report call the Child Protection Hotline at (800) 540-4000
  • Report New Non-Emergent through the CARES system
     
• CSUN Campus Police at: (818) 677-2111, or
   
• The Los Angeles Police Department at: (877) 275-5273 (non-emergency line)

Step Two - Within 36 hours of receiving the information concerning the incident:

• Complete Form SS 8572. Instructions for completing the form are also available at the State of California Department of Justice website; and
• provide completed form to the agency that was contacted in Step One above (Penal Code § 11166(a)) as noted below:
   
  • The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) - Submit report through their CARES reporting system (Note, for non-emergent matters, this step may have already been completed in Step One).
     
  • CSUN Campus Police - Drop off form in person, following Officer instructions. 
     
  • The Los Angeles Police Department - Drop off form in person, following Officer instructions.

Note: In case of an emergency or if a crime is in progress, employees should always immediately call campus police or 911.

When reporting, the Mandated Reporter must provide the following information, if known:

• Their name, business address, and telephone number as the Mandated Reporter
• The child's name, address, and present location
• The name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the child's parent(s), guardian(s), or caretaker(s)
• The source of information that led to the suspicion of child abuse
• The name(s), address(es), telephone number(s), and other personal information of person(s) who might have abused the child

The Mandated Reporter is not excused from making a report where some of this information is not known or is uncertain.

For suspected abuse or neglect occurring on CSU premises or at an official activity of, or program conducted by the CSU, Mandated Reporters are encouraged, but not required, to also notify their supervisors or other appropriate administrators. However, reporting to a supervisor, a coworker, or any other person is not a substitute for making a mandated report to one of the agencies listed above.

An online course for Mandated Reporters is available on the Learning Management System.

Most Mandated Reporters and volunteers are strongly encouraged to complete the online training course.  However, the following employment position categories are required to complete the online training so as to comply with the Act (Penal Code § 11165.7(c)(2)):

• Category 48: An employee designated by the employer to accept any complaints of unlawful discrimination.
• Category 49: An adult employee or volunteer whose duties require direct contact with and supervision of minors in the performance of the minors' duties in the workplace.

Attachment B identifies the Categories of CSU employees in categories 48 and 49 described above.

Employee Relations at (818) 677-6566 or email er@csun.edu.