Child abuse: reporting.

Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, establishes procedures for the reporting and investigation of suspected child abuse or neglect. The act requires certain professionals, including specified health practitioners and social workers, known as "mandated reporters," to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to a local law enforcement agency or a county welfare or probation department, as specified. Failure by a mandated reporter to report an incident of known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect is a misdemeanor. Existing law defines "neglect" for these purposes as the negligent treatment or the maltreatment of a child by a person responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child's welfare. Existing law defines "general neglect" as the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision where no physical injury to the child has occurred. This bill, with specified exceptions, would authorize a mandated reporter who knows or reasonably suspects that a child has been the victim of general neglect to make a report to one or more community-based agencies or service providers that will provide the parent, guardian, or Indian custodian of the child with services and supports the reporter reasonably believes will ameliorate the conditions impacting that individual's ability to provide adequate food, shelter, medical care, or supervision to the child. The bill would authorize the mandated reporter to make this report in addition to, or in lieu of, reporting to one of the entities specified under existing law. A mandated reporter would not be subject to a misdemeanor for making a report authorized by the bill.