Child Abuse and Neglect Policies and Procedures
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado (RMHCSC) is committed to the safety and welfare of the children it serves. RMHCSC recognizes that child abuse and neglect can result in RMHCSC failure and other damaging physical and emotional consequences. RMHCSC employees and volunteers can play a significant role in the prevention and intervention of child abuse and neglect. Accordingly, RMHCSC personnel and volunteers shall report suspected or known child abuse or neglect according to the Child Protection Act of 1987. (Title 19, the children’s Code, Article 3, Part 3).
Staff and volunteer training is important in meeting the reporting requirements of Colorado law. Accordingly, all staff and volunteers are required to watch a video on recognizing abuse & neglect. The video explains the process of mandatory reporting.
New employees will receive and be required to read & sign our Abuse & Policies & Procedures.
All RMHCSC employees and volunteers are affirmatively charged with familiarizing themselves with the requirements found in these policies and procedures and its accompanying regulations.
RMHCSC EMPLOYEES ARE MANDATED REPORTERS (C.R.S. 19-3-304)
The Colorado Child Protection Act of 1987 states that certain persons, among them any RMHCSC employee who has reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected, are required to make an immediate oral report (or cause a report to be made) to the Colorado Office of Children, Youth & Families in which the child reside, local law enforcement (in instances of non-interfamilial abuse), or through the statewide child abuse reporting hotline system at 1-844-264-5437. It is not the responsibility of RMHCSC personnel to make a determination if abuse or neglect has occurred. Human Services or local law enforcement will make that decision.
Even if suspected abuse involves a case which is very old, and even if the suspected perpetrator is also a minor, a report must be made.
DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT (C.R.S. 19-1-103)
For purposes of reporting, child abuse or neglect is defined as an act or omission in one of the following categories that threatens the health or welfare of a child.
PHYSICAL ABUSE: Any case in which a child exhibits evidence of skin bruising, bleeding, malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue swelling or death, and either (a) such condition or death is not justifiably explained; (b) the history given concerning such condition or death is a variance with the degree or type of such condition or death; or the circumstances indicate that such condition may not be the product of accidental occurrence.
SEXUAL ABUSE: Any case in which a child is subjected to unlawful sexual behavior as that term is defined in Colorado law. (See C.R.S. 16-22-102)
EMOTIONAL ABUSE: An identifiable and substantial impairment of the child’s intellectual or psychological functioning or development, or a substantial risk of impairment of the child’s intellectual or psychological functioning or development.
NEGLECT: Any case in which a child is a child in need of services because the child’s parents, legal guardians or custodians fails to take the same actions to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care or supervision that a prudent parent would take.
ABUSE REPORTING POLICY
It is the policy of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado (RMHCSC) that all incidents of abuse of suspected abuse of a child e reported to the Colorado Office of Children, Youth & Families.
“Abuse” or “child abuse or neglect” is defined by law (Title 19—The Children’s Code) as an act or omission in one of the following categories that threatens the health or welfare of a child:
(l) Any case in which a child exhibits evidence of skin bruising, bleeding malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, failure of any bones, subdural hematoma, soft tissue swelling, or death and either such condition or death is not justifiably explained; the history given concerning such condition is variance with the degree or type of such condition or death; or the circumstances indicate that such condition may not be the product of accidental occurrence
(ll) Any case in which a child is subjected to sexual assault or molestation, sexual exploitation, or prostitution
(lll) Any case in which a child is a child in need of services because the child’s parents, legal guardian, or custodian fails to take the same actions to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision that a prudent parent would take.
(lV) Any case in which a child is subjected to emotional abuse. As used in this subparagraph, “emotional abuse” means an identifiable and substantial impairment of the child’s intellectual or psychological functioning or development.
(V) In all cases, those investigating reports of child abuse shall take into account accepted child-rearing practices of the culture in which the child participates. Nothing in this subsection (1) shall refer to acts that could be construed to be a reasonable exercise of parental discipline or to acts reasonably necessary to subdue a child being taken into custody pursuant to section
19-2-502 that are performed by a peace officer acting in the good faith performance of the officer’s duties.
REPORTING PROCEDURES
All RMHCSC personnel have a professional responsibility to report cases of child abuse or suspected child abuse to the Colorado Office of Children, Youth & Families at 1-844-264-5437. You must do this if you have reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect, or if you have observed the child being subjected to circumstances or conditions that would reasonably result in abuse or neglect. You must immediately report the suspicion to the Director of Operations or Executive Director. This does NOT release the obligation of the staff to call and file a report. The suspicion MUST be reported by calling 1-844-264-54.
IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY (C.R.S. 19-3-309)
RMHCSC employees acting in good faith in the making of a report are immune from any liability, civil or criminal, or termination of employment, unless the employee’s action is of willful, wanton, and malicious intent.
PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO REPORT (C.R.S. 19-3.304.4)
Any employee who fails to report or cause a report to be made of suspected cases of child abuse or neglect, is subjected to imprisonment or a fine. There may also be civil liabilities for damages caused by failure to report. The obligation to report, or cause a report to be made, is that of the person who has reason to know or suspect that child abuse or neglect has occurred.
RELEASING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
In order to effectively report suspected abuse or neglect, RMHCSC employees will disclose information about the suspected incident, the name and address of the child, family, informant and other identifying information requested by the investigating agency.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
RMHCSC has zero tolerance for any employee who fails to fulfill their duties under this regulation and may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment.