Reporting suspected abuse or neglect
Suspicion is the standard, and the duty is yours personally
- RBT
- BCaBA
- BCBA
What the obligation is
In most US states, people who provide services to children or vulnerable adults are mandated reporters, and both codes require you to comply with the legal obligations that bind you. Three features of the duty are regularly misunderstood. The standard is reasonable suspicion, not proof — investigating is the agency's job, not yours. The duty is personal: telling a supervisor or an employer does not by itself discharge it, and an employer cannot forbid you from reporting. And good-faith reports are protected, which is the law's way of saying it would rather receive a report that turns out to be unfounded than miss one. The specific deadlines, hotlines and categories are set by your state's statute, so find them before you need them.
In plain language
If you reasonably suspect abuse or neglect, report it to the state agency yourself. You do not need proof. Telling your boss is not enough on its own.
What this looks like
- Knowing your state's hotline number and your employer's procedure in advance.
- Making the report the same day, then informing your supervisor.
- Writing down what you saw or heard factually, in the person's own words where there were words.
- Recording the time of the report and any reference number you were given.
Where people get caught
- Waiting for certainty, which is not the legal standard.
- Passing it to a supervisor and considering the duty done.
- Investigating yourself, or asking the suspected person about it.
- Promising a learner you will keep it secret.
If you are not sure
Report. If you are unsure whether the duty applies to you, the safe assumption is that it does, and your state's agency can tell you in the same call.
In the codes
- RBT Ethics Code (2.0) Section 2 — How you deliver services
- 2.01 Do no harm, and know your mandated-reporting duties
- 2.07 Act when a client's rights or safety are at risk
- Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts Section 3 — What you owe clients and stakeholders
- 3.01 Act in the client's interest, and know your reporting duties
On the exam
Terms used here
Situations where this comes up
Related topics
Written from
- capta
- bacb-ethics-code-2022 — Legal and regulatory requirements
Written from the federal child-protection framework and general state mandated-reporter law. The specific duties are set by each state's statute.
This entry has not yet been through independent review. Treat it as a draft, and read the official code for anything that matters.