Reporting Child Abuse

REMEMBER: Your Role is to Report
There is to be no investigation
by you or anyone else at the parish/school/diocesan level

Who Is a Mandatory Reporter?

Mandatory reporters are legally required to report allegations and suspicions of sexual abuse. Failure to report can result in legal action. Mandatory reporters include:

Physicians licensed to practice medicine; interns; residents; hospital and medical personnel; dentists; podiatrists; registered professional nurses or licensed practical nurses;
School teachers; school administrators; school guidance counselors, visiting teachers, school social workers, or school psychologists;
Licensed psychologists; persons participating in internships to obtain licensing as psychologists; professional counselors, social workers, or marriage and family therapists; child-counseling personnel;
Child welfare agency personnel (including any child-caring institution, child-placing agency, maternity home, family day-care home, group day-care home, and day-care center); child service organization personnel;
Law enforcement personnel;
Persons who process or produce visual or printed matter

(Ga. Code Ann. §§ 19-7-5(c)(1); 16-12-100(c)) (WESTLAW through 2001)

When Should I Make a Report?

Any Church Personnel who has reasonable cause to believe that Sexual Abuse has occurred and who has mandatory reporting requirements under federal, state or local law, including, but not limited to, O.C.G.A. S 19-7-5 shall report, or cause a report of that abuse to be made as required by law, unless to do so would violate the priest-penitent relationship of the Sacrament of Penance. A copy of that report shall be sent immediately and confidentially to the Archbishop, or the Vicar General, or, in their absence the Safe Environment Office, who, in turn, will advise the Archbishop.

If you are NOT a mandatory reporter and have reasonable cause to believe that Sexual Abuse has occurred shall immediately confidentially report the information to the Archbishop’s Office at 404-920-7300, or the Office of the Vicar General at 404-920-7315, or, in their absence, to the Safe Environment Office at 404-978-2765 or contact our 24 hours reporting hotline at 1-888-437-0764, unless to do so would violate the priest-penitent relationship of the Sacrament of Penance.

Who Do I Call if I Am a Mandatory Reporter?

If the alleged/suspected victim is a minor, call the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) in the county where the abuse occurred.

A list of DFCS contact numbers can be found at here @ www.archatl.com.
Be prepared to give them the child’s name, address, age, the nature of the suspected abuse, the name of the suspected perpetrator, and his/her relationship to the child.
Follow-up with a letter to DFCS.

Call the Office of the District Attorney in the county where the abuse occurred. (Only if involves Church Personal)

A list of DA office contact numbers can be found at here @ www.archatl.com.
Be prepared to give them the suspected victim’s name, address, age, the nature of the suspected abuse, the name of the suspected perpetrator, and his/her relationship to the suspected victim.
Follow-up with a letter to the District Attorney’s Office.

If the alleged abuse involves archdiocesan personnel (priests, deacons, teachers, employees or volunteers) do all of the following after contacting DFCS and the District Attorney’s Office:

Call 1-888-437-0764 (24 hours a day) to file a report.
Call the Archbishop’s Office at 404-920-7300 so that the Archdiocese of Atlanta can be an active participant in cooperating with the appropriate state and local authorities. The report to the Archdiocese is NOT in lieu of the report to the appropriate state and local authorities.
Immediately fill out and return the form, “Report of Suspected Child Abuse by Archdiocesan Personnel.” This form is available at www.archatl.com. Once you complete the form, mail it to:

The Archbishop’s Office
2401 Lake Park Dr., S.E.
Smyrna, GA 30080, in an envelope marked “Confidential,”
or fax it to 404-920-7551 with a cover sheet.

When Should I call the Police?

When you believe the child or vulnerable individual is in immediate danger or has been injured.