Mudrick Nancy R, Smith Carrie Jefferson
School of Social Work, Syracuse University, United States.
School of Social Work, Syracuse University, United States.
Disabil Health J. 2017 Apr;10(2):165-168. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.12.012. Epub 2016 Dec 30.
This commentary considers the intersection of mandatory reporting in health settings and the public child protection system's treatment of parents with disabilities. Its impetus is the August 2015 technical assistance document issued jointly by the U.S. departments of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) that affirms the applicability of the ADA and Section 504 to child protection system (CPS) processes. The DOJ/HHS document speaks to actions of state child protection agencies and courts, without addressing the first step, mandatory reporting. Nonetheless, there are implications for how mandated reporters understand child risk in the presence of disability, and health settings are one venue where mandated reports initiate. This commentary seeks to provide medical professionals with greater understanding of the CPS process and its intersection with disability rights. It concludes that mandatory reporter training must include ADA principles for addressing disability so parents are not unnecessarily reported for investigation.
本评论探讨了卫生机构中的强制报告与公共儿童保护系统对残疾父母的处理方式之间的交叉点。其推动力是美国司法部（DOJ）和卫生与公众服务部（HHS）于2015年8月联合发布的技术援助文件，该文件肯定了《美国残疾人法案》（ADA）和第504条对儿童保护系统（CPS）流程的适用性。DOJ/HHS文件论述了州儿童保护机构和法院的行动，但未涉及第一步，即强制报告。尽管如此，这对于强制报告人在残疾情况下如何理解儿童风险仍有影响，而卫生机构是强制报告开始的场所之一。本评论旨在让医学专业人员更深入了解CPS流程及其与残疾权利的交叉点。结论是，对强制报告人的培训必须包括处理残疾问题的ADA原则，这样父母就不会被不必要地报告进行调查。
