| Child Abuse Reporting Statutes
Utah Child
Abuse Reporting Statute
UTAH CODE
ANNOTATED
TITLE 62A. Utah
Human Services Code.
Chapter 4A. Child
and Family Services.
Part 4. Child
Abuse or Neglect Reporting Requirements.
§ 62A-4a-403.
Reporting requirements.
(1) Except as
provided in Subsection (2), when any person including persons licensed under
Title 58, Chapter 67, Utah Medical Practice Act, or Title 58, Chapter 31b,
Nurse Practice Act, has reason to believe that a child has been subjected to
incest, molestation, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, or
neglect, or who observes a child being subjected to conditions or circumstances
which would reasonably result in sexual abuse, physical abuse, or neglect, he
shall immediately notify the nearest peace officer, law enforcement agency, or
office of the division. On receipt of this notice, the peace officer or law
enforcement agency shall immediately notify the nearest office of the division.
If an initial report of child abuse or neglect is made to the division, the
division shall immediately notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency.
The division shall, in addition to its own investigation, comply with and lend
support to investigations by law enforcement undertaken pursuant to a report
made under this section.
(2) The notification
requirements of Subsection (1) do not apply to a clergyman or priest, without
the consent of the person making the confession, with regard to any confession
made to him in his professional character in the course of discipline enjoined
by the church to which he belongs, if:
(a) the confession was made directly to the clergyman or priest by the
perpetrator; and
(b) the clergyman or priest is, under canon law or church doctrine or
practice, bound to maintain the confidentiality of that confession.
(3)(a) When a
clergyman or priest receives information about abuse or neglect from any source
other than confession of the perpetrator, he is required to give notification
on the basis of that information even though he may have also received a report
of abuse or neglect from the confession of the perpetrator.
(b) Exemption of notification requirements for a clergyman or priest
does not exempt a clergyman or priest from any other efforts required by law to
prevent further abuse or neglect by the perpetrator.
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