| N E W S | EMS DISPATCH |
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| LETTER | |
| Vol. IX No. 1 Winter 2002 |
Southern Tier Regional EMS Council |
CHILD ABUSE: MANDATORY REPORTING |
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| Table of Contents Child Abuse: Mandatory Reporting Page 1 Child abuse, cont. Page 2 Calendar events Page 2 You've Got Mail Page 2 QIPP Awards Page 3 New videos Page 3 New DOH Policies Page 3 EMS news Page 3 Council Update Page 4 |
Albany, NY: Beginning February 1, 2002, all Emergency Medical Technicians – EMT, EMT-I, EMT-CC and EMT-P - are required to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect.
Mandatory Reporting Facts All 50 states have passed some form of a mandatory child abuse and neglect reporting law in order to qualify for funding under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). New York State has recently amended their law to include EMTs as mandatory reporters, effective 2/1/02. The new law requires emergency medical technicians to report suspected child abuse they come across while performing their jobs. Emergency medical technicians are often the first individuals to arrive at the scene of a medical emergency and would likewise often be the first to detect any instances of child abuse. |
| Send us news of your agency: information about what you are doing, or about people - someone who should be recognized for exceptional service or caring, someone who deserves a pat on the back. Send it to EMS Dispatch at STREMS. | EMTs are to report when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child coming before them in their professional or official capacity is an abused or maltreated child, or when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused or maltreated child where the parent, guardian, custodian or other person legally responsible for such child comes before them in their professional... capacity and states from personal knowledge facts, conditions or circumstances which, if correct, would render the child an abused or maltreated child. |
| EMS DISPATCH Published quarterly by STREMS, Inc. 315 West Water Street, Elmira, NY 14901 Robert W. Nowlan, President; Maryann Sweely, Vice President; James J. Cummings, Treasurer; Ronald H. Kintz, Secretary; Robert C. Rajsky, Council Chairperson; Bernadette Josbeno-Oakes, Council Vice-Chairperson |
What is Child Abuse? An "abused child" is one whose parent or other person legally responsible for his/her care inflicts upon the child serious physical injury, creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury, or commits an act of sex abuse against the child. Not only can a person be abusive to a child if they perpetrate any of these actions against a child in their care, they can be guilty of abusing a child if they allow someone else to do these things to that child. So, the mother who stands by and watches without saying or doing anything while the father breaks their child's arm while physically disciplining the child can be as guilty of abuse as the father. |
| Sponsors: Chemung County, Schuyler County, Steuben County, Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Corning Hospital, Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital, Schuyler Hospital, St. James Mercy Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital. |  What is child neglect? Neglect refers to the quality of care a child is receiving from those responsible for him/her. |
| INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS The STREMS office has a variety of videotapes and slides, with lesson plans, that can be used for review or inservices. The list is available on our website or call us at 732-2354, ex 10. |
Neglect refers generally to a situation where the physical, mental or emotional welfare of a child is impaired or placed in imminent danger of impairment by the failure of a parent or other person legally responsible for the care of a child to exercise a minimum degree of care toward that child. Neglect can also result from infliction of excessive corporal punishment, abandonment of a child or from not providing adequate supervision for the child. Further, excessive use of drugs or alcohol such that would interfere with a persons' ability to adequately supervise a child can be neglect. |
| continued p. 2, col. 2 | |
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Contact us STREMS, Inc. 315 West Water Street Elmira NY 14901 (607) 732-2354 In New York State only: 1-800-343-1311 |
E-mail us:
STREMS@stny.rr.com |
Child abuse, cont. Page 2 Calendar events Page 2 You've Got Mail Page 2 QIPP Awards Page 3 New videos Page 3 New DOH Policies Page 3 EMS news Page 3 Council Update Page 4 |
Mandated Reporters are required to report instances of suspected child abuse or maltreatment only when they are presented with reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or maltreatment in their professional roles. Therefore, if the Doctor is examining a child in her practice and has a reasonable suspicion of abuse she must report it. However, the doctor who witnesses' child abuse when riding her bike on the weekend is not mandated to report that abuse. (Of course, anyone may report any suspected abuse at any time, and is encouraged to do so.) 
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EMS Management at a MCI, Part I: Introduction, Pre-Incident Planning, First 30-60 Minutes, Prolonged Response to Multi-Day Incident, Recovery/Post-Incident Period, Common Challenges During a MCI. (12/01 Pulse)
Four events are being planned - watch your mail for more information...