# When do Mandatory Reporters Have to Report? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-mandatory-reporters-have-to-report/486023 "2009-02-16T02:20:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-mandatory-reporters-have-to-report/486023/1 "2009-02-16T02:20:33Z")
I’ve just obtained a professional license which requires me to be a [mandatory reporter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandatory_reporter) in the state of California. Does this mean that I have to report suspected abuse _any time I see it_, or just while I am at work in an occupation governed by my license? In other words, if I’m walking down the street after work and I see my neighbor flailing on his kid, do I have to report it? Here’s a good, real-life example: a close friend just told me that her ex-husband withholds thyroid medication from their minor child, of whom he has custody. Do I report that? This is a seemingly simple question, yet half an hour of Googling has provided nothing. Typing [mandatory reporter California](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=mandatory+reporter+California&btnG=Search) into Google yields about half a zillion hits, but I can’t seem to find an answer to my question anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-mandatory-reporters-have-to-report/486023/2 "2009-02-16T02:50:25Z")
You’ve asked a very specific question–i.e., how does this one law in this one state apply to people in my specific situation. Therefore, it’s doubtful you’ll find anyone who knows enough about this law to answer your question, and, if there is such a person on this board, they may be reticent to answer the question because they don’t want to provide a stranger with legal advice over the internet. If I were in your situation, I would try to find the text of the law on the net and would talk with other people I work with to see what they have figured out about it. There is also probably someone you could speak with in California governmet who could give you the run-down. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-mandatory-reporters-have-to-report/486023/3 "2009-02-16T06:01:07Z")
The California Code: > [@](#): > > 1. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and in Section > 11166.05, a mandated reporter shall make a report to an agency > specified in Section 11165.9 whenever the mandated reporter, **in his > or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her > employment**, has knowledge of or observes a child whom the mandated > reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child > abuse or neglect. > [@](#): > > (g) **Any other person** who has knowledge of or observes a child whom > he or she knows or reasonably suspects has been a victim of child > abuse or neglect **may report** the known or suspected instance of child > abuse or neglect to an agency specified in Section 11165.9. For > purposes of this section,\*\* “any other person” includes a mandated > reporter who acts in his or her private capacity and not in his or > her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her > employment\*\*. > [@](#): > > 11166.05. Any mandated reporter who has knowledge of or who > reasonably suspects that a child is suffering serious emotional > damage or is at a substantial risk of suffering serious emotional > damage, evidenced by states of being or behavior, including, but not > limited to, severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or untoward > aggressive behavior toward self or others, may make a report to an > agency specified in Section 11165.9. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-mandatory-reporters-have-to-report/486023/4 "2009-02-16T07:26:31Z")
Crap—now I feel like a twit for making you do my work for me. I skimmed the code trying to find it, but I didn’t have the patience to chew through the whole thing sentence by sentence. But thanks, I appreciate it.