Fact Sheets Highlighting Findings from the SCAN Policies Database
The four fact sheets explore key aspects of states’ child abuse and neglect definitions and policies using data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. These fact sheets use data from the SCAN Policies Database 2019 that describe key aspects of states’ definitions of child maltreatment and policies for reporting, screening, and investigating child abuse and neglect. The fact sheets should be of interest to individuals who work in child welfare agencies, practitioners, researchers, service providers, program administrators, program evaluators, and funders.
How Do Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect Vary Across States? (PDF, 1.16 MB) , opens in a new window
Summarizes states’ definitions for types of maltreatment, risk of harm, type of harm, exceptions, perpetrators, and child age.
How Do Laws and Policies for Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Vary Across States? (PDF, 937 KB) , opens in a new window
Summarizes states’ reporting laws and policies, including use of centralized reporting, reporting standards, mandated reporting, and false reporting.
How Do Policies for Screening Reports of Child Maltreatment Vary Across States? (PDF, 880 KB) , opens in a new window
Summarizes states’ screening policies, including use of centralized screening, information required to screen reports, decision processes for screening, and required screening activities.
How Do Laws and Policies for Investigating Reports of Child Maltreatment Vary Across States? (PDF, 958 KB) , opens in a new window
Summarizes states’ laws and policies for investigating reports of child maltreatment, including required activities, staff, and level of evidence to confirm that child maltreatment occurred.
Technical Appendix
Additional information about key findings from these fact sheets, including how specific states support the findings, are available in a technical appendix and Excel workbook.
Technical appendix (PDF, 986 KB) , opens in a new window
The technical appendix provides a table identifying which states support the findings from the four fact sheets.
Technical appendix excel workbook (XLSX, 98 KB) , opens in a new window
The workbook provides the fact sheet findings in an Excel format.