<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" citation="COMAR 13A.17.07.02" title_num="13A" subtitle_num="17" chapter_num="07" heading="Abuse/Neglect Reporting.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>An operator, staff member, employee, substitute, or volunteer who has reason to believe that a child has been:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Abused, in a facility or outside of the facility, shall report that belief directly to the Child Protective Services unit of the local department or to a law enforcement agency, as required under Maryland law;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Neglected, in a facility or outside of the facility, shall report that belief directly to the Child Protective Services unit of the local department as required under Maryland law.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>When a child has been subjected to injurious treatment, it shall be reported to the office.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>An operator shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Instruct the staff to monitor all children daily for signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Instruct staff about their legal obligations to report suspected child abuse or neglect directly to the local department or the appropriate law enforcement agency; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Post, near each telephone in the facility, the telephone numbers of the Child Protective Services unit of the local department and the appropriate law enforcement agency.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>An operator may not require a staff member, employee, substitute, or volunteer to report through the operator or director, rather than directly to the local department or a law enforcement agency, when the staff member has reason to believe that a child has been abused or neglected.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>