1. Required report to department. The following adult persons shall immediately, within no more than 24 hours, report or cause a report to be made to the department when the person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected or that a suspicious child death has occurred:
A. Deleted. Laws 2025, c. 667, § 4, eff. July 29, 2026.
(1) to (32) Deleted. Laws 2025, c. 667, § 4, eff. July 29, 2026.
A-1. When acting in a professional capacity:
(1) School personnel;
(2) A health care practitioner;
(3) A medical examiner;
(4) A youth camp administrator or counselor;
(5) Child care personnel;
(6) A social worker;
(7) A court-appointed special advocate or guardian ad litem for the child;
(8) A sexual assault counselor;
(9) A family or domestic violence victim advocate;
(10) A licensed mental health professional;
(11) A law enforcement official;
(12) A municipal code enforcement official; and
(13) A person affiliated with a church or other religious institution, including, but not limited to, a member of the clergy, who serves in an administrative capacity or has otherwise assumed a position of trust or responsibility regardless of whether the person receives compensation for that role.
B, C. Deleted. Laws 2025, c. 667, § 4, eff. July 29, 2026.
Whenever possible, the person with first-hand information about suspected child abuse or neglect shall make the report.
Whenever a person is required to report in a capacity as a member of the staff of a medical or public or private institution, agency or facility, that person immediately shall notify either the person in charge of the institution, agency or facility or a designated agent who then shall cause a report to be made. If a designated agent is required to make the report, that designated agent is responsible for meeting the requirements of this section. The staff also may make a report directly to the department. The institution, agency or facility may establish internal procedures to facilitate reporting, as long as those procedures are not inconsistent with this subsection.
This subsection may not be construed to prohibit a person required to report under this subsection from seeking consultation to determine if a report to the department is required.
An employer may not take any action to prevent or discourage an employee from making a report.
1-A. Repealed. Laws 2025, c. 667, § 5, eff. July 29, 2026.
2. Required report to district attorney. When a mandated report is made to the department under subsection 1, the department shall report to the appropriate district attorney's office any instance in which the reported child abuse or neglect or suspicious child death is caused by a person not responsible for the child. A person required to report under subsection 1 may also report directly to the appropriate district attorney's office.
2-A. Disclosure to law enforcement officer. Upon request of a law enforcement officer investigating a report of child abuse or neglect, a member of the staff of a public or private medical institution, agency or facility or person in charge of the institution, agency or facility or the designated agent who made a report pursuant to subsection 1 shall disclose to the law enforcement officer the same information the member or person reported to the department.
3. Optional report. Any person may make a report if that person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected or that there has been a suspicious child death.
4. Repealed. Laws 2025, c. 667, § 7, eff. July 29, 2026.
4-A. Mental health treatment. When a licensed mental health professional is required to report under subsection 1 and the reportable information comes from the treatment of a person responsible for the child or the child who is the subject of the report, the licensed mental health professional may include in the licensed mental health professional's report a request that the department consider the impact of any resulting investigation or action on the licensed mental health professional's ongoing treatment of the person who is the subject of the report. The department shall take reasonable steps to engage with the licensed mental health professional to avoid impairing, to the extent possible, the licensed mental health professional's ongoing ability to treat the person who is the subject of the report.
5. Photographs of visible trauma. Whenever a person is required to report as a staff member of a law enforcement agency or a hospital, that person shall make reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, color photographs of any areas of trauma visible on a child.
A. The taking of photographs must be done with minimal trauma to the child and in a manner consistent with professional standards. The parent's or custodian's consent to the taking of photographs is not required.
B. Photographs must be made available to the department as soon as possible. The department shall pay the reasonable costs of the photographs from funds appropriated for child welfare services.
C. The person shall notify the department as soon as possible if that person is unable to take, or cause to be taken, these photographs.
D. Designated agents of the department may take photographs of any subject matter when necessary and relevant to an investigation of a report of suspected abuse or neglect or to subsequent child protection proceedings.
6. Permissive reporting of animal cruelty, abuse or neglect. Notwithstanding any other provision of state law imposing a duty of confidentiality, a person listed in subsection 1 may report a reasonable suspicion of animal cruelty, abuse or neglect to the local animal control officer or to the animal welfare program of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry established pursuant to Title 7, section 3902. For purposes of this subsection, the reporter shall disclose only such limited confidential information as is necessary for the local animal control officer or animal welfare program employee to identify the animal's location and status and the owner's name and address. For purposes of this subsection, “ cruelty, abuse or neglect” has the same meaning as provided in Title 34-B, section 1901, subsection 1, paragraph B. A reporter under this subsection may assert immunity from civil and criminal liability under Title 34-B, chapter 1, subchapter 6.1
7. Children under 6 months of age or otherwise nonambulatory. A person required to make a report under subsection 1 shall report to the department if a child who is under 6 months of age or otherwise nonambulatory exhibits evidence of the following:
A. Fracture of a bone;
B. Substantial bruising or multiple bruises;
C. Subdural hematoma;
D. Burns;
E. Poisoning; or
F. Injury resulting in substantial bleeding, soft tissue swelling or impairment of an organ.
This subsection does not require the reporting of injuries occurring as a result of the delivery of a child attended by a licensed medical practitioner or the reporting of burns or other injuries occurring as a result of medical treatment following the delivery of the child while the child remains hospitalized following the delivery.
8. Repealed. Laws 2025, c. 667, § 9, eff. July 29, 2026.
9. Training requirement. A person required to make a report under subsection 1 shall complete at least once every 2 years mandated reporter training approved by the department.
10. Authority of licensing board. This section may not be construed to limit the authority of an appropriate licensing board to take action related to a violation of this section.
Credits
2001, c. 345, § 5; 2003, c. 145, § 2; 2003, c. 210, §§ 3, 4; 2003, c. 510, § E-3; 2003, c. 599, §§ 8, 14, eff. April 6, 2004; 2007, c. 139, § 2; 2007, c. 140, § 8; 2007, c. 577, § 6; 2007, c. 586, §§ 10 to 13; 2009, c. 41, § 1; 2009, c. 211, § B-18; 2013, c. 268, § 1, eff. Oct. 9, 2013; 2015, c. 117, §§ 1, 2, eff. Oct. 15, 2015; 2015, c. 178, § 1, eff. Oct. 15, 2015; 2015, c. 274, § 7, eff. Oct. 15, 2015; 2015, c. 407, § 1, eff. July 29, 2016; 2023, c. 146, § 1, eff. Oct. 25, 2023; R.R.2025, c. 1, § B-4, eff. Oct. 1, 2025; 2025, c. 667, §§ 4 to 11, eff. July 29, 2026.
Footnotes
1 34-B M.R.S.A. § 1901.