From the Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services:
This is a reminder that Nebraska Revised Statute 28-711 requires that suspected or observed child abuse or neglect must be reported to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-652-1999 or to law enforcement.
When any physician, any medical institution, any nurse, any school employee, any social worker, the Inspector General, or any other person has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to child abuse or neglect or observes such child being subjected to conditions or circumstances which reasonably would result in child abuse or neglect, he or she shall report such incident or cause a report of child abuse or neglect to be made to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department on the toll-free number. This reporting requirement also applies to infants born with symptoms of illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
There are times when the Department may notify you that a mother with a suspected substance use disorder may present for delivery of a child. You may be asked to contact law enforcement or the Department when the named mother presents. The Department recognizes that such requests may be outside of the child abuse reporting statute and the corresponding authority to report under HIPAA. The Department is requesting that in those cases, you be alert to symptoms of prenatal drug exposure or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or even observed symptoms of the mother in that regard and report under Neb. Rev. Statute 28-711 when you believe the conditions for reporting are present.
Adult & Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline 1-800-652-1999
