LANSING – The Michigan House of Representatives today passed a plan introduced by State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) that aims to take down barriers to the reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect. Ebli's plan, which now heads to the Senate, addresses a conflict affecting workers at domestic violence shelters and other agencies that provide services to women and children and receive federal funding.
"For our state to thrive, it's imperative that we protect the well-being of all our children," Ebli said. "If agency workers suspect a child is being abused or neglected, their efforts to report the abuse should not be hampered by bureaucratic red tape. We need to support all of Michigan's children so that they can reach their full potential as adults."
Recent changes in federal law have created obstacles to the reporting of child abuse by workers who are in professions that are not mandated reporters. These amendments to federal law prohibit grant recipients of any federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding from revealing personal information about clients who are survivors of abuse unless required to by statute or court order. That means that if workers from some agencies report suspected abuse, they may jeopardize their agency's eligibility to continue receiving federal funding.
Ebli's plan would resolve this conflict by allowing workers at agencies receiving federal funding under the Violence Against Women Act to report cases of suspected child abuse or neglect without violating conditions of the act.
"It's vital that we protect our most vulnerable members of society," Ebli said. "By removing obstacles for agency workers who need to report suspected child abuse, we are strengthening the future of our state."