Illinois law requires many people to report suspected sexual abuse of children to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the following people are mandatory reporters in the state of Illinois:
- Physicians, residents, interns, hospital administrators and personnel, surgeons, dentists, dental hygienists, osteopaths, chiropractors, podiatric physicians, physician assistants, or substance abuse treatment personnel
- Funeral home directors or employees, coroners, or medical examiners
- Emergency medical technicians, acupuncturists, or crisis line or hotline personnel
- School personnel, including administrators and employees, educational advocates, or truant officers
- Personnel of institutions of higher education
- Members of a school board or the Chicago Board of Education
- Members of the governing body of a private school
- Social workers, social services administrators, or domestic violence program personnel
- Nurses, genetic counselors, respiratory care practitioners, advanced practice nurses, or home health aides
- Directors or staff assistants of nursery schools or child care centers, recreational or athletic programs, or facility personnel
- Early intervention providers, as defined in the Early Intervention Services System Act
- Law enforcement officers or probation officers
- Licensed professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or their assistants
- Field personnel of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Juvenile Justice, Public Health, Human Services, Corrections, Human Rights, or Children and Family Services
- Supervisors and administrators of general assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code
- Animal control officers or Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare field investigators
- Foster parents, homemakers, or child care workers
- Members of the clergy
- Commercial film and photographic print processors or computer technicians
Additionally, Illinois law encourages anyone who has reasonable cause to believe that abuse has occurred to report the abuse.
Yet, according to the DCFS, many cases of child sexual abuse go unreported, even with these reporting laws.
Don’t Let This Happen to Your Child or a Child You Know
If you have reason to suspect that child sex abuse has occurred, report it and let the professionals investigate what happened. Let the child get the help she needs to recover, and let justice be served.
If you have a child, or know a child, who goes to church in Des Plaines, plays sports in Arlington Heights, is involved in scouting in Berwyn, goes to school in Chicago, or is otherwise out of his parent’s care, please share this post on Facebook. Help raise awareness about the Illinois reporting law so that more people speak up on behalf of all of our children.
