Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language
Laws of Minnesota 1987 CHAPTER 135-H.F.No. 806 An act relating to human services; requiring certain written reports of abuse within 72 hours; requiring county attorneys to be on child protection teams; requiring specific investigations of certain abuse cases; providing for case consultation by child protection teams; amending Minnesota Statutes 1986, sections 626.556, subdivisions 7, 10, and 10a; and 626.558, subdivisions 1, 2, and 3. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 626.556, subdivision 7, is amended to read: Subd. 7. [REPORT.] An oral report shall be made immediately by telephone or otherwise. An oral report made by a person required under subdivision 3 to report shall be followedas soon as possiblewithin 72 hours, exclusive of weekends and holidays, by a report in writing to the appropriate police department, the county sheriff or local welfare agency. Any report shall be of sufficient content to identify the child, any person believed to be responsible for the abuse or neglect of the child if the person is known, the nature and extent of the abuse or neglect and the name and address of the reporter. Written reports received by a police department or the county sheriff shall be forwarded immediately to the local welfare agency. The police department or the county sheriff may keep copies of reports received by them. Copies of written reports received by a local welfare department shall be forwarded immediately to the local police department or the county sheriff. A written copy of a report maintained by personnel of agencies, other than welfare or law enforcement agencies, which are subject to chapter 13 shall be confidential. An individual subject of the report may obtain access to the original report as provided by subdivision 11. Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 626.556, subdivision 10, is amended to read: Subd. 10. [DUTIES OF LOCAL WELFARE AGENCY AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY UPON RECEIPT OF A REPORT.] (a) If the report alleges neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or individual functioning within the family unit as a person responsible for the child's care, the local welfare agency shall immediately conduct an assessment and offer protective social services for purposes of preventing further abuses, safeguarding and enhancing the welfare of the abused or neglected minor, and preserving family life whenever possible. If the report alleges a violation of a criminal statute involving sexual abuse or physical abuse, the local law enforcement agency and local welfare agency shall coordinate the planning and execution of their respective investigation and assessment efforts to avoid a duplication of fact-finding efforts and multiple interviews. Each agency shall prepare a separate report of the results of its investigation. When necessary the local welfare agency shall seek authority to remove the child from the custody of a parent, guardian or adult with whom the child is living. In performing any of these duties, the local welfare agency shall maintain appropriate records. (b) Authority of the local welfare agency responsible for assessing the child abuse report and of the local law enforcement agency for investigating the alleged abuse includes, but is not limited to, authority to interview, without parental consent, the alleged victim and any other minors who currently reside with or who have resided with the alleged perpetrator. The interview may take place at school or at any facility or other place where the alleged victim or other minors might be found and may take place outside the presence of the perpetrator or parent, legal custodian, guardian, or school official. Except as provided in this clause, the parent, legal custodian, or guardian shall be notified by the responsible local welfare or law enforcement agency no later than the conclusion of the investigation or assessment that this interview has occurred. Notwithstanding rule 49.02 of the Minnesota rules of procedure for juvenile courts, the juvenile court may, after hearing on an ex parte motion by the local welfare agency, order that, where reasonable cause exists, the agency withhold notification of this interview from the parent, legal custodian, or guardian. If the interview took place or is to take place on school property, the order shall specify that school officials may not disclose to the parent, legal custodian, or guardian the contents of the notification of intent to interview the child on school property, as provided under paragraph (c), and any other related information regarding the interview that may be a part of the child's school record. A copy of the order shall be sent by the local welfare or law enforcement agency to the appropriate school official. (c) When the local welfare or local law enforcement agency determines that an interview should take place on school property, written notification of intent to interview the child on school property must be received by school officials prior to the interview. The notification shall include the name of the child to be interviewed, the purpose of the interview, and a reference to the statutory authority to conduct an interview on school property. For interviews conducted by the local welfare agency, the notification shall be signed by the chair of the county welfare board or the chair's designee. The notification shall be private data on individuals subject to the provisions of this paragraph. School officials may not disclose to the parent, legal custodian, or guardian the contents of the notification or any other related information regarding the interview until notified in writing by the local welfare or law enforcement agency that the investigation or assessment has been concluded. Until that time, the local welfare or law enforcement agency shall be solely responsible for any disclosures regarding the nature of the assessment or investigation. Except where the alleged perpetrator is believed to be a school official or employee, the time and place, and manner of the interview on school premises shall be within the discretion of school officials, but the local welfare or law enforcement agency shall have the exclusive authority to determine who may attend the interview. The conditions as to time, place, and manner of the interview set by the school officials shall be reasonable and the interview shall be conducted not more than 24 hours after the receipt of the notification unless another time is considered necessary by agreement between the school officials and the local welfare or law enforcement agency. Where the school fails to comply with the provisions of this paragraph, the juvenile court may order the school to comply. Every effort must be made to reduce the disruption of the educational program of the child, other students, or school staff when an interview is conducted on school premises. (d) Where the perpetrator or a person responsible for the care of the alleged victim or other minor prevents access to the victim or other minor by the local welfare agency, the juvenile court may order the parents, legal custodian, or guardian to produce the alleged victim or other minor for questioning by the local welfare agency or the local law enforcement agency outside the presence of the perpetrator or any person responsible for the child's care at reasonable places and times as specified by court order. (e) Before making an order under paragraph (d), the court shall issue an order to show cause, either upon its own motion or upon a verified petition, specifying the basis for the requested interviews and fixing the time and place of the hearing. The order to show cause shall be served personally and shall be heard in the same manner as provided in other cases in the juvenile court. The court shall consider the need for appointment of a guardian ad litem to protect the best interests of the child. If appointed, the guardian ad litem shall be present at the hearing on the order to show cause. (f) The commissioner, the local welfare agencies responsible for investigating reports, and the local law enforcement agencies have the right to enter facilities as defined in subdivision 2 and to inspect and copy the facility's records, including medical records, as part of the investigation. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 13, they also have the right to inform the facility under investigation that they are conducting an investigation, to disclose to the facility the names of the individuals under investigation for abusing or neglecting a child, and to provide the facility with a copy of the report and the investigative findings. Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 626.556, subdivision 10a, is amended to read: Subd. 10a. [ABUSE OUTSIDE THE FAMILY UNIT.] If the report alleges neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse by a person responsible for the child's care functioning outside the family unit in a setting other than a facility as defined in subdivision 2, the local welfare agency shall immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agencyand, which shall conduct an investigation of the alleged abuse or neglect. The local welfare agency shall offer appropriate social services for the purpose of safeguarding and enhancing the welfare of the abused or neglected minor. Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 626.558, subdivision 1, is amended to read: Subdivision 1. [ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TEAM.] A county may establish a multidisciplinary child protection team comprised of the director of the local welfare agency or designees, the county attorney or designees, the county sheriff or designees, and representatives of health,and education,. In addition, representatives of mental health or other appropriate human service agencies and parent groups may be added to the child protection team. Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 626.558, subdivision 2, is amended to read: Subd. 2. [DUTIES OF TEAM.] A multidisciplinary child protection teamshall be a consultantmay provide public and professional education, develop resources for prevention, intervention, and treatment, and provide case consultation to the local welfare agency to better enable the agency to carry out its child protection functionspursuant tounder section 626.556 and the community social services act. Case consultation must be performed by a committee of the team composed of the team members representing social services, law enforcement, the county attorney, health care, education, and persons directly involved in an individual case as determined by the case consultation committee. Case consultation is a case review process that results in recommendations about services to be provided to the identified children and family. Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 626.558, subdivision 3, is amended to read: Subd. 3. [INFORMATION SHARING.] The local welfare agency may make available to the case consultation committee of the team all records collected and maintained by thelocal welfareagencypursuant tounder section 626.556may be made availableto the child protection teamand in connection with case consultation. Any member of thechild protection teamcase consultation committee may share information acquired in the member's professional capacity with theteam for the purpose ofaidingcommittee to assist theteamcommittee in its function. Approved May 14, 1987
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes