MEMORANDUM 

TO: Local Boards of Health and
Code enforcement Agencies
FROM: Howard Wensley, M.S. C.H.O., Director
Division of Community Sanitation
DATE: February 24, 1997
SUBJECT: Housing Inspections and the Child Abuse Reporting Statue (M.G.L. C.119,s51A)
The department of Public Health has been asked if housing/code inspectors have a mandated duty to report evidence of child abuse.  The following analysis and conclusion was developed by the Office of the General Counsel.

The applicable statute contains a list of the persons deemed to be responsible for reporting what they consider to be evidence of, or indications of, possible child abuse.  (M.G.L., 1.119, s51A).  Housing inspectors are not among those specifically enumerated as being
responsible for reporting such information.  The fourth paragraph of that section does state that
any person may make such report if that person has reasonable cause to believe that a child is 
suffering from abuse or neglect.  However, this paragraph stipulates that this is not an obligation
and that the reporting individual will not be held liable for making a report or for failing to make
a report.  (The first paragraph lists all the personnel responsible for reporting this information
and also states that their failure to report will subject them to a fine of up to $1,000.)

CONCLUSION 

There is no statutory mandate making housing inspectors responsible for reporting
evidence of child abuse.  However, as a policy matter, it should be noted that housing inspectors
can make such a report and they will not be held liable for doing so.  It is strongly recommended
that any housing inspector should file a report whenever s/he suspects child abuse or neglect. 

C.119 Sec. 51A Persons Required to Report Cases of Injured, Abused, or Neglected
Children; Immunity from Criminal Action; Privilege Not T be Invoked; Penalty.
Any physician, medical intern, hospital personnel engaged in the examination, care or treatment
of persons, medical examiner, psychologist, emergency medical technician, dentist, nurse,
chiropractor, podiatrist, osteopath, public or private school teacher, educational administrator,
guidance or family counselor, day care worker or any person paid to care for or work with a
child in any public or private facility, or home or program funded by the commonwealth or
licensed pursuant to the provisions of chapter twenty-eight A, which provides day care or
residential services to children or which provides the services of child care resource and referral
agencies, voucher management agencies, family day care systems and child care food programs, probation officer, clerk/magistrate of the district courts, parole officer, social worker, foster parent, firefighter or policeman, office for children licensor, school attendance officer, allied
mental and human services professional as licensed pursuant to the provisions of section one
hundred and sixty-five of chapter one hundred and twelve, drug and alcoholism counselor,
psychiatrist, and clinical social worker, who, in his professional, or emotional injury resulting
from abuse inflicted upon him which causes harm or substantial risk or harm to the child’s health
or welfare including sexual abuse, or from neglect, including malnutrition, or who is determined
to be physically dependent upon an addictive drug at birth, shall immediately report such
condition to the department by oral communication and by making a written report within forty-
eight hours after such oral communication; provided, however, that whenever such person so
required to report is a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private institution,
school or facility, he shall immediately either notify the department or notify the person in
charge of such institution, school or facility, or that person’s designated agent, whereupon such
person in charge or his said agent shall then become responsible to make the report in the manner required by this section.  Any such hospital personnel preparing such report, may take, or cause to be taken, photographs of the areas of trauma visible on a child who is the subject of such report without the consent of the child’s parents or guardians.  All such photographs or copies thereof shall be sent to the department together with such report.  Any such person so required to make such oral and written reports who fail to do so shall be punished by the fine of not more than one thousand dollars.  Any person who knowingly files a report of child abuse that is frivolous shall be punished by a fine not more that one thousand dollars.

Said reports shall contain the names and addresses of the child and his parents or other person
responsible for his care, if known; the child’s age; the child’s sex; the nature and extent of the
child’s injuries, abuse, maltreatment, or neglect, including any evidence of prior injuries, abuse,
maltreatment, or neglect; the circumstances under which the person required to report first
became aware of the child’s injuries, abuse, maltreatment or neglect; whatever action, if any
taken to treat, shelter, or otherwise assist the child; the name of the person or persons making
such report; any other information which the person reporting believes might be helpful in
establishing the cause of the injuries; the identity of the person or persons responsible therefore;
and such other information as shall be required by the department.
Any person required to report under this section who has reasonable cause to believe that a child
has died as a result of any of the conditions listed in said paragraph shall report said death to the
department and to the district attorney for the county in which such death occurred and to the
medical examiners as required by section six of chapter thirty-eight.  Any such person who fails
to make such a report shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
In addition to those persons required to report pursuant to this section, any such person may
make such a report if any such person has reasonable cause to believe that a child is suffering
from or has died as a result of such abuse or neglect.  No person so required to report shall be
liable in any civil or criminal action by reason of such report.   No other person making such
report shall be liable in any civil or criminal action by reason of such report if it was made in
good faith; provided, however, that such person did not perpetrate or inflict said abuse or cause
said neglect.  Any person making such report who, in the determination of the department or the
district attorney may have perpetrated on inflicted said abuse or cause said neglect, may be liable
in a civil or criminal action.
No employer of those persons required to report pursuant to this section shall discharge, or in
any manner discriminate or retaliate against, any person who in good faith makes such a report,
testifies or is about to testify in any proceeding involving child abuse or neglect. Any such
employer who discharges, discriminates or retaliates against such a person shall be liable to such
person for treble damages, cost and attorney fees.
Within sixty days of the receipt of a report by the department from any person required to report,
the department shall notify such person, in writing, of its determination of the nature, extent and
cause or causes of the injuries to the child, and the social services that the department intends to
provide to the child or his family.
Any privilege established by sections one hundred and thirty-five A and one hundred and thirty-
Five B of chapter one hundred and twelve or by section twenty B of chapter two hundred and
thirty-three, relating to confidential communications shall not prohibit the filing of a report
pursuant to the provisions of this section or the provisions of section twenty-four.