To protect children from abuse, the reporting
requirements of §§
25.502-25.504 (relating to suspected
child abuse-mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and
X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child
abuse-mandated reporting requirement) take precedence over provisions of any
client confidentiality, ethical principle or professional standard that might
otherwise apply. In accordance with
23 Pa.C.S. §
6311.1
(relating to privileged communications), privileged communications between a
mandated reporter and a patient do not apply to a situation involving child
abuse and do not relieve the mandated reporter of the duty to make a report of
suspected child abuse. Additionally, under
23 Pa.C.S. §
6313(e) (relating to
reporting procedure), notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
contrary, a mandated reporter who makes a report of suspected child abuse does
not violate the Mental Health Procedures Act (50 P.S. §§
7101-7503),
by releasing information necessary to complete the report.
Notes
The
provisions of this § 21.506 amended March 25, 2022, effective
3/26/2022, 52 Pa.B.
1916.
The provisions of this § 21.506 amended under
section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k));
section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law
(63 P.S. §
667.6); and
23 Pa.C.S. §
6383(b)(2).
