Massachusetts Grapples with Unintended Consequences of Mandated Reporting

The Massachusetts legislature is considering some proposals to pare back mandated reporting responsibilities in the state, with advocates on both sides arguing about the possible consequences. People who favor expanded mandated reporting cite the laudable goal of preventing child abuse. People who want to tweak the mandated reporter responsibilities claim that mandates actually cause harm.

The article notes that Pennsylvania expanded its mandated reporter responsibilities in the wake of the Penn State scandal. In the eight years since, according to an NBC and ProPublica investigation, investigations soared, but the number of substantiations remained flat. In other words, state investigators had more work and were intruding into more families, but weren't catching more abuse.

No one is quite sure how to change the rules, because no one wants to leave vulnerable children unprotected. But advocates are increasingly urging states to find mandated reporter laws that don't target families without sufficient cause.