Idaho_Child Abuse Reporting Statute
IDAHO CODE
Title 16. Juvenile Proceedings
Chapter 16. Child Protective Act
§ 16-1605. Reporting of abuse, abandonment
or neglect
(1) Any physician, resident on a hospital
staff, intern, nurse, coroner, school teacher, day care
personnel, social worker, or other person having reason
to believe that a child under the age of eighteen (18)
years has been abused, abandoned or neglected or who observes
the child being subjected to conditions or circumstances
which would reasonably result in abuse, abandonment or
neglect shall report or cause to be reported within twenty-four
(24) hours such conditions or circumstances to the proper
law enforcement agency or the department. The department
shall be informed by law enforcement of any report made
directly to it. When the attendance of a physician, resident,
intern, nurse, day care worker, or social worker is pursuant
to the performance of services as a member of the staff
of a hospital or similar institution, he shall notify
the person in charge of the institution or his designated
delegate who shall make the necessary reports.
(2) For purposes of subsection (3) of
this section the term "duly ordained minister of religion"
means a person who has been ordained or set apart, in
accordance with the ceremonial, ritual or discipline of
a church or religious organization which has been established
on the basis of a community of religious faith, belief,
doctrines and practices, to hear confessions and confidential
communications in accordance with the bona fide doctrines
or discipline of that church or religious organization.
(3) The notification requirements of
subsection (1) of this section do not apply to a duly
ordained minister of religion, with regard to any confession
or confidential communication made to him in his ecclesiastical
capacity in the course of discipline enjoined by the church
to which he belongs if:
(a) The church qualifies as tax-exempt under 26 U.S.C.
section 501(c)(3);
(b) The confession or confidential communication was
made directly to the duly ordained minister of religion;
and
(c) The confession or confidential
communication was made in the manner and context which
places the duly ordained minister of religion specifically
and strictly under a level of confidentiality that is
considered inviolate by canon law or church doctrine.
A confession or confidential communication made under
any other circumstances does not fall under this exemption.
