232.71D  Founded child abuse--central registry.

1.  The requirements of this section shall apply to child abuse information relating to a report of child abuse and to an assessment performed in accordance with section 232.71B.

2.  If the alleged child abuse meets the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "a" or "d", and the department determines the injury or risk of harm to the child was minor and isolated and is unlikely to reoccur, the names of the child and the alleged perpetrator of the child abuse and any other child abuse information shall not be placed in the central registry as a case of founded child abuse.

3.  Except as otherwise provided in section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "d", regarding parents legitimately practicing religious beliefs, the names of the child and the alleged perpetrator and the report data and disposition data shall be placed in the central registry as a case of founded child abuse under any of the following circumstances:

a.  The case was referred for juvenile or criminal court action as a result of the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator or a criminal or juvenile court action was initiated by the county attorney or juvenile court within twelve months of the date of the department's report concerning the case, in which the alleged perpetrator was convicted of a crime involving the child or there was a delinquency or child in need of assistance adjudication.

b.  The department determines the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator meet the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "a", involving nonaccidental physical injury suffered by the child and the injury was not minor or was not isolated or is likely to reoccur.

c.  The department determines the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator meet the definition of child abuse and the department has previously determined within the eighteen-month period preceding the issuance of the department's report that the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator in a prior case met the definition of child abuse.

d.  The department determines the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator meet the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "b", involving mental injury.

e.  The department determines the acts or omissions meet the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "c", and the alleged perpetrator of the acts or omissions is age fourteen or older. However, the juvenile court may order the removal from the central registry of the name of an alleged perpetrator placed in the registry pursuant to this paragraph who is age fourteen through seventeen upon a finding of good cause. The name of an alleged perpetrator who is less than age fourteen shall not be placed in the central registry pursuant to this paragraph.

f.  The department determines the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator meet the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "d", involving failure to provide care necessary for the child's health and welfare, and any injury to the child or risk to the child's health and welfare was not minor or was not isolated or is likely to reoccur, in any of the following ways:

(1)  Failure to provide adequate food and nutrition.

(2)  Failure to provide adequate shelter.

(3)  Failure to provide adequate health care.

(4)  Failure to provide adequate mental health care.

(5)  Gross failure to meet emotional needs.

(6)  Failure to respond to an infant's life-threatening condition.

g.  The department determines the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator meet the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "e", involving prostitution.

h.  The department determines the acts or omissions of the alleged perpetrator meet the definition of child abuse under section 232.68, subsection 2, paragraph "f", involving the presence of an illegal drug.

i.  The alleged abuse took place in any of the following licensed, registered, unregistered, or regulated facilities or services:

(1)  Substance abuse program licensed under chapter 125.

(2)  Hospital licensed under chapter 135B.

(3)  Health care facility or residential care facility licensed under chapter 135C.

(4)  Psychiatric medical institution licensed under chapter 135H.

(5)  Medical assistance home and community-based waiver for persons with mental retardation residential program regulated by the department of human services and the department of inspections and appeals.

(6)  An institution controlled by the department and enumerated in section 218.1.

(7)  Mental health center, juvenile shelter care facility, or juvenile detention facility.

(8)  Child foster care licensee under chapter 237.

(9)  Child care provider under chapter 237A.

(10)  Public or private school which provides overnight care.

(11)  The Iowa braille and sight saving school and the Iowa school for the deaf controlled by the state board of regents.

j.  The department determines the alleged perpetrator of the child abuse will continue to pose a danger to the child who is the subject of the report of child abuse or to another child with whom the alleged perpetrator may come into contact.

4.  If report data and disposition data are placed in the central registry in accordance with this section, the department shall make periodic follow-up reports in a manner prescribed by the registry so that the registry is kept up-to-date and fully informed concerning the case.

5. a.  The confidentiality of all of the following shall be maintained in accordance with section 217.30:

b.  The confidentiality of report data and disposition data pertaining to an allegation of child abuse determined to meet the definition of child abuse which is subject to placement in the central registry, shall be maintained as provided in chapter 235A.

(1)  Assessment data.

(2)  Information pertaining to an allegation of child abuse for which there was no assessment performed.

(3)  Information pertaining to an allegation of child abuse which was determined to not meet the definition of child abuse. Individuals identified in section 235A.15, subsection 4, are authorized to have access to such information under section 217.30.

(4)  Report data and disposition data pertaining to an allegation of child abuse determined to meet the definition of child abuse which is not subject to placement in the central registry. Individuals identified in section 235A.15, subsection 3, are authorized to have access to such data under section 217.30.

Section History: Recent form

  97 Acts, ch 176, §5, 25, 26, 43; 99 Acts, ch 192, §33

Internal References

  Referred to in § 232.68, 232.71, 235A.14, 235A.15, 235A.17, 235A.18. 237A.5


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