If You Suspect Abuse

United States Child Abuse Reporting Numbers

If you suspect abuse DON’T WAIT until you can "prove" child abuse -- make a report whenever your worries about the safety of a child turn into suspicions that the child is being abused or neglected. If the abuse is happening right now, call now.

When seeking to report child abuse, it is important to remember these points:

1. Not every state has a statewide reporting hotline
2. Not every state hotline will be accessible 24/7
3. If the state does have a hotline, it may only be accessible within that state
4. It may take a while to get through to the statewide number, be patient. It may take more than one call. Don’t give up.
5. Child Abuse must be reported within the state in which it occurred.
6. Be sure to have as much information about the abuse and the child you are reporting as you can. It would be a good idea to organize your information and have it ready before you make the call. Write it down so that you won’t forget any information you want to share with the intake worker. If you don’t have all the information suggested below make the call anyway. Let the intake worker tell you if you have enough to make the report. And, if not, what additional information you need. Suggested information to provide:
   • The child’s name, address and phone number
   • The age and gender of the child
   • Where is the child at the time of the report
   • Parent’s name, address and phone number
   • Name of the abuser
   • Type of abuse (be as specific about what you have observed as possible). What have you seen, what are your suspicions?
   • Are there other siblings or other children living in the home? If so, their name(s), gender(s) and age(s).
   • School child attends
   • Language barriers, if any
7. Write down everything about the report that you can. The date you reported, the person you spoke to at the reporting number, and, if they have one, their identification number, and what was said. Keep this information for your records as documentation of your report.
8. If you are not sure what you are seeing is abuse, always call and ask.
9. Write down any questions you might have and make sure you ask them. Keep the answers with the rest of your information.
10. If you do not feel comfortable with what is being said you may always ask to speak to a supervisor.
11. Remember you can report anonymously, if you are not a mandated reporter (someone who is required by law to report child abuse).

In & Out of State – Statewide numbers only

Should you need to report in another state or the particular state does not have a hotline, you may need to contact the out-of-state reporting number or the specific county in which the abuse occurred. If you do not find the number you need below, call information and ask for the Child Abuse Reporting number (or the Police or Sheriff’s Department) in the County and State the abuse occurred in.

Alabama - Report by County - 334-242-9500
Website: http://www.dhr.state.al.us/page.asp?pageid=304

Alaska - 907-269-3400(out of state) or
Division of Family & Youth Services Regional Office 800- 478-4444 (in state)
Website: http://www.hss.state.ak.us/ocs/default.htm

Arizona - 888-SOS-CHILD - 888-767-2445
Website: http://www.de.state.az.us/dcyf/cps/

Arkansas - 800-482-5964
Website: http://www.state.ar.us/dhs/chilnfam/child_protective_services.htm

California - Report by County Los Angeles 800-540-4000 (in state)
916-445-2832 (out of state)
Website: http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/FindServic_716.htm

Colorado - Report by County
Division of Child Welfare Services 303-866-5932
Website: http://www.cdhs.state.co.us/cyf/cwelfare/cwweb.html

Connecticut - 800-842-2288
800-624-5518 (TDD/hearing impaired, in state)
800-842-2288 (nationwide)
Website: http://www.state.ct.us/dcf/HOTLINE.htm

Delaware - 800-292-9582
302-577-6550 (out of state)
Website: http://www.state.de.us/kids/

District of Columbia - 202-671-7233 (nationwide)
Website: http://cfsa.dc.gov/cfsa/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=520663&cfsaNav=|31319|

Florida - 800-962-2873 (nationwide)
800-453-5145(TDD/hearing impaired, in state)
Website: http://www5.myflorida.com/cf_web/myflorida2/healthhuman/childabuse/

Georgia - Report by County Division of Family & Children Services DCFS
706-227-7000 (Clarke County) 478-553-2350 (Washington County)
Website: http://www2.state.ga.us/Departments/dhr/dfcs/index.html

Hawaii - Report By Island
808-832-5300 Child Protective Service Hotline
Website: http://www.state.hi.us/dhs/

Idaho - Report by Regional Office Child Protective Services
(Boise) 800-600-6474(24hour)
Care Line 860-926-2588 (business hours)
TDD hearing impaired 208-332-7205
Website: http://www2.state.id.us/dhw/facs/index_facs.htm

Illinois - 800-252-2873 (in state)
217-524-2606 (out of state) TTY Hearing impaired 800-358-5117
Website: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/child/index.shtml

Indiana - 800-457-8283 (in state) 800-800-5556 (24 hour)
317-233-0800 (all counties)
Website: http://www.in.gov/fssa/families/protection/dfcchi.html

Iowa – Child Abuse Hotline 800-362-2178
Website: http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/reportingchildabuse.asp

Kansas - 800-922-5330 (24 hour hotline)
Website: http://www.srskansas.org/services/child_protective_services.htm

Kentucky - 800-752-6200 Child/ Adult Abuse hotline
Website: http://cfc.state.ky.us/help/child_abuse.asp

Louisiana - Report by Parish/County
225-342-6832 (business hours only)
State Office of Community Services 225-342-2297
Website: http://dss.state.la.us/departments/ocs/child_welfare_services.html

Maine - 800-452-1999
207-287-2983
Website: http://www.state.me.us/dhs/bcfs/protection.htm

Maryland - 800-332-6347 (in state, Report by county)
410-361-2235 ( Baltimore 24 hour)
410-822-3107 (State Police)
Website: http://www.dhr.state.md.us/cps/

Massachusetts - 800-792-5200
617-232-4882
Website: http://www.state.ma.us/dss/ChildAbuse/CAN_Overview.htm

Michigan - 800-942-4357
517-373-3572
Website: http://www.michigan.gov/fia/0,1607,7-124-5452_7119-21208--,00.html

Minnesota - Report by County 651-291-0211
Website: http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/CFS/Programs/ChildProtection/default.htm

Mississippi - 800-222-8000
601-359-4991 (out of state)
Website: http://www.mdhs.state.ms.us/fcs_prot.html

Missouri - 800-392-3738
573-751-3448 (out of state)
Website: http://www.dss.state.mo.us/dfs/csp.htm

Montana - 866-820-5437
406-444-5900 (out of state)
Website:
http://www.dphhs.state.mt.us/about_us/divisions/child_family_services/child_family_services.htm

Nebraska - 800-652-1999
402-595-1324 (out of state, business hours only)
Website: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/cha/chaindex.htm

Nevada - 800-992-5757
775-684-4400 (out of state, business hours only)
Website: http://dcfs.state.nv.us/page24.html

New Hampshire - 800-894-5533 / 800-852-3388
603-225-9000 (out of state)
Website: http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/BCP/default.htm

New Jersey - 800-792-8610 (nationwide, 24/7)
800-835-5510 (TDD/hearing impaired)
Website: http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dyfs/index.html

New Mexico - 800-797-3260 (24/7)
505-841-6100 (out of state, 24/7)
Website: http://www.state.nm.us/cyfd/index.htm

New York - 800-342-3720
518-474-8740 (out of state)
Website: http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/cps/

North Carolina –Report by county- Raleigh 919-733-3055
Stokes County 336-593-2861, Emergency 800-627-2851
Website: http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dss/c_srv/cserv_protect.htm

North Dakota - Report by Regional Office
West Central Human Service Center 701-328-8888 or 888-326-2662,
24 hour crisis lines 701-328-8879 or 888-326-2112
Prevent Child Abuse Alliance 701-222-6622
Website: http://www.state.nd.us/humanservices/services/childfamily/cps/

Ohio - Report by County
Franklin County 24 hour child abuse hotline 614-229-7000
Website: http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/

Oklahoma - 800-522-3511 (nationwide, 24 hours)
Website: http://www.okdhs.org/dcfs/

Oregon - 800-854-3508 ext.2402 (in state, business hours only)
503-378-5414 (TTY, hearing impaired)
503-378-6704 (nationwide, business hours only)
Website: http://www.dhs.state.or.us/abuse/children/child_protect/

Pennsylvania - 800-932-0313
717-783-8744 (out of state)
Website: http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/ocyf/cw/abuse/abuseHome.asp

Rhode Island - 800-RI-CHILD (800-742-4453) (nationwide, 24 hours)
Website: http://www.dcyf.state.ri.us/chldwelfare/child_welfare.shtml

South Carolina - Report by County (in state)
803-898-7318 (out of state, business hours only)
National child abuse hotline 800-422-4453
Website: http://www.state.sc.us/dss/

South Dakota - Report by County
Local toll 605-773-3227
Fax: 605-773-6834
Website: http://www.state.sd.us/social/CPS/

Tennessee - Report by County
Toll free 877-237-0004
Website: http://www.state.tn.us/youth/cps/index.htm

Texas - 800-252-5400
512-834-3784 (out of state)
512-832-2020 (after hours)
Website: http://www.tdprs.state.tx.us/

Utah - 800-678-9399 (nationwide)
Website: http://www.hsdcfs.utah.gov/default.htm

Vermont - Report by County (business hours only)
DFC Central Office 802-241-2131
802-863-7533 (out of state, after hours)
800-649-5285 (in state, after hours)
Website: http://www.state.vt.us/srs/cabuse/tnrpt.htm

Virginia - 800-552-7096
804-786-8536 (out of state)
Website: http://www.dss.state.va.us/family/cps.html

Washington – toll free 800 END HARM or 800-363-427
Website: http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/ca/safety/prevAbuse.asp?1

West Virginia - 800-352-6513
Website: http://www.wvdhhr.org/oss/children/cps.asp

Wisconsin - Report by County
608-266-3036 (nationwide, business hours only)
Website: http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/Children/CPS/index.HTM

Wyoming - State Department of Family Services 307-777-3570
Prevent child abuse 307-637-8622
Website: http://dfsweb.state.wy.us/menu.htm