Mandatory Reporting Policy

SUD Specialty Group – CA, Mental Health Specialty Group, P.A., Mental Health Specialty Group NJ, PC, and Mental Health Specialty Group KS, P.A. (collectively, “Group”) contracts with Path, CCM, Inc. d/b/a Rula (“Rula”) for management and administrative support services. Each entity within the Group and Rula may be referenced herein as a Company and, collectively, as the Companies.

Policy Statement

This policy is to ensure compliance with the mandatory reporting laws and regulations for reporting suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation. 

Applicability

This policy applies to all team members. For purposes of this policy, the Companies’ team members include individuals who would be considered part of the workforce, such as employees, independent contractors, and other persons whose work performance is under the direct purview of the Companies’  business practices. 

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, the definitions of abuse, neglect, and exploitation may be state law specific. It is recommended to verify these definitions and their requirement actions on a state-by-state basis. 

Mandated reporter: an individual who holds a professional position (i.e. social worker, physician, teacher, counselor, or nurse practitioner) that requires them to report to the appropriate state agency reasonable suspicions or evidence of abuse, neglect, or exploitation to children, elderly, or vulnerable individuals. 

Policy

1. This policy is intended to cover mandatory reporting for both children and adults as required by state laws. Team members are encouraged to review the appropriate state law prior to reporting, if needed. 
2. It is recommended that team members complete on-going training regarding mandatory reporting specific to their state and licensure requirements. 
3. The following situations may trigger a mandatory report: physical evidence of injury, verbal report of injury, verbal report of life-sustaining needs going unmet, evidence of exploitation via financial abuse, romantic actions, or any other situation that a vulnerable individual (children, elderly, disabled) does not consent to and has the potential to cause harm. 
4. It is not the responsibility of the clinical team member who completed the mandatory report to investigate the suspected allegations. The team member should share relevant objective information, and avoid speculative conclusions.  
5. Documentation Requirements: 
   1. The patient’s clinical record will include documentation of the indicators of possible abuse, neglect or exploitation, which prompted the mandated reporting action.
   2. Documentation of a mandated report call should occur within the appropriate progress note or as a blank note within the patient’s record. 
      1. Documentation should include the name of the agency or law enforcement department to which the report was made, the phone number called, and the report number, if provided. 
   3. Evidence of any follow-up communication will also be included in the patient’s record.
   4. Licensed providers who have completed a mandatory report, such as filing a report of suspected child/elderly abuse, are required to submit an incident report to Rula within 1 business day of making the report

Attachments

None. 

Updated January 05, 2026 20:33