Safety and Security

Protection of Vulnerable Persons

Florida Statute 39.201 is an act relating to the protection of vulnerable persons.

Florida Statute 39.201 will now require mandatory reporting of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect by colleges and universities if the alleged abuse occurs on-campus or during a College sponsored event or function. This new revision was effective October 1, 2012.

Who should report suspected child abuse, abandonment or neglect:

Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, non-parent, or legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare, or that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult.

Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is the victim of childhood sexual abuse or the victim of a known or suspected juvenile sexual offender.

Reporters in the following occupation categories are required to provide their names:

Physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment of persons;
Health or mental health professional.
Practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing;
School teacher or other school official or personnel;
Social worker, day care center worker, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional worker;
Law enforcement officer;
Judge

Penalties for not reporting child abuse, abandonment, or neglect:
There will now be potential penalties to the individual and the College institution for failing to report suspected abuse, abandonment or neglect of a child.

Any person who is required to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect and who knowingly and willfully fails to do so, or who knowingly and willfully prevents another person from doing so, commits a felony of the third degree.

Any Florida College System institution, state university or nonpublic college, university, or school, whose administrators knowingly and willfully, upon receiving information from faculty, staff, or other institution employees, fail to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect committed on the property of the university, college, or school, or during an event or function sponsored by the university, college, or school, or who knowingly and willfully prevent another person from doing so, shall be subject to fines of $1 million for each such failure.

"Child abuse" means:

Intentional infliction of physical or mental injury upon a child;
An intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child;
Active encouragement of any person to commit an act that results or could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child.

"Neglect of a child" means:

A caregiver's failure or omission to provide a child with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the child's physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical services that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the child.

What should you do if you have information relating to alleged child abuse, abandonment or neglect?

The alleged incident did not occur on-campus or during an event sponsored by the College. Information should be provided to:

Local law enforcement agency or
State of Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873

The alleged incident did occur on-campus or during an event sponsored by the College. Information should be provided to:

Local law enforcement agency or
State of Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or
College Administration or Provost.

If you are not sure whether the alleged abuse did or did not occur on campus or during an event sponsored by the College. Information should be provided to:

Local law enforcement agency or
State of Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 and
College Administration or Provost.

If you believe that a child is in immediate danger, you should notify:

Dial 911 and
The Department of Campus Safety and Security if the event is on-campus and
College Administration or Provost if the event is on-campus.