Question: What are the occupations that are required to report suspected child abuse?
Answer: Information about mandated reporters is spelled out in Chapter 350 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which states: “Notwithstanding any other state law concerning confidentiality to the contrary, the following persons who, in their professional or official capacity, have reason to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred or that there exists a substantial risk that child abuse or neglect may occur in the reasonably foreseeable future, shall immediately report the matter orally to the (state Department of Human Services) or to the police department:
“(1) Any licensed or registered professional of the healing arts or any health-related occupation who examines, attends, treats, or provides other professional or specialized services, including but not limited to physicians, including physicians in training, psychologists, dentists, nurses, osteopathic physicians and surgeons, optometrists, chiropractors, podiatrists, pharmacists, and other health-related professionals;
(2) Employees or officers of any public or private school;
(3) Employees or officers of any public or private agency or institution, or other individuals, providing social, medical, hospital, or mental health services, including financial assistance;
(4) Employees or officers of any law enforcement agency, including but not limited to the courts, police departments, department of public safety, correctional institutions, and parole or probation offices;
(5) Individual providers of child care, or employees or officers of any licensed or registered child care facility, foster home, or similar institution;
(6) Medical examiners or coroners; and
(7) Employees of any public or private agency providing recreational or sports activities.”
Any mandated reporter who knowingly fails to report suspected child abuse or neglect, or who knowingly prevents someone else from doing so, commits a petty misdemeanor, under the law.
Q: There’s a dispute in my neighborhood. How can I confirm whether or not a road is private, as claimed?
A: For property on Oahu, you can call the city Department of Design and Construction’s Land Division at 768-8725. Be ready to specify the precise portion of the road in question.
The division should be able to tell you whether it is owned by the city, state or a private entity, according to the DDC website. Specific names of private owners won’t be provided, though, just the general ownership information, according to the DDC website. “The ownership information is deemed to be reasonably accurate but is not guaranteed,” it says.
Auwe
To the driver of a silver sedan, shame on you! You not only parked illegally on Makiki Street on Oct. 18, but you disposed your apple core onto the roadside before driving off. You had a child in the group with you. What kind of an example are you setting for the child? … There is enough trash on the street; you do not need to add yours to it! The next time you do something inappropriate, you should think and look all around you — too many high-rises in Makiki. The lens (human eyes, cellphone cameras, etc.) can be in the back of you, in the front of you or even on the side of you. — Tired of bad behavior
Auwe
Auwe to the state for wasting $300 million on the Hawaii Health Connector! Think of all the ways that money could have been better spent! What a failure. Taxpayers pay the price.
— Disgusted
Mahalo
My car stalled on Manoa Road close to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I called my son to help me move the car off the road because I was tying up traffic, but we couldn’t do it since I was on an uphill incline.
Then four members from the church came in the pouring rain and helped us move my car off the road. Also, two ladies from cars in back of mine came out to direct traffic around my car while we were trying to move it. This was all being done during a very heavy downpour. Thanks to their help I got the car off of the road. They were all gone before I could get their names. I would like to send to all of them my heartfelt mahalo for their help. It’s good to know that the aloha spirit is still with us. — Grateful motorist
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
