50-25.1-04. Method of reporting

50-25.1-04. Method of reporting 1. All persons mandated or permitted to report cases of known or suspected child abuse or neglect immediately shall cause oral or written reports to be made to the department or authorized agent. Oral reports must be followed by written reports within forty-eight hours if so requested by the department or authorized agent. A requested written report must include information specifically sought by the department or authorized agent if the reporter possesses or has reasonable access to that information. Reports involving known or suspected institutional child abuse or neglect must be made and received in the same manner as all other reports made under this chapter. 2. The chief administrator of an entity employing more than twenty-five individuals who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect under this chapter may designate an agent within the entity to file reports of suspected child abuse or neglect on behalf of the staff members and volunteers of the entity. Under no circumstances may a designated agent to whom such report has been made impose conditions, including prior approval or prior notification, upon a staff member or volunteer reporting suspected child abuse or neglect under this chapter or exercise any control, restraint, or modification, or make any changes to the information provided by the staff member or volunteer. A report filed by the designated agent must include the first and last name, title, and contact information for every staff member or volunteer of the entity who is believed to have direct knowledge of the facts surrounding the report. A single report from the designated agent under this subsection is adequate to meet the reporting requirement on behalf of staff members and volunteers of the entity listed with the required information. 3. If a staff member or volunteer makes a report of suspected child abuse and neglect to a designated agent of an entity as authorized in subsection 2, and the designated agent files a report on behalf of the staff member or volunteer, the staff member or volunteer will be considered to be fully compliant with the reporting requirements in this chapter. However, this section does not preclude the staff member or volunteer from also reporting the suspected child abuse and neglect directly to the department or authorized agent. A staff member or volunteer reporting suspected child abuse or neglect under this subsection who has knowledge the designated agent has failed to report on behalf of the staff member or volunteer immediately shall make a report directly to the department or authorized agent.