Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect - Arizona

The Requirement for Clergy to Report 

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 13-3620

Any member of the clergy, priest, or Christian Science practitioner who reasonably believes that a minor is or has been the victim of injury, abuse, child abuse, a reportable offense, or neglect shall immediately report or cause a report to be made.

Privileged Communications

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 13-3620

A member of the clergy, a Christian Science practitioner, or a priest who has received a confidential communication or a confession in that person's role as a member of the clergy, a Christian Science practitioner, or a priest in the course of the discipline enjoined by the church to which the member of the clergy, Christian Science practitioner, or priest belongs may withhold reporting of the communication or confession if the member of the clergy, Christian Science practitioner, or priest determines that it is reasonable and necessary within the concepts of the religion. This exemption applies only to the communication or confession and not to the personal observations the member of the clergy, Christian Science practitioner, or priest may otherwise make of the minor.

In any civil or criminal litigation in which a child's neglect, physical injury, abuse, or abandonment is an issue, a member of the clergy, a Christian Science practitioner, or a priest shall not, without their consent, be examined as a witness concerning any confession made to them in their role as a member of the clergy, a Christian Science practitioner, or a priest in the course of the discipline enjoined by the church to which they belongs. This subsection does not discharge a member of the clergy, a Christian Science practitioner, or a priest from the duty to report as required above.