Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect - Wyoming

Professionals Required to Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-205

All persons are required to report. 

Training Requirements for Mandatory Reporters

Training for mandatory reporters is not addressed in the laws and policies.

The Wyoming Department of Family Services offers information about reporting child abuse and neglect on its Abuse/Neglect/Exploitation webpage.

Reporting by Other Persons
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-205

All persons must report. 

Institutional Responsibility to Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-205(b)

If a person reporting child abuse or neglect is a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility, or agency, they shall notify the person in charge or their designated agent, who is thereupon also responsible to make the report or cause the report to be made, as soon as possible. Nothing in this subsection is intended to relieve individuals of their obligation to report on their own behalf, unless a report has already been made or will be made. 

Any employer, public or private, who discharges, suspends, disciplines, or penalizes an employee solely for making a report of neglect or abuse is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for no more than 6 months or a fine of no more than $750, or both.

Standards for Making a Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 14-3-205; 14-3-206

A report is required when any of the following apply:

• A person knows or has reasonable cause to believe or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 
• A person observes any child being subjected to conditions or circumstances that would reasonably result in abuse or neglect. 
• A minor is a victim of female genital mutilation.

Any physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner who examines a child and finds reasonable cause to believe the child is a victim of child abuse or neglect and has reasonable cause to believe that other children residing in the same home also may be a victim of child abuse or neglect shall report to law enforcement the results of the examination and facts supporting reasonable cause with respect to the other child or children.

Privileged Communications
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-210

Evidence regarding a child in any judicial proceeding resulting from a report made pursuant to the reporting laws shall not be excluded on the ground it constitutes a privileged communication, as follows: 

• Between spouses
• Claimed under any provision of law other than § 1-12-101(a)(i) (regarding attorney-client or physician-patient privilege) and § 1-12-101(a)(ii) (regarding privilege of a clergy member or priest as it relates to a confession made to them in their professional character if enjoined by the church to which they belong)
• Claimed pursuant to § 1-12-116 (regarding the confidential communication between a family violence and sexual assault advocate and victim)

Inclusion of the Reporter's Name in the Report
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-206

The report must include any available photographs, videos, and x-rays with the identification of the person who created the evidence and the date the evidence was created. 

Disclosure of the Reporter's Identity

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.