Alaska Statutes
Alaska Stat. § 47.17.010 (2026)
Purpose
✓ current as of July 2026
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Sec. 47.17.010. Purpose.
To protect children whose health and well-being may be adversely affected through the infliction, by other than accidental means, of harm through physical injury or neglect, mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or maltreatment, the legislature requires the reporting of these cases by practitioners of the healing arts and others to the department. It is not the intent of the legislature that persons required to report suspected child abuse or neglect under this chapter investigate the suspected child abuse or neglect before they make the required report to the department. Reports must be made when there is a reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect in order to make state investigative and social services available in a wider range of cases at an earlier point in time, to make sure that investigations regarding child abuse and neglect are conducted by trained investigators, and to avoid subjecting a child to duplicative interviews about the abuse or neglect. It is the intent of the legislature that, as a result of these reports, protective services will be made available in an effort to
(1) prevent further harm to the child;
(2) safeguard and enhance the general well-being of children in this state; and
(3) preserve family life unless that effort is likely to result in physical or emotional damage to the child.
To protect children whose health and well-being may be adversely affected through the infliction, by other than accidental means, of harm through physical injury or neglect, mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or maltreatment, the legislature requires the reporting of these cases by practitioners of the healing arts and others to the department. It is not the intent of the legislature that persons required to report suspected child abuse or neglect under this chapter investigate the suspected child abuse or neglect before they make the required report to the department. Reports must be made when there is a reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect in order to make state investigative and social services available in a wider range of cases at an earlier point in time, to make sure that investigations regarding child abuse and neglect are conducted by trained investigators, and to avoid subjecting a child to duplicative interviews about the abuse or neglect. It is the intent of the legislature that, as a result of these reports, protective services will be made available in an effort to
(1) prevent further harm to the child;
(2) safeguard and enhance the general well-being of children in this state; and
(3) preserve family life unless that effort is likely to result in physical or emotional damage to the child.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6
cases, 1984–1997 · leading case: State v. R.H., 683 P.2d 269 (Alaska Ct. App. 1984).
State v. R.H., 683 P.2d 269 (Alaska Ct. App. 1984). “Wetherhorn, as a psychologist, is obligated by statute to report evidence of child abuse even if it originates from a patient, AS 47.17.010. They disagree over the admissibility of Wether- *277 horn’s testimony concerning the reported evidence in criminal proceedings.”
R.J.M. v. State, 946 P.2d 855 (Alaska 1997). “” It is interesting to note that the closely analogous phrase “physical injury or neglect” is used by AS 47.17.010 (setting out the purpose of Alaska’s Child Protection Act) in a sentence whose structure unmistakably indicates that “physical” applies to both “injury” and…”
State v. RH, 683 P.2d 269 (Alaska Ct. App. 1984). “Wetherhorn, as a psychologist, is obligated by statute to report evidence of child abuse even if it originates from a patient, AS 47.17.010. They disagree over the admissibility of Wetherhorn's *277 testimony concerning the reported evidence in criminal proceedings.”
In re D.D.S., 869 P.2d 160 (Alaska 1994). “AS 47.17.010. Similarly, the testimonial privilege pertaining to domestic violence victim counseling, provided under AS 25.”
RJM v. State, 946 P.2d 855 (Alaska 1997). “" It is interesting to note that the closely analogous phrase "physical injury or neglect" is used by AS 47.17.010 (setting out the purpose of Alaska's Child Protection Act) in a sentence whose structure unmistakably indicates that "physical" applies to both "injury" and…”
Matter of DDS, 869 P.2d 160 (Alaska 1994). “AS 47.17.010. Similarly, the testimonial privilege pertaining to domestic violence victim counseling, provided under AS 25.”
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