Ky. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 620
Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030 (2026)

Duty to report dependency, neglect, abuse, human trafficking, or female

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section KY-LRCapps.legislature.ky.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

genital mutilation -- Husband-wife and professional-client/patient privileges not grounds for refusal to report -- Statewide reporting system -- Exceptions -- Penalties. (1) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent, neglected, or abused shall immediately cause an oral or written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, to be made to a local law enforcement agency or to the Department of Kentucky State Police, the cabinet or its designated representative, the Commonwealth's attorney, or the county attorney by telephone or otherwise. If the cabinet receives a report of abuse or neglect allegedly committed by a person other than a parent, guardian, fictive kin, person in a position of authority, person in a position of special trust, or person exercising custodial control or supervision, the cabinet shall refer the matter to the Commonwealth's attorney or the county attorney and the local law enforcement agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police. Nothing in this section shall relieve individuals of their obligations to report. (2) (a) Any person, including but not limited to a physician, osteopathic physician, nurse, teacher, school personnel, social worker, coroner, medical examiner, child-caring personnel, resident, intern, chiropractor, dentist, optometrist, emergency medical technician, paramedic, health professional, mental health professional, peace officer, or any organization or agency for any of the above, who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent, neglected, or abused, regardless of whether the person believed to have caused the dependency, neglect, or abuse is a parent, guardian, fictive kin, person in a position of authority, person in a position of special trust, person exercising custodial control or supervision, or another person, or who has attended such child as a part of his or her professional duties, shall: 1. Immediately make an oral or written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, in accordance with subsection (1) of this section; 2. Immediately notify the supervisor of the institution, school, facility, agency, or designated agent of the person in charge; and 3. If requested, in addition to the report required in subsection (1) or (3) of this section, file with the local law enforcement agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police, the cabinet or its designated representative, the Commonwealth's attorney, or county attorney within forty-eight (48) hours of the original report a written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, containing: a. The names and addresses of the child and his or her parents or other persons exercising custodial control or supervision; b. The child's age; c. The nature and extent of the child's alleged dependency, neglect, or abuse, including any previous charges of dependency, neglect, or abuse, to this child or his or her siblings; d. The name and address of the person allegedly responsible for the abuse or neglect; and e. Any other information that the person making the report believes may be helpful in the furtherance of the purpose of this section. (b) Upon notification, the supervisor or the designated agent, if any, shall facilitate the cooperation of the institution, school, facility, or agency with the investigation of the report. (c) Any person who knowingly causes intimidation, retaliation, or obstruction in the investigation of the report shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. (d) This section shall not require more than one (1) report from any institution, school, facility, or agency. (3) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is a victim of human trafficking as defined in KRS 529.010 shall immediately cause an oral or written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, to be made to a local law enforcement agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police; or the cabinet or its designated representative; or the Commonwealth's attorney or the county attorney; by telephone or otherwise. This subsection shall apply regardless of whether the person believed to have caused the human trafficking of the child is a parent, guardian, fictive kin, person in a position of authority, person in a position of special trust, or person exercising custodial control or supervision. (4) Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is a victim of female genital mutilation as defined in KRS 508.125 shall immediately cause an oral or written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions, to be made by telephone or otherwise to: (a) A local law enforcement agency or the Department of Kentucky State Police; (b) The cabinet or its designated representative; or (c) The Commonwealth's attorney or the county attorney. This subsection shall apply regardless of whether the person believed to have caused the female genital mutilation of the child is a parent, guardian, or person exercising custodial control or supervision. (5) Neither the husband-wife nor any professional-client/patient privilege, except the attorney-client and clergy-penitent privilege, shall be a ground for refusing to report under this section or for excluding evidence regarding a dependent, neglected, or abused child or the cause thereof, in any judicial proceedings resulting from a report pursuant to this section. This subsection shall also apply in any criminal proceeding in District or Circuit Court regarding a dependent, neglected, or abused child. (6) The cabinet shall establish and operate a statewide reporting system for the public to make reports of child dependency, neglect, and abuse via telephone call or written report, including but not limited to electronic submissions. The statewide reporting system shall operate a twenty-four (24) hour on-call response system that includes but is not limited to a child abuse hotline for the receipt of emergency and nonemergency reports of child dependency, neglect, and abuse during and after normal office hours. The cabinet may use contract employees to operate the system. (7) The cabinet upon request shall receive from any agency of the state or any other agency, institution, or facility providing services to the child or his or her family, such cooperation, assistance, and information as will enable the cabinet to fulfill its responsibilities under KRS 620.030, 620.040, and 620.050. (8) Nothing in this section shall limit the cabinet's investigatory authority under KRS 620.050 or any other obligation imposed by law. (9) Any person who intentionally violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a: (a) Class B misdemeanor for the first offense; (b) Class A misdemeanor for the second offense; and (c) Class D felony for each subsequent offense. Effective: July 15, 2024 History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 144, sec. 3, effective July 15, 2024. -- Amended 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 107, sec. 2, effective June 29, 2023. -- Amended 2020 Ky. Acts ch. 74, sec. 7, effective April 2, 2020. -- Amended 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 33, sec. 9, effective June 27, 2019. -- Amended 2013 Ky. Acts ch. 25, sec. 2, effective June 25, 2013. -- Amended 2008 Ky. Acts ch. 72, sec. 4, effective July 15, 2008. -- Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 330, effective June 26, 2007. -- Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 258, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1988; and ch. 350, sec. 43, effective April 10, 1988. -- Created 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 423, sec. 64, effective July 1, 1987. Legislative Research Commission Note. The 1988 amendments to this section are effective April 10, 1988, except for the second sentence of subsection (1), which is effective July 15, 1988.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 54 cases (12 in the last 5 years), 1995–2026 · leading case: Turner v. Nelson, 342 S.W.3d 866 (Ky. 2011).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Turner v. Nelson, 342 S.W.3d 866 (Ky. 2011). · cites it 37× “as required by KRS 620.030. On March 1, 2007, after discovery, the Fayette Circuit Court entered summary judgment in favor of Turner, concluding that Turner was entitled to “qualified official immunity” because her action — determining whether the facts constituted abuse — was…”
Commonwealth v. Allen, 980 S.W.2d 278 (Ky. 1998). · cites it 44× “20) to decide whether an individual's duty to report suspected child abuse to state authorities pursuant to KRS 620.030 is discharged by reporting the suspected abuse to supervisory personnel.”
Norton Hospitals, Inc. v. Peyton, 381 S.W.3d 286 (Ky. 2012). · cites it 18× “050(1), which grants civil and criminal immunity to anyone reporting suspected child abuse, negléct, or dependency when “acting upon reasonable cause in the making of a report or acting under KRS 620.030 to 620.050 in good faith....” The circuit court granted the defendants’…”
Morgan v. Bird, 289 S.W.3d 222 (Ky. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 10× “02 motion to dismiss without filing an answer was procedurally defective and that she should have filed an answer asserting immunity under KRS 620.030, and then moved for summary judgment or a judgment on the pleadings under CR 12.”
Nelson v. Turner, 256 S.W.3d 37 (Ky. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 24× “Turner also argued that she was not required by the provisions of KRS 620.030 to make a report of the alleged assault to any local law enforcement agency.”
Vanhook v. Somerset Health Facilities, LP, 67 F. Supp. 3d 810 (E.D. Ky. 2014). · cites it 10× “May 10, 2013) (distinguishing an argument that a KRS § 620.030 provided a cause of action from an argument that KRS § 446.”
Dunn v. Thacker, 546 S.W.3d 576 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 4× “KRS 620.030 establishes an affirmative duty to report dependency, neglect or abuse.”
A.A. ex rel. Lewis v. Kristy Shutts, 516 S.W.3d 343 (Ky. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 7× “030(1) (“Reporting Statute”) mandates that “[a]ny person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent, neglected, or abused shall immediately cause an oral or written report to be made to” one of numerous state agents, including law enforcement…”
Welch v. Commonwealth, 149 S.W.3d 407 (Ky. 2004). · cites it 2× “527, and KRS 620.030(1). For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Boyle Circuit Court is reversed and this cause is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion.”
White v. Norton Healthcare, Inc., 435 S.W.3d 68 (Ky. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 10× “050(1), which states: Anyone acting upon reasonable cause in the making of a report or acting under KRS 620.030 to 620.050 in good faith shall have immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed.”
Lane v. Commonwealth, 956 S.W.2d 874 (Ky. 1997). · cites it 6× “KRS 620.030 establishes an affirmative duty to report dependency, neglect or abuse.”
Holly Schulkers v. Elizabeth Kammer, 955 F.3d 520 (6th Cir. 2020). “Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(1)–(2). No. 19-5208 Schulkers, et al.”
Show all 54 citing cases →
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(1) — 29 cases
Turner v. Nelson, 342 S.W.3d 866 (Ky. 2011). “as required by KRS 620.030. On March 1, 2007, after discovery, the Fayette Circuit Court entered summary judgment in favor of Turner, concluding that Turner was entitled to “qualified official immunity” because her action — determining whether the facts constituted abuse — was…”
Commonwealth v. Allen, 980 S.W.2d 278 (Ky. 1998). “20) to decide whether an individual's duty to report suspected child abuse to state authorities pursuant to KRS 620.030 is discharged by reporting the suspected abuse to supervisory personnel.”
Morgan v. Bird, 289 S.W.3d 222 (Ky. Ct. App. 2009). “02 motion to dismiss without filing an answer was procedurally defective and that she should have filed an answer asserting immunity under KRS 620.030, and then moved for summary judgment or a judgment on the pleadings under CR 12.”
Norton Hospitals, Inc. v. Peyton, 381 S.W.3d 286 (Ky. 2012). “050(1), which grants civil and criminal immunity to anyone reporting suspected child abuse, negléct, or dependency when “acting upon reasonable cause in the making of a report or acting under KRS 620.030 to 620.050 in good faith....” The circuit court granted the defendants’…”
Welch v. Commonwealth, 149 S.W.3d 407 (Ky. 2004). “527, and KRS 620.030(1). For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Boyle Circuit Court is reversed and this cause is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(2) — 6 cases
Stidham v. Clark, 74 S.W.3d 719 (Ky. 2002).
Turner v. Nelson, 342 S.W.3d 866 (Ky. 2011). “as required by KRS 620.030. On March 1, 2007, after discovery, the Fayette Circuit Court entered summary judgment in favor of Turner, concluding that Turner was entitled to “qualified official immunity” because her action — determining whether the facts constituted abuse — was…”
Dunn v. Thacker, 546 S.W.3d 576 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). “KRS 620.030 establishes an affirmative duty to report dependency, neglect or abuse.”
Lane v. Commonwealth, 956 S.W.2d 874 (Ky. 1997). “KRS 620.030 establishes an affirmative duty to report dependency, neglect or abuse.”
Garrison v. Leahy-Auer, 220 S.W.3d 693 (Ky. Ct. App. 2006).
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(2)(a) — 2 cases
Barnett v. Jefferson Cnty. Pub. Schs. (W.D. Ky. 2024).
Luvshenda Howard D/B/A the Amazing Journey, a Ky Licensed Child Care Facility v. Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Fam. Servs., Off. of the Inspector Gen. (Ky. Ct. App. 2024).
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(6) — 1 case
Collins v. KCEOC Cmty. Action P'ship, Inc., 455 S.W.3d 421 (Ky. Ct. App. 2015).
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(6)(a) — 1 case
Dunn v. Thacker, 546 S.W.3d 576 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). “KRS 620.030 establishes an affirmative duty to report dependency, neglect or abuse.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 620.030(l) — 1 case
Vanhook v. Somerset Health Facilities, LP, 67 F. Supp. 3d 810 (E.D. Ky. 2014). “May 10, 2013) (distinguishing an argument that a KRS § 620.030 provided a cause of action from an argument that KRS § 446.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.