Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 19C, § 10 (2026)

Reporters of abuse; liability; privileged communications

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 10. Except when prevented by the constraints of professional privilege as hereinafter provided, mandated reporters shall notify the commission orally of any reportable condition immediately upon becoming aware of such condition and shall report in writing within forty-eight hours after such oral report.

Mandated reporters who have reasonable cause to believe that a disabled person has died as a result of a reportable condition shall immediately report such death, in writing, to the commission, to the district attorney for the county in which such death occurred and to the medical examiner as required by section six of chapter thirty-eight.

Any person may file report if such person has reasonable cause to believe that a disabled person is suffering from abuse or has died as a result thereof.

No mandated reporter shall be liable in any civil or criminal action by reason of submitting a report. No other person making a report shall be liable in any civil or criminal action by reason of submitting a report if such report was made in good faith; provided, however, that no person who abuses a disabled person shall be exempt from civil or criminal liability by reason of their reporting such abuse.

No privilege established, by sections one hundred and thirty-five A and one hundred and thirty-five B of chapter one hundred and twelve, by section twenty or twenty B of chapter two hundred and thirty-three, by court decision or by professional code relating to the exclusion of confidential communications and the competency of witnesses may be invoked to prevent a report by a mandated reporter or in any civil action arising out of a report made pursuant to this chapter; provided, however, that a mandated reporter need not report an otherwise reportable condition if the disabled person invokes a privilege, established by law or professional code, to maintain the confidentiality of communications with such mandated reporter.

Any person required by this section to make oral and written reports, who fails to do so, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 2001–2020 · leading case: In re a Grand Jury Investigation, 772 N.E.2d 9 (Mass. 2002).

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In re a Grand Jury Investigation, 772 N.E.2d 9 (Mass. 2002). “See G. L. c. 19C, § 10 (mandatory reporting of abuse of disabled); G.”

Cooney v. Dep't of Mental Retardation, 754 N.E.2d 92 (Mass. App. Ct. 2001). “19C, § 1, arid upon the immunity from civil liability provided by G. L. c. 19C, § 10, to mandated reporters who report abuse.”

Commonwealth v. Despees, 70 Mass. App. Ct. 645 (Mass. App. Ct. 2007). “265, § 13K (assault and battery upon an elderly or disabled person); G. L. c. 19C, § 10 (requiring mandated reporters to notify the disabled persons protection commission when a disabled person has suffered a serious mental or physical injury as a result of abuse, including…”

Gallagher v. Amedisys, Inc. (D. Mass. 2018). · cites it 2× “Mandated Reporter Retaliation under M.G.L. c. 19C § 10 Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 19C, Section 10 states that “mandated reporters shall notify the [Disabled Persons Protection Commission] orally of any reportable condition immediately upon becoming aware of such…”

Syrjala v. Town of Grafton (D. Mass. 2020). “” Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 19C, § 10. For purposes of Section 10, a “disabled person” is “a person between the ages of eighteen to fifty-nine, inclusive, who is a person with an intellectual disability … or who is otherwise mentally or physically disabled and as a result of such…”

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