Please note that PCAO is NOT part of the Oregon Dept. of Human Services Child Welfare division. We are an independent, statewide 501c3 organization and are not part of any governmental division in Oregon. We do not function as an avenue for reporting child abuse. If you have sought us out to make a report of child abuse or other concern, we would like to instead refer you to the appropriate channels as outlined below.
Emergency Situations
If someone is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, it's important to act swiftly to ensure help and care can be received. For assistance in case of an emergency dial 911.
Child Abuse or Neglect Concerns
If you suspect child abuse or neglect, you can make a report to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline (ORCAH) at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). This hotline operates 24/7, 365 days a year, allowing you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services. ODHS has provided this guide for mandatory reporting. We encourage you to explore this webpage from our friends at Oregon Child Abuse Solutions as well. Here you can find additional information about what to expect when you make a call to ORCAH.
In addition, our friends at the Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force have created some excellent resources to learn more about what happens when a report is made and other options that exist, including Confidential Advocacy options. We encourage you to explore these resources to equip yourself with additional context and understanding around mandatory reporting and other avenues for getting families connected to help. It's important to follow laws and organizational policies around things like mandatory reporting, so we offer these as a supplement to help frame reporting in a more nuanced, intentional way.
Finally, we want to name that mandatory reporting of child abuse is complicated. There are disproportionate impacts on communities who have historically been marginalized, surveilled or harmed by systems such as law enforcement and child welfare. PCAO is actively partnering with state and community organizations in Oregon who are working to develop additional avenues for families to be connected to community based support when there is not a concern for safety. Data shows that a high number of calls to child welfare across the nation are not substantiated for abuse or neglect, and often could be avoided if families had ready access to support in their community to ensure their needs are being met. We believe there is a specific, important role for child welfare when there are safety concerns for children and families. We also believe there is a critical role for local organizations, policy makers, and community members to be able to support children and families to thrive in the context of their own community, long before it gets to the point of safety as an issue. We are working with our partners to create, support, and uplift equitable and just avenues to accessing resources. Many of the needs of families cannot be met by child welfare systems alone, nor should they need to be. We are in this together, and we will continue working toward a future where children and families have access to all they need to thrive and live happy, healthy lives.
Emergency Situations
If someone is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, it's important to act swiftly to ensure help and care can be received. For assistance in case of an emergency dial 911.
Child Abuse or Neglect Concerns
If you suspect child abuse or neglect, you can make a report to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline (ORCAH) at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). This hotline operates 24/7, 365 days a year, allowing you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services. ODHS has provided this guide for mandatory reporting. We encourage you to explore this webpage from our friends at Oregon Child Abuse Solutions as well. Here you can find additional information about what to expect when you make a call to ORCAH.
In addition, our friends at the Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force have created some excellent resources to learn more about what happens when a report is made and other options that exist, including Confidential Advocacy options. We encourage you to explore these resources to equip yourself with additional context and understanding around mandatory reporting and other avenues for getting families connected to help. It's important to follow laws and organizational policies around things like mandatory reporting, so we offer these as a supplement to help frame reporting in a more nuanced, intentional way.
- Mandatory Reporting + Confidential Advocacy Partnership Guide
- Navigating the Systems to Respond to Disclosures of Abuse, Neglect, Assault, and Violence to a Person Under 18
Finally, we want to name that mandatory reporting of child abuse is complicated. There are disproportionate impacts on communities who have historically been marginalized, surveilled or harmed by systems such as law enforcement and child welfare. PCAO is actively partnering with state and community organizations in Oregon who are working to develop additional avenues for families to be connected to community based support when there is not a concern for safety. Data shows that a high number of calls to child welfare across the nation are not substantiated for abuse or neglect, and often could be avoided if families had ready access to support in their community to ensure their needs are being met. We believe there is a specific, important role for child welfare when there are safety concerns for children and families. We also believe there is a critical role for local organizations, policy makers, and community members to be able to support children and families to thrive in the context of their own community, long before it gets to the point of safety as an issue. We are working with our partners to create, support, and uplift equitable and just avenues to accessing resources. Many of the needs of families cannot be met by child welfare systems alone, nor should they need to be. We are in this together, and we will continue working toward a future where children and families have access to all they need to thrive and live happy, healthy lives.
