The state of Ohio law requires certain professionals or officials, acting in their professional capacity, be considered Mandated Reporters. A Mandated Reporter is someone required by law to report if they suspect or know that child abuse is occurring. Specific information on mandated reporters and a complete list, is available at Ohio Revised Code 2151.421.

All Springfield City School District Employees are considered Mandated Reporters. As a mandated reporter, anytime neglect or abuse of a child is suspected, the employee is required to make a referral to Children Services and/or law enforcement. The following process should be used to make referrals to Clark County Job and Family Services and/or law enforcement.

When an employee suspects any form of neglect of a student the following process should be followed:

• The Job and Family Services fillable referral form is filled out completely by the

  employee that suspects the neglect.

• The reporting employee should inform their immediate supervisor/administrator of the

  concerns and the intent to submit a referral. *If the supervisor/ administrator is not

  available at the time, the reporting employee will continue with the reporting process

  and the referral still must be filled out and submitted to Clark County Job and Family

  Services by email at Clark_FCS_intake@jfs.ohio.gov.

  (This creates a date and time stamped documentation of the referral.)

  Please be sure to copy the supervisor/administrator on the form submission email.

In the case that there is allegation or suspicion of sexual abuse or there is evidence of physical abuse such as visible injuries, the employee should follow the following process:

• Immediately notify the reporting employee’s supervisor/administrator.

• In these cases, Springfield Police Division will be notified by phone at (937) 324-7680

  and the Safety & Security Operations Manager (Dave Lyle) as soon as possible by the

  supervisor or reporting employee.

• The Job and Family Services fillable referral form is filled out completely by the

  employee reporting the abuse. *If the supervisor/administrator is not available at the

  time, the reporting employee will continue with the reporting process. The referral still

  needs to be filled out and submitted to Clark County Job and Family Services by email at

  Clark_FCS_intake@jfs.oh.gov and the Springfield Police and the Safety & Security

  Operations Manager will be notified as soon as possible.

• When submitting the Children’s Services referral form to J.F.S. please be sure to copy

  the reporting employee’s supervisor/administrator and Dave Lyle, Safety & Security

  Operations Manager.

 The duty of the employee on these situations is to properly report the incident, not to investigate. District employees will only ask questions necessary to complete the referral form.