Iowa Code 235A.14 – Creation and maintenance of a central registry
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1. There is created within the state department of human services a central registry for certain child abuse information. The department shall organize and staff the registry and adopt rules for its operation.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 235A.14
- Assessment data: means any of the following information pertaining to the department's evaluation of a family:a. See Iowa Code 235A.13
- Child: includes but shall not be limited to a stepchild, foster child, or legally adopted child and means a child actually or apparently under eighteen years of age, and a dependent person eighteen years of age or over who is unable to maintain the person's self and is likely to become a public charge. See Iowa Code 252A.2
- Child abuse information: means any or all of the following data maintained by the department in a manual or automated data storage system and individually identified:
a. See Iowa Code 235A.13- Department: means the department of human services. See Iowa Code 235A.13
- Disposition data: means information pertaining to an opinion or decision as to the occurrence of child abuse, including:
a. See Iowa Code 235A.13- Report data: means any of the following information pertaining to an assessment of an allegation of child abuse in which the department has determined the alleged child abuse meets the definition of child abuse:
a. See Iowa Code 235A.13- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
- week: means seven consecutive days. See Iowa Code 4.1
2. The registry shall collect, maintain and disseminate child abuse information as provided for by this chapter.3. The department shall maintain a toll-free telephone line, which shall be available on a twenty-four hour a day, seven-day a week basis and which the department of human services and all other persons may use to report cases of suspected child abuse and that all persons authorized by this chapter may use for obtaining child abuse information.4. An oral report of suspected child abuse initially made to the central registry shall be immediately transmitted by the department to the appropriate county department of social services or law enforcement agency, or both.5. The registry, upon receipt of a report of suspected child abuse, shall search the records of the registry, and if the records of the registry reveal any previous report of child abuse involving the same child or any other child in the same family, or if the records reveal any other pertinent information with respect to the same child or any other child in the same family, the appropriate office of the department of human services or law enforcement agency shall be immediately notified of that fact.6. The central registry shall include report data and disposition data which is subject to placement in the central registry under section 232.71D. The central registry shall not include assessment data.