Ohio Code 2151.3518 – Duties upon taking possession of deserted child
(A) On taking possession of a child pursuant to section 2151.3517 of the Revised Code, a law enforcement agency, hospital, or emergency medical service organization shall do all the following:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2151.3518
- Child: means a person who is under eighteen years of age, except that the juvenile court has jurisdiction over any person who is adjudicated an unruly child prior to attaining eighteen years of age until the person attains twenty-one years of age, and, for purposes of that jurisdiction related to that adjudication, a person who is so adjudicated an unruly child shall be deemed a "child" until the person attains twenty-one years of age. See Ohio Code 2151.011
- Organization: means any institution, public, semipublic, or private, and any private association, society, or agency located or operating in the state, incorporated or unincorporated, having among its functions the furnishing of protective services or care for children, or the placement of children in certified foster homes or elsewhere. See Ohio Code 2151.011
- Person: means an individual, association, corporation, or partnership and the state or any of its political subdivisions, departments, or agencies. See Ohio Code 2151.011
(1) Perform any act necessary to protect the child’s health or safety;
(2) Notify the public children services agency of the county in which the agency, hospital, or organization is located that the child has been taken into possession;
(3) If possible, make available to the parent who delivered the child forms developed under section 2151.3534 of the Revised Code that are designed to gather medical information concerning the child and the child’s parents;
(4) If possible, make available to the parent who delivered the child written materials developed under section 2151.3534 of the Revised Code that describe services available to assist parents and newborns;
(5) If the child has suffered a physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child, attempt to identify and pursue the person who delivered the child.
(B) An emergency medical service worker who takes possession of a child shall, in addition to any act performed under division (A)(1) of this section, perform any medical service the worker is authorized to perform that is necessary to protect the physical health or safety of the child.