(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall request each State to provide for the reporting to the Secretary of any report the State receives of known or suspected instances of child abuse and neglect in which the person having care of the child is a member of the armed forces (or the spouse of the member).

(b) Definition.—In this section, the term "child abuse and neglect" has the meaning provided in section 3 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (Public Law 93–247; 42 U.S.C. 5101 note).

Amendments

2013—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–239 substituted "section 3" for "section 3(1)" and "Public Law 93–247; 42 U.S.C. 5101 note" for "42 U.S.C. 5102".

Reporting on Allegations of Child Abuse in Military Families and Homes

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title V, §575(a), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2142, provided that:

"(a) Reports to Family Advocacy Program Offices.—

"(1) In general.—The following information shall be reported immediately to the Family Advocacy Program office at the military installation to which the member of the Armed Forces concerned is assigned:

"(A) Credible information (which may include a reasonable belief), obtained by any individual within the chain of command of the member, that a child in the family or home of the member has suffered an incident of child abuse.

"(B) Information, learned by a member of the Armed Forces engaged in a profession or activity described in section 226(b) of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13031(b)) [now 34 U.S.C. 20341(b)] for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, that gives reason to suspect that a child in the family or home of the member has suffered an incident of child abuse.

"(2) Regulations.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy) shall jointly prescribe regulations to carry out this subsection.

"(3) Child abuse defined.—In this subsection, the term 'child abuse' has the meaning given that term in section 226(c) of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13031(c)) [now 34 U.S.C. 20341(c)]."

Plan for Implementation of Accreditation Requirement

Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title V, §568(c), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 335, directed Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress, not later than Apr. 1, 1997, a plan for carrying out the requirements of this section.


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