(a) Certified medical practitioners.--In circumstances which negatively affect the medical health of a child, a certified medical practitioner shall, in a timely manner, provide the county agency with the following information when an assessment for general protective services or a child abuse investigation is being conducted or when the family has been accepted for services by a county agency:
(1) Relevant medical information known to the certified medical practitioner regarding the child's prior and current health.
(2) Information from a subsequent examination.
(3) Information regarding treatment of the child.
(4) Relevant medical information known regarding any other child in the child's household where such information may contribute to the assessment, investigation or provision of services by the county agency to the child or other children in the household.
(b) Parental consent.--Parental consent is not required for the certified medical practitioner to provide the information under subsection (a).
(c) Request by certified medical practitioner.--If requested by the child's primary care physician or a certified medical practitioner who is providing medical care to the child, the county agency, in order to ensure the proper medical care of the child, shall provide the following information as it pertains to circumstances which negatively affect the medical health of the child:
(1) The final status of any assessment of general protective services or an investigation of child abuse, if the report of child abuse is indicated or founded.
(2) Information on an unfounded report of child abuse if the certified medical practitioner made the report as a mandated reporter under section 6311 (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse).
(3) If accepted for services, any service provided, arranged for or to be provided by the county agency.
(4) The identity of other certified medical practitioners providing medical care to the child to obtain the child's medical records to allow for coordination of care between medical practitioners.
(d) Notification by county agency.--In circumstances which negatively affect the medical health of a child, the county agency shall notify the certified medical practitioner who is the child's primary care provider, if known, of the following information:
(1) The final status of any assessment of general protective services or an investigation of child abuse, if the report of child abuse is indicated or founded.
(2) Information on an unfounded report of child abuse if the certified medical practitioner made the report as a mandated reporter under section 6311.
(3) If accepted for services, any service provided, arranged for or to be provided by the county agency.
(Oct. 22, 2014, P.L.2876, No.176, eff. Dec. 31, 2014)
2014 Amendment. Act 176 added section 6340.1.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 63 - Child Protective Services
Section 6301 - Short title of chapter
Section 6302 - Findings and purpose of chapter
Section 6304 - Exclusions from child abuse
Section 6305 - Electronic reporting
Section 6311 - Persons required to report suspected child abuse
Section 6311.1 - Privileged communications
Section 6312 - Persons encouraged to report suspected child abuse
Section 6313 - Reporting procedure
Section 6314 - Photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report
Section 6315 - Taking child into protective custody
Section 6316 - Admission to private and public hospitals
Section 6317 - Mandatory reporting and postmortem investigation of deaths
Section 6318 - Immunity from liability
Section 6320 - Protection from employment discrimination
Section 6331 - Establishment of Statewide database
Section 6332 - Establishment of Statewide toll-free telephone number
Section 6333 - Continuous availability of department
Section 6334 - Disposition of complaints received
Section 6334.1 - Responsibility for investigation
Section 6335 - Access to information in Statewide database
Section 6336 - Information in Statewide database
Section 6338 - Disposition of founded and indicated reports
Section 6339 - Confidentiality of reports
Section 6340 - Release of information in confidential reports
Section 6340.1 - Exchange of information
Section 6341 - Amendment or expunction of information
Section 6342 - Studies of data in records
Section 6343 - Investigating performance of county agency
Section 6343.1 - Citizen review panels
Section 6344 - Employees having contact with children; adoptive and foster parents
Section 6344.1 - Information relating to certified or licensed child-care home residents
Section 6344.2 - Volunteers having contact with children
Section 6344.3 - Continued employment or participation in program, activity or service
Section 6344.4 - Recertification
Section 6345 - Audits by Attorney General
Section 6346 - Cooperation of other agencies
Section 6347 - Reports to Governor and General Assembly
Section 6361 - Organization for child protective services
Section 6362 - Responsibilities of county agency for child protective services
Section 6363 - County plan for protective services
Section 6364 - Purchasing services of other agencies
Section 6365 - Services for prevention, investigation and treatment of child abuse
Section 6366 - Continuous availability to receive reports
Section 6367 - Reports to department and coroner
Section 6368 - Investigation of reports
Section 6369 - Taking child into protective custody (Repealed)
Section 6370 - Voluntary or court-ordered services; findings of child abuse
Section 6371 - Rehabilitative services for child and family
Section 6372 - Protecting well-being of children maintained outside home
Section 6373 - General protective services responsibilities of county agency
Section 6374 - Principles and goals of general protective services
Section 6375 - County agency requirements for general protective services
Section 6376 - Appeals with respect to general protective services
Section 6378 - Purchase of services
Section 6381 - Evidence in court proceedings
Section 6382 - Guardian ad litem for child in court proceedings (Repealed)
Section 6383 - Education and training
Section 6384 - Legislative oversight
Section 6385 - Reimbursement to county agencies