Anyone who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child or vulnerable adult has been abused, abandoned, neglected, or exploited in violation of the law must immediately contact the appropriate state authorities. All reports are confidential; access to these reports is limited by specific criteria described in the appropriate state’s statute(s). (If a non-vulnerable adult discloses abuse, it is important to support him or her in their decision to make their own report to legal authorities.)
● South Carolina: report for a child; report for a vulnerable adult; state hotline 1-888-227-3487
● North Carolina: report for a child; report for a vulnerable/disabled adult
● Georgia: report for a child, state hotline 1-855-422-4453; report for a vulnerable adult
● Tennessee: report for a child, state hotline 1-877-237-0004; report for a vulnerable adult, state hotline 1-888-277-8366
● Texas: reports for a child or vulnerable adults, state hotline 1-800-252-5400
Reporting is time sensitive and may not be covered by your church’s insurance policy if not completed within 24 hours. Following a report to local authorities, the Diocese also provides confidential reporting mechanisms to document incidents and to follow their protocols. Diocesan reporting is done through an intake form on the Diocese’s Safeguarding website. A sample incident report can be found under “Resources.”