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SD 1738

An Act relative to a maltreatment coding system

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Robyn Kennedy

Requires a standardized maltreatment coding system to categorize abuse during initial investigations, including identity-based and labor/exploitation issues.

House concurred
0
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Bill Summary · SD 1738

Summary: An Act relative to a maltreatment coding system (SD 1738)

Overview

This proposed Massachusetts bill, Senate Docket No. 1738, titled “An Act relative to a maltreatment coding system,” would amend Section 51B of Chapter 119 of the General Laws to require the Department (the Department of Children and Families) to create and use a standardized maltreatment coding system during the initial investigations of child abuse and neglect. The bill was introduced on January 16, 2025, referred to the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, and the House has concurred with the measure as of March 10, 2025.

Key Provisions

The amendment adds five new paragraphs to Section 51B (a) as follows:

1) Duty to create and use a comprehensive maltreatment coding system
- Establishes a standardized method for categorizing abuse and neglect by severity during the initial investigation phase.

2) Categorization framework
- Requires categories such as:
- Parental abuse
- Imminent risk of serious harm
- Labor trafficking
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Exploitation

3) Inclusion of social-identity and discrimination considerations
- Coding should include abuse related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to support family preservation and acceptance education.
- Also includes coding for racial discrimination affecting youth not in the care of their family of origin.

4) Application and integration
- The coding system must be applied when opening a case and used in conjunction with existing software to aid assessment and ongoing case evaluation.

5) Periodic review
- The department must review the coding categories at least every two years and update them as needed.

Scope and Implementation

  • Affects: Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and, by extension, families and youth involved in child abuse investigations.
  • Implementation would occur at case opening, with integration into current case-management software and processes.
  • Emphasizes ongoing evaluation and periodic updates to the coding categories.

Legislative History and Status

  • Filed: January 16, 2025
  • Referred to: Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities (March 10, 2025)
  • Status: House concurred (March 10, 2025), indicating alignment between the Senate-passed version and House action.

Potential Impact

  • Aims to standardize how maltreatment is categorized, potentially improving risk assessment, data consistency, and case management.
  • Explicit inclusion of categories related to labor trafficking, exploitation, and social-identity dimensions may enhance targeted interventions, family preservation efforts, and education.
  • Regular biennial review ensures the coding system stays current with policy and practice developments.
  • Implementation will require training, data governance considerations, and compatibility with existing case-management software.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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