Mandated reporters are legally required to file child abuse reports for all acts perpetrated against a minor except:

Prepare for the LPCC Law and Ethics Test 2. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations. Enhance your understanding of ethics and legal standards for effective counseling practice.

Mandated reporters must act when they reasonably suspect abuse or neglect, and the statutes set clear triggers for reporting: acts that involve physical harm, sexual harm, or neglectful care. These are concrete actions or failures to act by a caregiver that authorities can identify and investigate. Serious emotional damage, while a serious concern and something clinicians monitor and treat, is not typically framed as a discrete act that triggers mandatory reporting in the same way. It’s more often seen as an outcome or condition that may require assessment and intervention, rather than a specific reportable act. So, the best answer reflects that physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect are the reportable categories, while serious emotional damage is not the triggering act in this context.