Florida Abuse Hotline
Experience the Intake
Process
Workshop Agenda
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Hotline Overview
Child on Child Sexual Abuse
Parent in Need of Assistance
Multiple Reports
Helpline
Q&A
Hotline Overview
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HOTLINE MISSION: Help protect children and vulnerable
adults from abuse, neglect, abandonment and exploitation.
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Assess calls for Child abuse, neglect and abandonment
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Assess calls for Adult abuse, neglect and exploitation
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Provide information and community referrals
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Partner with DCF investigative staff, law enforcement, and
others by providing accurate, timely, and comprehensive
documentation
Hotline Overview
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Availability
• 24 / 7 / 365
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Staffing
• 160 Counselors and 60 CIU
• Majority - 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
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Important Stats
• About 433,000 total contacts per year
• 71.4% of calls answered resulted in a report
• Out of all the reports we took, 81.4% were child reports
• 49.16% of calls came from mandated reporters
Child on Child Sexual Abuse
Mock Call
Child on Child Sexual Abuse
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Florida Statute Chapter 39 requires the Department to conduct an
assessment and assist the family in receiving appropriate services
when a child aged 12 or younger has allegedly committed an act
that meets criteria of child on child sexual abuse.
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Child on Child Sexual Abuse refers to any sexual behavior between
children which occurs without consent, without equality, or as a
result of coercion.
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These behaviors range from non-contact sexual behavior such as
making obscene phone calls, exhibitionism, voyeurism, and the
showing or taking of lewd photographs to varying degrees of direct
sexual contact, such as frottage, fondling, digital penetration, rape,
fellatio, sodomy, and various other sexually aggressive acts.
Child on Child Sexual Abuse
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There are five options available to Hotline staff when assessing an allegation of
child on child sexual abuse. Which option staff will utilize depends upon what is
ascertained during the interview with the reporter.
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The options are outlined below:
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FSFN child on child sexual abuse special conditions when the alleged juvenile
sexual offender is age 12 or under
Phoenix child on child sexual abuse template when the alleged juvenile sexual
offender is age 13 to 17
FSFN foster care referral when the victim and/or alleged juvenile sexual offender is
age 13 to 17 AND resides in a Department licensed placement
Phoenix child on child referral when the victim and/or alleged juvenile sexual
offender is age 13 to 17 AND resides in a non-licensed placement
Phoenix screen child template when the allegations of child on child sexual
behavior does not meet criteria
Parent in Need of Assistance
Mock Call
Parent in Need of Assistance
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Parent needs assistance special conditions intake
are calls to the Hotline that do not meet the statutory
criteria for an abuse, abandonment, or neglect
investigation but the Hotline staff identifies the family
may be in need of services. CFOP 175-28
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Intakes alleging maltreatment of a child take
precedence over all special conditions intakes,
including “Parent Needs Assistance”. Hotline staff
must first assess the situation and determine
whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the
child has been abused, neglected, or abandoned.
Parent in need of Assistance
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Parent in Need of Assistance should be used only when the level of risk
has not risen to the point that abuse, neglect, or abandonment is
suspected.
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Factors to consider:
– Ungovernable child and other options for services have been exhausted
– Caregiver is looking for help to prevent abuse or neglect in the present
situation (note: the caregiver does not need to be the one calling the
Hotline)
– Caregiver and/or child has a physical or mental condition
– Situation may get worse without assistance
– Potential for abuse if situation goes unresolved
– Family may benefit from community services
– Family history in FSFN
– Age of the child(ren)
– Family is homeless
Multiple Reports
Mock Fax
Multiple Reports
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Situation involving more than one family unit or children who
visit with non-custodial parents or relatives may result in the
Hotline staff entering more than one intake.
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When deciding how many intakes to enter, Hotline staff are to
consider the number family units as well as households.
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A household is defined as all the people who reside together in
the same dwelling.
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A family unit is defined as a child(ren) and their parent(s) or
primary caregiver(s).
Multiple Reports
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Hotline staff will create separate intakes for allegations
involving separate family units because intakes involving
separate family units must be linked to different cases.
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Other factors to consider:
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Victims located in different counties
Incidents involving institutional and in-home allegations
Incidents involving Child on Child and Foster Care Referral
special conditions and abuse allegations
Child death allegations not related to the open investigation
Helpline
Mock Call
Helpline
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The Helpline provides 24 hour assistance to field staff. This
Helpline is answered by Crime Intelligence staff, Lead Hotline
counselors, Hotline supervisors and the Supervisor specialist.
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Frequent Helpline requests:
– Criminal checks by CIU
– Merges/splits
– County reassignments
– Date/time error
– Supplementals vs. Additionals
– Intake documentation errors
– Intake screen out requests
– Request to review call/fax/web
– Intake investigative type
– Changing responses priorities
Helpline
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To ensure Hotline staff is best able to assist the field with their
requests, below are best practice recommendations:
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To make intake corrections, immediately contact the Hotline
BEFORE entering and saving risk assessments in the
investigation
For corrections requiring the intake to be delinked from the case,
be advised that delinking the intake deletes the investigation and
all associated notes
Fully review the intake as sometimes critical information is
documented in the reporter narrative
Be familiar with the intake format and the Hotline noting current
means to locate in “Section E/Victim Location”
To avoid waiting in the queue with the public, field staff are
encouraged to contact the Helpline by calling 1-800-541-9724 or
850-487-6121 (direct line to a Supervisor or Lead counselor)
Q&A