Child Abuse and Neglect Identification and Reporting

States can help prevent child abuse by requiring local jurisdictions to report child abuse among military families to service officials, improving their ability to support military children and their families.

The Department of Defense is required to address child abuse in military families, but with 70% of active-duty families living in civilian communities, service officials are sometimes unaware of problems. States are encouraged to require local jurisdictions to report cases of abuse and neglect to military officials, enhancing their ability to protect military children and support their families.