Suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation must be reported to which parties?

• A. The Texas Abuse and Neglect Hotline and the agency's administrator or administrator's designee
• B. The child's parent
• C. The local police only
• D. No reporting required

Answer: (A)

Suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation must be reported to the Texas Abuse Hotline to trigger a formal CPS investigation and to the agency’s administrator or designee so the agency can take immediate, coordinated action to protect the child. This dual reporting ensures there’s a state-level report for protection and an internal workflow within the agency to manage the case, documentation, and safety measures. The hotline report is confidential and reporting is mandatory for professionals who work with children; informing a parent or contacting only local police does not fulfill the required reporting channels. Therefore, the correct approach is to report to both the Texas Abuse Hotline and the agency administrator or designee.