Discovery of “battered child syndrome”
Pediatrician Henry Kempe and his colleagues published “The Battered-Child Syndrome,” a paper that laid the groundwork for identifying child abuse as a medical problem
Model reporting law proposed by the U.S. Children’s Bureau
The U.S. Children’s Bureau developed model statutes for states to adopt to solve the issue of child abuse—this proposal was highly influential and states began to adopt laws requiring that medical personnel report instances of child abuse
All 50 states adopt reporting laws
In only 5 years, every state passed some type of mandatory reporting law for child abuse
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) passes
CAPTA provides funds to states for Child Protective Services (CPS) and hotlines. But it made this federal funding continent upon states expanding mandated reporting and set the framework that led to drug testing birthing people in hospitals
Expansion of reporting requirements
46 states expanded their reporting requirements in response to CAPTA, adding many more professions to the list of required reporters
