Head Lice Issues

An allegation of neglect based solely on a child having head lice is not appropriate for a CPS investigation. This condition could arise in any number of ways and is not, in and of itself, an indicator of neglect.

Therapy Issues

There are times when a child's behavior in the classroom is a concern and may need further evaluation by a medical professional. If mandated reporters determine psychological help may be needed for a child, they should provide that information to the parent. It is up to the parent and/ or guardian to follow through with that information and make an appropriate decision for their child.

Medical Issues

• Immunizations-CPS is not responsible for investigating complaints (usually received from health care providers) that allege parents are failing or refusing to obtain immunizations for their children. There are no available statistics on the odds of children contracting diseases for which they have not been inoculated and the Public Health Code provides a waiver to the immunization requirements.
  
• Medication-CPS is not responsible for investigating complaints that allege parents are failing or refusing to provide their children with psychotropic medication such as Ritalin.

Truancy Issues

Routine complaints on school truants and runaways are not appropriate for CPS. Truancy and running away may be symptoms which may indicate questionable parental care. They are not in themselves synonymous with child abuse or neglect.

Michigan's Safe Delivery Act

Under Michigan's Safe Delivery of Newborns law, a parent can anonymously surrender an infant, from birth to 72 hours of age, to an Emergency Service Provider (ESP). An ESP is a uniformed or otherwise identified employee of a fire department, hospital or police station that is inside the building and on duty.

According to the law, the parent has the choice to leave the infant without giving any identifying information to the ESP. While a parent may remain anonymous, he or she is encouraged to provide family and medical background that could be useful to the baby in the future.

Once a newborn is in the custody of an ESP, the baby is taken to a hospital for an examination. If there are no signs of abuse and/or neglect, temporary protective custody is given to a private adoption agency for placement with an approved adoptive family. If the examination reveals signs of abuse and/or neglect, hospital personnel will initiate a complaint to Children's Protective Services for an investigation.

Mandated Reporter's Resource Guide

View the Mandated Reporter's Resource Guide for more detailed information.