CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES

Anyone can make a report of suspected child abuse and/or neglect

If you suspect child abuse and/or neglect, call our on-call cellphones right away. Our team will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond immediately.

You can make an anonymous report, but identifying yourself could allow for a more thorough investigation. Especially in the event that we need to contact you later on in the process to gather any additional details.

We encourage the community to make a report even if you are unsure about the situation being child abuse/neglect. Not all reports made are determined to be child abuse/neglect, but we still provide support services to the child(ren) and their families if needed.

What information do I need to make a report?

It is okay if you don’t, but we highly recommend that you have the following information when making a report:

- - Name of the child(ren)
  - Names of their parents
  - Name of the alleged abuser
  - Where the child can be located
  - What happened

What are mandated reporters?

Some people are mandated reporters, meaning they are required by law to make a report of any suspected or known child abuse and/or neglect to either the Department of Public Safety (DPS) or the Division of Youth Services (DYS) within 24 hours.

In the CNMI, failure to make a mandated report to either DPS or DYS within 24 hours could result in a fine of $1,000, one year imprisonment, or both.

Mandated reporters are often individuals who work with children. This includes, but is not limited to, teachers, school counselors, police officers, daycare providers, doctors, social workers, etc.

What happens when I make a report?

About Us

The Child Protective Services (CPS) is legally mandated to protect the children who have been abused or neglected, or who are at risk of abuse and/or neglect. It also coordinates and provides family services to reduce or alleviate the risk of abuse or maltreatment. CPS includes the Foster Care Program, which is a long-term placement in a family setting for children who will remain under DYS custody for a longer period of time. This may include Kinship Placement (family placement) under approved conditions. CPS services include, but are not limited to:

- - Crisis Interventions
  - Home Assessments
  - Protective Custody
  - Forensic Interviews
  - Wardship Court Hearings
  - Supervised Visitations
  - Support Services

Meet the Team!

Maltreatment of children usually falls into one or more of four general areas:

What public laws affect our operations?

Statistics

Outreach Efforts

Click on the button below to learn more about each of the four general areas of maltreatment, including the physical and behavioral signs to look out for.

A variety of informative presentations for mandated reporters, students, parents, school officials, daycare providers, etc. are available upon request. You may send an email to Julian R. Camacho at jrcamacho@dys.gov.mp for any inquiries.