Child Abuse Notice Requirement for Hospital Emergency Departments
September 29, 2025
Memorandum
The Child Abuse Notice Act (Public Act 103-0813) requires a variety of businesses, including emergency rooms within general acute care hospitals and urgent care centers, to post a notice aimed toward children under 18 that provides information on what constitutes physical and sexual abuse and how to report such abuse. The Act requires the Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to develop a model notice for businesses prior to implementation, which has now been made available on its website. We encourage emergency rooms within general acute care hospitals and urgent care centers to post the notice immediately.
Penalties
Businesses that do not comply with the Act’s posting requirements may be found guilty of a petty offense, and subject to a fine of up to $500 for each violation. Specifically, if a government entity or local law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction discovers a violation, they must provide a business with the posting requirements of the Act and reasonable notice of noncompliance that provides 30 days to correct the violation before being subject to a fine and/or prosecution by the Attorney General or State’s Attorney.
Posting Requirements
The notice may be posted either:
- Electronically;
- In a conspicuous location in clear view of the public and employees where similar notices are usually posted; or
- In a conspicuous place in all public restrooms.
The notice must be posted in English and Spanish. If English or Spanish is not the most widely spoken language in the business’s county, the notice must be posted in the language that is the most widely spoken in the county and in which the federal Voting Rights Act mandates the translation, in addition to posting the notice in English and Spanish.
For questions regarding the Child Abuse Notice Act and the required notice, please Contact Us.