| (3) to the state agency that operates, licenses, certifies,
or registers the facility in which the alleged abuse, neglect, or
exploitation occurred, may have occurred, or is likely to occur.
(h) Administrative review of investigation findings.
A state agency should develop and implement policies and procedures
to resolve complaints as described in §261.309 of the Family
Code.
(i) Confidentiality of Reports. A state agency may
disclose the allegation, report, records, communications, and working
papers used or developed in the investigative process, including the
resulting final report regarding abuse, neglect, or exploitation,
only as provided by §261.201 of the Family Code, concerning the
confidentiality of information.
(j) Qualifications and training of investigator(s).
A state agency must establish minimum qualifications for all abuse,
neglect, and exploitation investigators.
(1) In determining the appropriate qualifications,
a state agency must include a minimum number of hours of annual professional
training for investigators of suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
The annual professional training curriculum should include information
concerning:
(A) physical abuse and neglect, including distinguishing
physical abuse from ordinary injuries;
(B) psychological and emotional abuse and neglect;
(C) exploitation;
(D) sexual abuse;
(E) available treatment resources;
(F) the incidence and types of reports of victim abuse,
neglect, or exploitation that are received by the investigating agencies,
including information concerning false reports;
(G) interview techniques, including setting appropriate
limits on the number of interviews and examinations of a suspected
victim and the taping (audio or video) of a suspected victim without
interruption; and
(H) procedures to preserve evidence, including the
original or computer generated notes made during the investigation
and videotapes and audiotapes of interviews.
(2) The investigator must have knowledge of Penal Code
sections that relate to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
(3) The investigator must know how to develop written
statements and other documentary records related to the interview
process and how to handle evidence, for example, collection and preservation
of physical evidence.
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