Child Abuse: Reporting Numbers A lot of people don't realize it, but every day in the United States thousands of kids are abused and neglected. That adds up to millions of kids each year. Often children and teens are abused or neglected by the people who are closest to them like family, friends, sitters, neighbors and sometimes even teachers and coaches. These are the very people that children should feel the safest with. If you need help or have questions about child abuse or child neglect, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) then push 1 to talk to a counselor. The Hotline counselors are there 365 days a year to help kids, and adults who are worried about kids they suspect are being abused or neglected. You can call this number if you live in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands. The call is free and anonymous. (The Hotline counselors don't know who you are and you don't have to tell them.) There won't be a charge for the call on your telephone bill if you use a regular phone or a pay phone. If you use a mobile phone or cell phone, there may be a charge and it may show up on the telephone bill. Don't use a mobile or cell phone if you want to be sure your call is a secret. But please...do not make prank calls to the Hotline. This will tie up the phones and keep us from talking to someone who really needs help right away. Most abused children suffer greater emotional than physical damage. An abused child may become depressed. He or she may withdraw, think of suicide or become violent. An older child may use drugs or alcohol, try to run away or abuse others. Child abuse is a serious problem. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the police or your local child welfare agency. In most cases, the toll-free numbers listed below are only accessible from within the state listed. If calling from out-of-state, use the local (toll) number listed or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline for assistance. Alabama Local (toll): (334) 242-9500 Alaska Toll-free: (800) 478-4444 Arizona Toll-free: (888) SOS-CHILD (767-2445) Arkansas Toll-free: (800) 482-5964 California Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Colorado Local (toll): (303) 866-5932 Connecticut TDD: (800) 642-5518 Toll-free: (800) 842-2288 Delaware Toll-free: (800) 292-9582 District of Columbia Local (toll): (202) 671-7233 Florida Toll-free: (800) 96-ABUSE (962-2873) Georgia Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Hawaii Local (toll) (808) 832-5300 Idaho Toll-free: (800) 926-2588 Illinois Toll-free: (800) 252-2873 Local (toll): (217) 524-2606 Indiana Toll-free: (800) 800-5556 Iowa Toll-free: (800) 362-2178 Kansas Toll-free: (800) 922-5330 Kentucky Toll-free: (800) 752-6200 Louisiana Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Maine Toll-free: (800) 452-1999 TTY: (800) 963-9490 Maryland Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Massachusetts Toll-free: (800) 792-5200 Michigan Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Minnesota Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Mississippi Toll-free: (800) 222-8000 Local (toll): (601) 359-4991 Missouri Toll-free: (800) 392-3738 Local (toll): (573) 751-3448 Montana Toll-free: (866) 820-KIDS (5437) Nebraska Toll-free: (800) 652-1999 Nevada Toll-free: (800) 992-5757 New Hampshire Toll-free: (800) 894-5533 Local (toll): (603) 271-6556 New Jersey TDD: (800) 835-5510 TTY: (800) 835-5510 Toll-free: (877) 652-2873 New Mexico Toll-free: (800) 797-3260 Local (toll): (505) 841-6100 New York TDD: (800) 369-2437 Toll-free: (800) 342-3720 Local (toll): (518) 474-8740 North Carolina Contact Childhelp USA for assistance North Dakota Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Ohio Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Oklahoma Toll-free: (800) 522-3511 Oregon Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Pennsylvania Toll-free: (800) 932-0313 Puerto Rico Toll-free: (800) 981-8333 Local (toll): (787)749-1333 Rhode Island Toll-free: (800) RI-CHILD (742-4453) South Carolina Local (toll): (803) 898-7318 South Dakota Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Tennessee Toll-free: (800) 237-0004 Texas Toll-free: (800) 252-5400 Utah Toll-free: (800) 678-9399 Vermont After hours: (800) 649-5285 Virginia Toll-free: (800) 552-7096 Local (toll): (804) 786-8536 Washington Toll-free: (866) END-HARM (363-4276) After hours: (800) 562-5624 TTY: (800) 624-6186 West Virginia Toll-free: (800) 352-6513 Wisconsin Contact Childhelp USA for assistance Wyoming Contact Childhelp USA for assistance |