Report Abuse

A report can go to more than one place at once, and usually should. The licensing board can take a therapist's licence. The state licensor can act against the program. Child protection and the police handle the crime. They do not talk to each other reliably, so telling one is not telling the others.

If you need help right now rather than a place to report, the Resources page lists the crisis lines.

Which state is the program in?

Report to the state the program is in, not the state you live in. The agency with the power to act is the one where the facility sits.

Florida

Florida runs every complaint about a licensed clinician through one portal at the Department of Health, whatever the profession, and it has a hard six-year deadline running from the last date of treatment. The facility is regulated separately by the Agency for Health Care Administration, which licenses residential treatment centers for children and adolescents, including therapeutic group homes.

Time limits in Florida: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Four years from the injury for assault, battery, false imprisonment or any other intentional tort. Two years from the injury for a claim based on negligence (for example, a program's careless supervision). Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(n) (intentional torts); § 95.11(5)(a) (negligence)
If it happened before you turned 18: Less certain Florida does not generally pause the clock for being a minor: it is paused only while the child has no parent or guardian, or the parent's interest is adverse, and never beyond 7 years from the act. But a lawsuit based on abuse (physical, mental or sexual, as defined in Florida's child-welfare law) can be filed up to 7 years after turning 18, within 4 years of leaving the abuser's dependency, or within 4 years of discovering the injury and its link to the abuse, whichever is latest. Fla. Stat. § 95.11(8); § 95.051(1)(i), (2); § 39.01 (definition of abuse)
If the program was run by or for the government: Against the state, a county or another public agency, you must present a written claim to the agency (and, for state agencies, to the Department of Financial Services) within 3 years, and file the lawsuit within 4 years of the injury. Fla. Stat. § 768.28(6)(a), (14)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL against any defendants for civil CSA claims involving sexual battery of children under age 16. The SOL is age 25, plus a 4-year discovery rule, for sexual battery claims involving 16- and 17-year-olds and any other CSA claims. Trafficking: The general SOL for trafficking claims is age 25. Except that there is no SOL for claims against an adult theater for trafficking children under age 16. CSAM: The SOL for CSAM claims is age 25. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: Aggravated child abuse (a first-degree felony) must be charged within 4 years. Child abuse without great bodily harm, and neglect, are third-degree felonies with 3 years. The clock is NOT paused until the child turns 18 for physical abuse; that rule covers only sex offenses. If the child died, there is no limit. Fla. Stat. § 775.15(1), (2)(a)-(b); § 827.03(2)
Assault: Aggravated assault (third-degree felony) and aggravated battery (second-degree felony) must be charged within 3 years. Simple assault must be charged within 1 year and simple battery within 2 years. Fla. Stat. § 775.15(2)(b)-(d); § 784.021(2); § 784.045(2)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL for some felony CSA offenses. The SOL for any remaining CSA felonies is age 21, and the SOL for misdemeanors is 2 years from the offense. Trafficking: There is no SOL for sex trafficking offenses. CSAM: The SOL for CSAM felonies is age 21, while the SOL for CSAM misdemeanors is 2 years from the offense. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. "Less certain" marks a line where the law is unclear or where our reading has not been confirmed, so please treat it with extra care. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

Florida Department of Health, Medical Quality Assurance

Multiple professions

Investigates complaints against every health care practitioner the Department licenses - psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors and physicians - and can reprimand, fine, restrict practice, impose probation, suspend or revoke a licence.

Everything it can do is administrative. It cannot award you damages, and it may require you to pay for copies of medical records it needs.

Use this whenAny licensed clinician who treated you or your child in Florida. Verify the licence first through the Department's lookup, which also shows any disciplinary history.

HowFile through the Florida Health Care Complaint Portal. It cannot be done over the phone, and Florida law requires the complaint to be signed. Unlicensed practice is the exception and can be reported by phone.

DeadlineSix years from the last date of treatment, and the whole investigation and probable cause finding has to be finished inside it, so filing late in the window may leave too little time.

Complaints stay confidential until ten days after probable cause is found, and permanently if it is not. Patient identity and records stay confidential either way. If the case is opened, the practitioner gets a copy of the complaint.

1-877-425-8852 877-HALT-ULA, for unlicensed activity only. A complaint against a licensee has to be in writing.
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MQA.ConsumerServices@FLHealth.gov

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Complaint Administration Unit

Licenses and regulates Residential Treatment Centers for Children and Adolescents - 24-hour residential programs including therapeutic group homes - and investigates complaints about the care they give.

Use this whenThe facility. Check first on FloridaHealthFinder.gov whether AHCA regulates it; if it is not AHCA-licensed it may be licensed by the Department of Children and Families instead, or by nobody.

HowUse the online Health Care Facility Complaint Form, or call the complaint line. There is a separate form for reporting a facility operating without a licence.

1-888-419-3456 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Eastern. Florida Relay TDD 1-800-955-8771.
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Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

Florida Abuse Hotline

The statutory report line for child abuse, neglect and abandonment in Florida. Where the person accused is a caregiver, the Department of Children and Families investigates; where they are not, the report is transferred electronically to the local law enforcement agency where the child lives.

Use this whenA child at a Florida program. Florida law requires anyone who suspects a child has been abused by any person to report it here.

HowCall, report online, or fax. Florida Relay 711 and TTY 1-800-453-5145.

1-800-962-2873 24 hours a day, every day. Fax 1-800-914-0004.
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Disability Rights Florida

Florida's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities and a right of access to them. Free legal advocacy for eligible clients.

Use this whenA Florida program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-342-0823 Main line 850-488-9071; TDD 1-800-346-4127.
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Wherever the program is

Bodies that take a report wherever the program is. None of these replaces the state channels: the state licensing board and the state licensor are the ones that can take somebody's licence away. For crisis lines, see the Resources page - this list is about reporting, not about getting through tonight.

Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline

Talks through what happened, tells you which state agency takes the report, and stays on the line while you work out what to say. Counselors are available 24/7.

It is not itself an investigating agency. It routes you; it does not open a case.

Use this whenAnyone unsure where a report about a child should go, including a survivor who is now an adult and a parent who has just got their child out.

HowCall, text GO to the same number, or use the live chat on the site.

1-800-422-4453 24 hours, every day. Text GO to 800-422-4453, or chat from the website.
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State child abuse and neglect reporting numbers (Child Welfare Information Gateway)

The federal government's directory of every state's child protection intake line, with each state's online reporting option where one exists.

Use this whenA child currently at the program. Report to the state the program sits in, not the state the family lives in - the agency with jurisdiction is the one where the child is.

HowFind the state on the directory page, then call that state's intake line.

Most states take an anonymous report but will act on more of it if they can call you back.

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

Takes reports of civil rights violations, including conditions in institutions where people are held. Its Special Litigation Section is the part that investigates residential facilities under CRIPA and can sue an institution or a state over a pattern of abuse.

It does not act for one person against one program. It looks for patterns, and it decides on its own whether to open anything.

Use this whenA facility where the abuse is systemic rather than one member of staff - restraint practice, seclusion, denial of medical care, conditions across a whole program.

HowSubmit the online report form. Paper forms can be downloaded and mailed.

1-855-856-1247 Toll free. Direct line 202-514-3847, TTY 711.
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By postU.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General hotline

Investigates fraud and abuse in federally funded health programs. Where a program bills Medicaid, this is often the lever that moves first, because billing for treatment that was not given is easier to prove than the treatment being abusive.

It will not get you a refund or a remedy in your own case, and says so plainly. Volume means most complaints get no reply.

Use this whenA program billing Medicaid or another federal program - for therapy hours nobody delivered, for staff who were not qualified, for a level of care the child was not getting.

HowSubmit through the online tips portal. It only takes unclassified complaints online.

Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Your state's Protection and Advocacy agency

Every state has one, funded by Congress. Under the DD Act and PAIMI they have legal authority to investigate abuse and neglect wherever a person with a disability receives services, and a right of access to the place itself - they can go in. Several of the hardest reports on programs in this industry came from P&A investigations.

Use this whenA program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis, which covers most placements in this industry. You do not need a formal diagnosis to call and ask.

HowFind your state's agency in the NDRN directory and contact its intake line. Report to the state the program is in.

The Joint Commission, Office of Quality and Patient Safety

Accredits behavioral health organisations and can review, cite, or ultimately withdraw accreditation. Losing accreditation can cost a program its insurance contracts and its Medicaid participation, which is sometimes the fastest real consequence available.

It only has standing over organisations it accredits, and it does not discipline an individual clinician. Check the program is accredited first.

Use this whenA Joint Commission accredited facility. Its Find Accredited Organizations search will tell you whether a program is one.

HowUse the online submission form, which it prefers, or call. It does not take walk-ins, faxes or email, and it shreds medical records, photos and invoices on arrival.

You can file anonymously, but it can only tell you what it did with the complaint if you give your name.

1-800-994-6610
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By postOffice of Quality and Patient Safety, The Joint Commission, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

CARF International

The other accreditor much of this industry uses. Takes concerns about an accredited provider and can act on its accreditation.

Like any accreditor it has no power over an unaccredited program, and none over an individual therapist's licence.

Use this whenA CARF-accredited program. CARF asks you to try the provider's own grievance process first, and says to go to your state P&A agency or the state licensor if that does not resolve it.

HowUse the feedback form on the public page, or call the dedicated line.

1-866-510-2273 Toll free, 866-510-CARF.
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By postCARF International, 6951 East Southpoint Road, Tucson, AZ 85756

This is a directory, not legal advice. Which channel fits your situation, and what a deadline means for your case, are questions for a lawyer. The Resources page lists where to start looking for one.