State child abuse registry contacts help conduct the background checks required by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
The type of information contained in central registries and department records varies by state. Some states maintain all investigated reports of abuse and neglect in their central registries, while others maintain only substantiated reports. The length of time the information is held and the conditions for removal also vary by state.
To update a state listing, please email updates@adoptuskids.org using the subject line “child abuse registry change.”
Adam Walsh state contacts for child abuse registry background checks
Alabama
Alabama Department of Human Resources
Form and instructions: Alabama Central Registry Clearance
Contact: 334-242-9500
Additional information provided: Must follow directions on online form.
Alaska
Alaska Department of Family and Community Services
Form and instructions: Alaska Central Registry Contacts
Contact: 907-465-3548
Arizona
Arizona Department of Child Safety
Form and instructions: Request DCS Information
Contact: DCSCentralRegistry@azdcs.gov, 602-364-4319
Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Request a Child Maltreatment Check
Contact: ARAbuseNeglectRecords@dhs.arkansas.gov, 501-682-0405
California
State of California Department of Justice
Form and instructions: Child Abuse Central Index Inquiries
Contact: CACI-Inquiry@doj.ca.gov, 916-210-4092
Colorado
Colorado Department of Early Childhood
Form and instructions: Colorado Office of Early Childhood background checks
Contacts: cdec_backgroundinvestigation@state.co.us, 303-866-2266
Connecticut
State of Connecticut Children and Families
Form and instructions: Background Checks
Contact: BGC.Verification@ct.gov, 1-800-842-2288 (option #4)
Additional information provided: must submit through the online portal on the website.
Delaware
Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families
Form and instructions: Delaware Child Protection Registry Request Portal (must create an account)
Contact: christina.mcbride@delaware.gov, 302-892-4525
District of Columbia (DC)
Child and Family Services Agency
Form and instructions: Child Protection Register CPR
Contact: cfsa@dc.gov, 202-727-8885
Additional information Provided: As of October 2024, the CPR application process will be paperless.
Florida
Florida Department of Children and Families
Form: Request Public Records
Contact: dcf.recordscustodian@myflfamilies.com, 850-488-2381
Georgia
Georgia Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Georgia Department of Human Services website
Contact: Georgia Adam Walsh team, georgiaadamwalshcheck@dhs.ga.gov
Additional information Provided: The agency letterhead and required application is required for all submissions.
Guam
Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services
Form and instructions: Guam Department of Public Health website
Hawaii
Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Child Abuse Protective Services Central Registry
Contacts: kkitamori@dhs.hawaii.gov or cduncan@dhs.hawaii.gov, 808-832-5052 or 808-832-5281
Idaho
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Form and instructions: Idaho Child Protection Central Registry
Contact: bcu@dhw.idaho.gov, 208-332-7990
Illinois
Illinois Department of Children and Families
Form and instructions: Background Checks for Unlicensed Providers
Contact: dcfs689background@illinois.gov , 217-557-0758
Additional information provided: To obtain an Illinois CANTS history background screening, please use form CFS689.
The applicant must complete the form, provide a hand-written, pen-to-paper signature, and valid signature date.
The submitting agency information section (lower left-hand corner) must also be completed with the contact information of where the results are to be returned after processing. Once complete, you can submit the form to the email address on the form for processing.
Indiana
Indiana Department of Child Services
Form and instructions: CPS History Checks
Contact: 800-225-9193
Iowa
Iowa Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: Iowa Child Abuse Registry
Contact: iowaabuseregistry@hhs.iowa.gov, 515-362-7404
Kansas
Kansas Department of Children
Form and instructions: Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
Contact: DCF.CentralRegistry@ks.gov, 785-296-6620
Kentucky
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Form and instructions: Adam Walsh Requirements and Forms
Contact: 502-564-3834
Louisiana
Department of Children and Family Services
Form and instructions: Child Abuse and Neglect Background Checks
Contact: DCFS.ChildProtectiveServices@LA.GOV, 225-342-6827
Maine
State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: OCFS Background Check Unit
Contact: DHHS.CPSClearance@maine.gov, 207-624-7965
Maryland
Maryland Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: CPS Background/Adam Walsh Background Clearance Request
Contact mdcps.clearances1@maryland.gov
Massachusetts
Health and Human Services
Form: Department Central Registry Record Request Form (PDF)
Contact: MA.CPS.CHECK@Mass.Gov, 857-338-3030
Michigan
Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: Central Registry Clearance Requests
Contact: MDHHS-Outofstate-Central-Registry@michigan.gov, 517-335-3704
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Background studies
Contact: 651-431-7670
Mississippi
Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services
Form and instructions: Records Request
Contact: mscentralregistry@mdcps.ms.gov, 601-359-4487
Missouri
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Form and instructions: Family Care Safety Registry
Contact: fcsr@health.mo.gov, 866-422-6872
Montana
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: Child Protective Service Background Check
Contact: ChildFamilyServicesDiv@mt.gov, 406-841-2400
Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: Child/Adult Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
Contact: Dhhs.CFSCentralRegistry@nebraska.gov, 402-471-9272
Nevada
Nevada Division of Child and Family Services
Form and instructions: Nevada Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
Contact: DCFS-CANS@dcfs.nv.gov, 775-684-7941
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: Central Registry
Contact: dhhs.dcyfcentralregi@dhhs.nh.gov, 603-931-2299
New Jersey
State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families
Form and instructions: Child Abuse Record Information (CARI)
Contact: dcfask.records@dcf.nj.gov, 855-744-4913
New Mexico
State of New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department
Forms and contacts: Forms and Documents
Contact: CYFD.PSCriminalReco@state.nm.us, 505-500-7310 or 505-618-0951
New York
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Form and instructions: Requesting Office of Children and Family Services Records
Contact: 518-474-8740
Additional information provided: Requests must be made through the online portal.
North Carolina
Department of Health and Human Services
Form and instructions: Requests for Information
Contact: NC.CW.RILchecks@dhhs.nc.gov, 828-232-3160
North Dakota
Department of Health and Human Services Child Abuse and Neglect Program
Form: Child Abuse and Neglect Background Inquiry form (PDF)
Contact: cfs_cani@nd.gov, 701-328-7341
Ohio
Ohio Department of Children and Youth
Form and instructions: SACWIS Registry on Child Abuse and Neglect
Contact: OSAPPSrequest@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov, 614-752-1298
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Human Services
Form and instructions: Requests for Oklahoma Child Protective Services History
Contact: CANISCPS@okdhs.org, 405-982-1165
Oregon
Oregon Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Background check services
Contact: bcu.info@odhsoha.oregon.gov, 503-378-5470
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Child Abuse History Certification
Contact: 877-371-5422
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Administration of Families and Children
Form and instructions: Central Registry
Additional information provided: Requests for background searches and copies of information in the Central Registry are made at this website.
Rhode Island
State of Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Form and instructions: Confidential Records/Clearances
Contact: natasha.house@dcyf.ri.gov, 401-528-3843
South Carolina
South Carolina Department of Social Services
Form: Child Abuse/Neglect Registry Checks
Contact: CentralRegistry@dss.sc.gov
South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Social Services
Form: Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect form (PDF)
Contact: CPS@state.sd.us, 605-773-3227
Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
Form and instructions: Child Protective Services History Check
Contact: EI_DCS_CPS_CentralRegistryCheck@tn.gov
Texas
Texas Department of Family Protective Services
Form and instructions: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website (search for form 2970)
Contact: TXAbuseNeglectBGC@dfps.texas.gov, 800-645-7549
Utah
Utah Department of Health and Services
Form and instructions: Central or child abuse registry check
Contact: dcfscentralregistry@utah.gov, 801-540-0833 or 385-226-1545
Vermont
Department for Children and Families
Form and instructions: Child Protection Registry Checks
Contact: AHS.ChildAdultAbuseRegistry@vermont.gov, 802-241-0880
Virginia
Virginia Department of Social Services
Form and instructions: Office of Background Investigations
Contact: crs_operations@dss.virginia.gov, 804-726-7884
Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Department of Human Services
Form: Child abuse and neglect history checks form (PDF)
Contact: vicanregistrycheck@dhs.vi.gov
Additional information provided: Child abuse and neglect history checks are handled through the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services (DHS) and are available by formal request only for authorized purposes (e.g., adoption, foster care, employment with children).
Washington
Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Form and instructions: Child Abuse and Neglect History Checks
Contact: CANhistorychecks@dcyf.wa.gov, 800-998-3898
West Virginia
West Virginia Department of Human Services
Form and instructions: Background checks
Contact: 304-352-4429
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Form and instructions: Request for Child Protective Services Background Check for Certain Purposes
Contact: CWBckgrdRequests@wisconsin.gov
Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Family Services
Form: Central Registry
Contacts: centralregistry@wyo.gov, 307-777-8538
To update a state listing, please email updates@adoptuskids.org using the subject line “child abuse registry change.”
Obtaining international records and documents
The U.S. Department of State maintains tables of “Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country.” These tables include country-specific information for how to obtain international police clearance and a wide range of other documents. In general, a table will indicate if a foreign resident of the country can obtain the required document, and if so, the procedure for accessing it. To find information using these tables, choose a country from the drop-down menu. On the country webpage, use the menu on the left side of the screen to select the type of documents and records (e.g., “general documents,” “police, court, prison records”) you are seeking.
Additional resources on child abuse registries and interjurisdictional child welfare work
- Learn about state disclosure laws and state procedures for maintaining child abuse records at the Child Welfare Information Gateway website.
- Download our publications and watch archived webinars about making interjurisdictional placements.
- Read about the National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE), a cloud-based electronic system for exchanging the data and documents needed to place children across state lines, at the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children website.