HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
Children's advocates say the state legislature needs to take a closer look at Pennsylvania laws in the wake of allegations against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
Lawmakers, doctors and social service professionals pointed to several problems in the current laws during a news conference Monday in the state Capitol.
"One of the big problems we have is confidentiality provisions," Rep. Scott Petri (R-Bucks) said. "What happens is the Department of Public Welfare can't get information from the school district, and the school district can't get information from the police department."
Dr. David Turkewitz, who practices pediatric emergency medicine at York Hospital, spoke of the difficulty he had reporting a case of suspected abuse.
"After seeing the child, I called the children and youth services number. I was placed on hold my first three calls without talking to a worker," Turkewitz said. "I then moved on and called the state child abuse line. The first two calls I got a busy signal, then I got a recording saying my call was important and to hang on and they would get to my call. I waited several minutes and moved on."
Advocates said the law should be changed so that everyone must report suspected child abuse to law enforcement, not just a superior.
Petri said he planned to re-introduce legislation that would create a state child advocate. Similar measures have failed in the past, but Petri is hoping his bill have more support in light of the scandal at Penn State.
