Contact DCFS
To report child abuse or neglect, please call one of the numbers below based on where the abuse or neglect occurred.
General Contact Information
Nevada Division of Child and Family Services
4126 Technology Way, 3rd Floor
Carson City, Nevada 89706
Phone: (775) 684-4453
To contact a specific program, click here.
Media Inquiries
DCFS Public Information Officer
Phone: (775) 684-4453
For media requests/inquiries, click here and select "Rural Nevada and other DCFS programs" as the county to complete your request.
Public Records Requests
The Department of Human Services (DHS) and its Divisions strive to provide transparency to the public by adhering to the requirements of Nevada Public Records Law NRS Chapter 239.
Requests for DHS public information documentation can be filed online through the GovQA Public Portal or via mail. For more information about public records requests and to submit your request, see DHS Public Records Requests.
Please note adoption records and child protective services (CPS) records are not considered public record.
Adoption Records
Adoption records in the state of Nevada are sealed and confidential records (NRS 127.140) and can only be accessed by a court order. A person would need to show “just cause” in petitioning to unseal their adoption records. When an adoptee reaches 18 years of age, they can request any non-identifying information available at the time of their adoption from their adoption files. Contact DCFSReunionRegistry@dcfs.nv.gov for additional information.
Child Protective Services Records (including Background Checks)
To request these types of records, contact the agency in which the child welfare case was opened. The state of Nevada has three separate child welfare agencies: Clark County Family Services, which serves the Las Vegas/Henderson area; Washoe County Human Service Agency Children's Services which serves the Reno/Sparks area; and the State (the Department of Human Services' Division of Child and Family Services) which serves all rural areas.
The Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) cannot provide any information about CPS referrals received or responses to referrals per NRS 432B.280.
To request information about substantiated child abuse and neglect cases in Nevada, complete the appropriate request form and email DCFS-CANS@dcfs.nv.gov to process your request. Please note these requests will not provide CPS reports or investigative history. To request CPS history, contact the appropriate child welfare agency (listed above) where the family/person who is the subject of the background check lived in Nevada.