Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting in Pennsylvania for New Licensees

Course overview

Assessing for child abuse and discerning whether to make a report to child and family services are among the most stressful responsibilities of mandated reporters. The decision can change the lives of the child and all family members, and it also can significantly impact social groups and communities. This course was designed to address the issues that mandated reporters must understand specific to child abuse the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The purpose of this advanced introductory/intermediate course is to help mental health professionals and nurses to appreciate the scope of the problem in Pennsylvania, become familiar with the child welfare laws in Pennsylvania, recognize the signs of abuse as defined by state law, and understand the issues surrounding mandated reporting. Clinicians will be guided step-by-step through the Child Welfare Portal. Case/reporting scenarios will be presented to test knowledge of key take-aways. Finally, the course reviews best practices when conducting virtual assessments and mandated reporters ethical responsibilities to reduce bias (whether explicit or implicit) surrounding child abuse. Course content consists of a PowerPoint presentation also available in audio format.