What's happening
This bill requires all mandated child abuse reporters in New York to annually complete a free online training course on identifying and reporting child abuse or maltreatment.
Why it matters
Ensures up-to-date knowledge. By mandating annual training, the bill aims to keep mandated reporters informed about the latest signs, indicators, and reporting procedures for child abuse or maltreatment, which can change over time due to new research or legal updates.
Standardizes training quality. The law requires the state to establish or approve the course content, ensuring all mandated reporters receive consistent, high-quality instruction—regardless of their employer or profession.
Creates accountability and documentation. Employers (or self-employed reporters) must maintain proof of course completion for five years and make it accessible to child protective agencies or law enforcement. This requirement could make it easier to verify compliance and potentially improve investigations into child abuse cases.
Removes barriers to compliance. The training must be accessible online, self-directed, and free of charge, minimizing financial and logistical obstacles for mandated reporters and increasing the likelihood of widespread participation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Annual Child Abuse Training Required
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to finance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1041
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2019
Introduced by Sen. YOUNG -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring persons and officials who are required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment to complete annual training relating to identifying and reporting such abuse and maltreatment
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that in order to better protect the state's most vulnerable population, the persons and officials who are required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment would be better served to be required to take a free, annual electronically-provided, self-directed online training course to refresh such persons and officials on the signs and indicators of suspected child abuse or maltreatment.
Accurate and timely reporting of child abuse or maltreatment is essential to ensure cases are appropriately addressed and investigated by the appropriate agencies. Timely and thoroughly investigated reports of child abuse or maltreatment are necessary in order to prevent future abuse or maltreatment while also holding accountable the parties responsible for such abuse or maltreatment and to remove children from dangerous situations.
By completing this type of training course annually, persons and officials who are required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment will be able to stay current with all of the information necessary to ensure that they are best able to identify signs of child abuse or maltreatment, as well as current reporting procedures and any potential changes in reporting requirements.
§ 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 413-a to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03944-01-9
S. 1041 2
§ 413-a. Mandatory annual child abuse and maltreatment reporting training. 1. The commissioner of children and family services shall establish a course of instruction and may approve courses of instruction offered by third parties for persons and officials required to report cases of suspected child abuse and maltreatment pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title. Such courses shall provide such training on the identification and reporting of child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to this title as such commissioner shall deem to be necessary. Each course of instruction shall be provided free of charge via links on the website operated by the office of children and family services and shall be approximately two hours in duration. Furthermore, the commissioner of children and family services shall establish a methodology which provides proof that a person has completed such course of instruction.
2. Every person and official required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title shall each calendar year complete a course of instruction established or approved pursuant to subdivision one of this section. Upon each completion of such a course, the person or official shall provide proof of completion to the employer of such person or official, unless the person is self-employed, then he or she shall retain a copy of such proof.
3. Every person and employer receiving a proof of course completion pursuant to this section shall maintain a copy thereof, in either printed or electronic form, for a period of five years, and shall make such copy available to any employee of the office of children and family services or child protective agency, or law enforcement officer engaged in the investigation of suspected child abuse or maltreatment.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately, except that subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 413-a of the social services law, as added by section two of this act, shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring persons and officials who are required to report cases of suspected child abuse or maltreatment to complete annual training relating to identifying and reporting such abuse and maltreatment
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to ensure that persons who are required to report suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment remain current on appropriate training and that a record of completion of such training is maintained.
Justification
Accurate and timely reporting of suspected cases of child abuse or maltreatment is an essential element of protecting New York State's most vulnerable population. Mandatory reporters are often on the front lines in identifying instances where a child may be the victim of abuse or maltreatment. These mandatory reporters play a vital role in the protection of potential victims because they are often the first to alert a child protective service or law enforcement agency of potential abuse or maltreatment.
The certification course required in this legislation takes two hours to complete, but users have the ability to complete the required two hours over a thirty-day period. Once completed, proof of such completion should be submitted either in printed or electronic form to the individ- ual's employer. If they are self-employed, the individual must maintain their own record of completion. In both instances, the record must be producible to any employee of the office of children and family services, child protective agency, or law enforcement officer engaged in the investigation of suspected child abuse or maltreatment.
The course is available at www.nysmandatedreporter.org, a site that is sponsored by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services through an agreement with the State University of New York Buffalo State Center for. Development of Human Services Institute for Community Health Promotion.
Completion of this course does not constitute any burden on mandatory reporters given the course is free, available on the internet, and easi- ly accessible from any internet-connected computer. It is not time-con- suming to complete, as progress is saved at the completion of each section, allowing individuals to complete the course at their own pace over thirty days. Taking this refresher course will help to ensure that every individual whose position is recognized as a mandatory reporter of suspected child abuse or maltreatment has been recently refreshed on reporting procedures and abuse or maltreatment indicators.
Legislative history
2017,2018: S.836 Committed to Rules
2016: S.5649 Committed to Finance 2015: S.5649 Referred to Children & Families
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, except that subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 413-a of the social services law, as added by section two of this act, shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.