Subchapter E. CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Sec.
21.501. Definitions.
21.502. Suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements.
21.503. Photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report.
21.504. Suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement.
21.505. Immunity from liability.
21.506. Confidentiality—waived.
21.507. Noncompliance.
21.508. Child abuse recognition and reporting—mandatory training requirement.
21.509. Child abuse recognition and reporting course approval process.
Authority The provisions of this Subchapter E issued under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2); section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 212.1k); and section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6), unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Subchapter E adopted November 8, 1996, effective November 9, 1996, 26 Pa.B. 5391, unless otherwise noted.
§ 21.501. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Acts—The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § § 211—225); and the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § § 651—667).
Board-regulated practitioner—A registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), certified registered nurse practitioner (CRNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS) or licensed dietitian-nutritionist (LDN).
Bodily injury—Impairment of physical condition or substantial pain.
Bureau—Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs within the Department of State of the Commonwealth.
Child—An individual under 18 years of age.
Child abuse—Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly doing any of the following:(i) Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.
(ii) Fabricating, feigning or intentionally exaggerating or inducing a medical symptom or disease which results in a potentially harmful medical evaluation or treatment to the child through any recent act.
(iii) Causing or substantially contributing to serious mental injury to a child through any act or failure to act or a series of such acts or failures to act.
(iv) Causing sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any act or failure to act.
(v) Creating a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.
(vi) Creating a likelihood of sexual abuse or exploitation of a child through any recent act or failure to act.
(vii) Causing serious physical neglect of a child.
(viii) Engaging in any of the following recent acts:
(A) Kicking, biting, throwing, burning, stabbing or cutting a child in a manner that endangers the child.
(B) Unreasonably restraining or confining a child, based on consideration of the method, location or duration of the restraint or confinement.
(C) Forcefully shaking a child under 1 year of age.
(D) Forcefully slapping or otherwise striking a child under 1 year of age.
(E) Interfering with the breathing of a child.
(F) Causing a child to be present at a location while a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 7508.2 (relating to operation of methamphetamine laboratory) is occurring, provided that the violation is being investigated by law enforcement.
(G) Leaving a child unsupervised with an individual, other than the child’s parent, who the actor knows or reasonably should have known:
(I) is required to register as a Tier II or Tier III sexual offender under 42 Pa.C.S. Chapter 97, Subchapter H (relating to registration of sexual offenders), where the victim of the sexual offense was under 18 years of age when the crime was committed;
(II) has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.24 (relating to assessments) or any of its predecessors;
(III) has been determined to be a sexually violent delinquent child as defined in 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.12 (relating to definitions); or
(IV) has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.58 (relating to assessments) or has to register for life under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.55(b) (relating to registration).
(ix) Causing the death of the child through any act or failure to act.
(x) Engaging a child in a severe form of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking, as those terms are defined under section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Division A of Pub.L. No. 106-386).
ChildLine—An organizational unit of the Department of Human Services, which operates a 24-hour a day Statewide toll-free telephone system for receiving reports of suspected child abuse, referring reports for investigation and maintaining the reports in the appropriate file.
Mandated reporter—A person who is required under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6311 (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse) to make a report of suspected child abuse. For purposes of this subchapter, the term includes all Board-regulated practitioners.
Parent—A biological parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian.
Perpetrator—A person who has committed child abuse as defined in this section.(i) This term includes only the following:
(A) A parent of the child.
(B) A spouse or former spouse of the child’s parent.
(C) A paramour or former paramour of the child’s parent.
(D) An individual 14 years of age or older who is a person responsible for the child’s welfare or who has direct contact with children as an employee of child-care services, a school or through a program, activity or service.
(E) An individual 14 years of age or older who resides in the same home as the child.
(F) An individual 18 years of age or older who does not reside in the same home as the child but is related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity by birth or adoption to the child.
(G) An individual 18 years of age or older who engages a child in severe forms of trafficking in persons or sex trafficking, as those terms are defined under section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Division A of Pub.L. No. 106—386).
(ii) Only the following may be considered a perpetrator for failing to act, as provided in this section:
(A) A parent of the child.
(B) A spouse or former spouse of the child’s parent.
(C) A paramour or former paramour of the child’s parent.
(D) A person responsible for the child’s welfare who is 18 years of age or older.
(E) An individual 18 years of age or older who resides in the same home as the child.
Person responsible for the child’s welfare—A person who provides permanent or temporary care, supervision, mental health diagnosis or treatment, training or control of a child in lieu of parental care, supervision and control.
Program, activity or service—Any of the following in which children participate and which is sponsored by a school or a public or private organization:(i) A youth camp or program.
(ii) A recreational camp or program.
(iii) A sports or athletic program.
(iv) A community or social outreach program.
(v) An enrichment or educational program.
(vi) A troop, club or similar organization.
Recent act or failure to act—An act or failure to act committed within 2 years of the date of the report to the Department of Human Services or county agency.
Serious mental injury—A psychological condition, as diagnosed by a physician or licensed psychologist, including the refusal of appropriate treatment, that does one or more of the following:(i) Renders a child chronically and severely anxious, agitated, depressed, socially withdrawn, psychotic or in reasonable fear that the child’s life or safety is threatened.
(ii) Seriously interferes with a child’s ability to accomplish age-appropriate developmental and social tasks.
Serious physical neglect—Any of the following when committed by a perpetrator that endangers a child’s life or health, threatens a child’s well-being, causes bodily injury or impairs a child’s health, development or functioning:(i) A repeated, prolonged or egregious failure to supervise a child in a manner that is appropriate considering the child’s developmental age and abilities.
(ii) The failure to provide a child with adequate essentials of life, including food, shelter or medical care.
Sexual abuse or exploitation—Any of the following:(i) The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement or coercion of a child to engage in or assist another individual to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which includes the following:
(A) Looking at sexual or other intimate parts of a child or another individual for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire in any individual.
(B) Participating in sexually explicit conversation either in person, by telephone, by computer or by a computer-aided device for the purpose of sexual stimulation or gratification of any individual.
(C) Actual or simulated sexual activity or nudity for the purpose of sexual stimulation or gratification of any individual.
(D) Actual or simulated sexual activity for the purpose of producing visual depiction, including photographing, videotaping, computer depicting or filming.
(ii) Any of the following offenses committed against a child:
(A) Rape as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3121 (relating to rape).
(B) Statutory sexual assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3122.1 (relating to statutory sexual assault).
(C) Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse).
(D) Sexual assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault).
(E) Institutional sexual assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. 3124.2 (relating to institutional sexual assault).
(F) Aggravated indecent assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3125 (relating to aggravated indecent assault).
(G) Indecent assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126 (relating to indecent assault).
(H) Indecent exposure as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3127 (relating to indecent exposure).
(I) Incest as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 4302 (relating to incest).
(J) Prostitution as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5902 (relating to prostitution and related offenses).
(K) Sexual abuse as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6312 (relating to sexual abuse of children).
(L) Unlawful contact with a minor as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6318 (relating to unlawful contact with minor).
(M) Sexual exploitation as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6320 (relating to sexual exploitation of children).
(iii) For the purposes of subparagraph (i), the term does not include consensual activities between a child who is 14 years of age or older and another person who is 14 years of age or older and whose age is within 4 years of the child’s age.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.501 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.501 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (385242) to (385244).
§ 21.502. Suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements.
(a) General rule.
(1) Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6311 (relating to persons required to report suspected child abuse), all Board-regulated practitioners are considered mandated reporters. A mandated reporter shall make a report of suspected child abuse in accordance with this section if the mandated reporter has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of child abuse under any of the following circumstances:
(i) The mandated reporter comes into contact with the child in the course of employment, occupation and practice of the profession or through a regularly scheduled program, activity or service.
(ii) The mandated reporter is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance or training of the child, or is affiliated with an agency, institution, organization, school, regularly established church or religious organization or other entity that is directly responsible for the care, supervision, guidance or training of the child.
(iii) A person makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that an identifiable child is the victim of child abuse.
(iv) An individual 14 years of age or older makes a specific disclosure to the mandated reporter that the individual has committed child abuse.
(2) Nothing in this subsection shall require a child to come before the mandated reporter to make a report of suspected child abuse.
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall require the mandated reporter to identify the person responsible for the child abuse to make a report of suspected child abuse.
(b) Staff members of public or private agencies, institutions and facilities. Whenever a Board-regulated practitioner is required to make a report under subsection (a) in the capacity as a member of the staff of a medical or other public or private institution, school, facility or agency, that Board-regulated practitioner shall report immediately in accordance with subsection (c) and shall immediately thereafter notify the person in charge of the institution, school, facility or agency or the designated agent of the person in charge.
(c) Reporting procedure. A mandated reporter shall immediately make a report of suspected child abuse to the Department of Human Services by either:
(1) Making an oral report of suspected child abuse by telephone to ChildLine at (800) 932-0313, followed by a written report within 48 hours to the Department of Human Services or the county agency assigned to the case in a manner and format prescribed by the Department of Human Services. The written report submitted under this paragraph may be submitted electronically.
(2) Making an electronic report of suspected child abuse in accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. § 6305 (relating to electronic reporting) through the Department of Human Service’s Child Welfare Information Solution self-service portal at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis. A confirmation by the Department of Human Services of the receipt of a report of suspected child abuse submitted electronically relieves the mandated reporter of the duty to make an additional oral or written report.
(d) Written or electronic reports. A written or electronic report of suspected child abuse, shall include the following information, if known:
(1) The names and addresses of the child, the child’s parents and any other person responsible for the child’s welfare.
(2) Where the suspected child abuse occurred.
(3) The age and sex of each subject of the report.
(4) The nature and extent of the suspected child abuse, including any evidence of prior abuse to the child or any sibling of the child.
(5) The name and relationship of each individual responsible for causing the suspected abuse and any evidence of prior abuse by each individual.
(6) Family composition.
(7) The source of the report.
(8) The name, telephone number and e-mail address of the person making the report.
(9) The actions taken by the person making the report, including actions taken under 23 Pa.C.S. § § 6314—6317.
(9.1) Other information required by Federal law or regulation.
(10) Other information which the Department of Human Services may require by regulation.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.502 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.502 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (385244) to (385245).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.503 (relating to photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report); 49 Pa. Code § 21.505 (relating to immunity from liability); 49 Pa. Code § 21.506 (relating to confidentiality—waived); and 49 Pa. Code § 21.507 (relating to noncompliance).
§ 21.503. Photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report.
A Board-regulated practitioner may take or cause to be taken photographs of the child who is subject to a report and, if clinically indicated, cause to be performed a radiological examination and other medical tests on the child. Medical summaries or reports of the photographs, X-rays and relevant medical tests taken shall be sent to the county children and youth social service agency at the time the written report is sent, or within 48 hours after an electronic report is made under § 21.502(c)(2) (relating to suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements), or as soon thereafter as possible. The county children and youth social service agency shall have access to actual photographs or duplicates and X-rays and may obtain them or duplicates of them upon request. Medical summaries or reports of the photographs, X-rays and relevant medical tests shall be made available to law enforcement officials in the course of investigating cases under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6490(a)(9) or (10) (relating to release of information in confidential reports).
Authority The provisions of this § 21.503 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.503 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (385245).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.505 (relating to immunity from liability); 49 Pa. Code § 21.506 (relating to confidentiality—waived); and 49 Pa. Code § 21.507 (relating to noncompliance).
§ 21.504. Suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement.
A Board-regulated practitioner who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child died as a result of child abuse shall report that suspicion to the coroner or medical examiner of the county where death occurred or, in the case where the child is transported to another county for medical treatment, to the coroner or medical examiner of the county where the injuries were sustained.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.504 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.504 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (385245).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.505 (relating to immunity from liability); 49 Pa. Code § 21.506 (relating to confidentiality—waived); and 49 Pa. Code § 21.507 (relating to noncompliance).
§ 21.505. Immunity from liability.
Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6318 (relating to immunity from liability), a Board-regulated practitioner who participates in good faith in the making of a report of suspected child abuse, making a referral for general protective services, cooperating or consulting with an investigation including providing information to a child fatality or near fatality review team, testifying in a proceeding arising out of an instance of suspected child abuse or general protective services or engaging in any action authorized under 23 Pa.C.S. § § 6314—6317, shall have immunity from civil and criminal liability that might otherwise result by reason of the Board-regulated practitioner’s actions. For the purpose of any civil or criminal proceeding, the good faith of the Board-regulated practitioner shall be presumed. The Board will uphold the same good faith presumption in any disciplinary proceeding that might result by reason of a Board-regulated practitioner’s actions under § § 21.502—21.504 (relating to suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement).
Authority The provisions of this § 21.505 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.505 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (385245) to (385246).
§ 21.506. Confidentiality—waived.
To protect children from abuse, the reporting requirements of § § 25.502—25.504 (relating to suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement) take precedence over provisions of any client confidentiality, ethical principle or professional standard that might otherwise apply. In accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. § 6311.1 (relating to privileged communications), privileged communications between a mandated reporter and a patient do not apply to a situation involving child abuse and do not relieve the mandated reporter of the duty to make a report of suspected child abuse. Additionally, under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6313(e) (relating to reporting procedure), notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a mandated reporter who makes a report of suspected child abuse does not violate the Mental Health Procedures Act (50 P.S. § § 7101—7503), by releasing information necessary to complete the report.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.506 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.506 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (385246).
§ 21.507. Noncompliance.
(a) Disciplinary action. A Board-regulated practitioner who willfully fails to comply with the reporting requirements in § § 25.502—25.504 (relating to suspected child abuse—mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child abuse—mandated reporting requirement) will be subject to disciplinary action under section 14 of the Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 224) and section 16 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 666).
(b) Criminal penalties. Under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6319 (relating to penalties), a Board-regulated practitioner who is required to report a case of suspected child abuse or to make a referral to the appropriate authorities and who willfully fails to do so commits a criminal offense, as follows:
(1) An offense not otherwise specified in paragraphs (2), (3) or (4) is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(2) An offense is a felony of the third degree if all of the following apply:
(i) The mandated reporter willfully fails to report.
(ii) The child abuse constitutes a felony of the first degree or higher.
(iii) The mandated reporter has direct knowledge of the nature of the abuse.
(3) If the willful failure to report continues while the mandated reporter knows or has reasonable cause to suspect a child is being subjected to child abuse by the same individual, or while the mandated reporter knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that the same individual continues to have direct contact with children through the individual’s employment, program, activity or service, the mandated reporter commits a felony of the third degree, except that if the child abuse constitutes a felony of the first degree or higher, the mandated reporter commits a felony of the second degree.
(4) A mandated reporter who, at the time of sentencing for an offense under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6319, has been convicted of a prior offense under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6319, commits a felony of the third degree, except that if the child abuse constitutes a felony of the first degree or higher, the penalty for the second or subsequent offense is a felony of the second degree.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.507 amended under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.507 amended March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (385246).
§ 21.508. Child abuse recognition and reporting—mandatory training requirement.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (c), individuals applying to the Board for an initial license or certificate shall have completed at least 3 hours of training in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements which has been approved by the Department of Human Services and the Bureau, as set forth in § 21.509 (relating to child abuse recognition and reporting course approval process). The applicant shall certify on the application that the applicant has either completed the required training or has been granted an exemption under subsection (c). The Board will not issue a license or certificate unless the Bureau has received an electronic report from an approved course provider documenting the attendance/participation by the applicant or the applicant has obtained an exemption under subsection (c).
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), licensees seeking renewal of a license or certificate issued by the Board shall complete, as a condition of biennial renewal, at least 2 hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements, as a portion of the total continuing education required for biennial renewal. For credit to be granted, the continuing education course or program must be approved by the Bureau, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, as set forth in § 21.509. The Board will not renew a license or certificate unless the Bureau has received an electronic report from an approved course provider documenting the attendance/participation by the licensee in an approved course within the applicable 2-year biennial licensure cycle or the licensee has obtained an exemption under subsection (c). If a licensee holds more than one license or certificate issued by the Board, or holds a license issued by another licensing board within the Bureau that requires mandatory training in child abuse recognition and reporting, credit for completion of an approved course will be applied to both credentials.
(c) An applicant or licensee may apply in writing for an exemption from the training/continuing education requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) provided the applicant or licensee meets one of the following:
(1) The applicant or licensee submits documentation demonstrating all of the following:
(i) The applicant or licensee has already completed child abuse recognition training as required by section 1205.6 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P.S. § 12-1205.6).
(ii) The training was approved by the Department of Education in consultation with the Department of Human Services.
(iii) The amount of training received equals or exceeds the amount of training or continuing education required under subsection (a) or (b), as applicable.
(iv) For purposes of licensure renewal, the training must have been completed during the relevant biennial renewal period.
(2) The applicant or licensee submits documentation demonstrating all of the following:
(i) The applicant or licensee has already completed child abuse recognition training required under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(c) (relating to education and training).
(ii) The training was approved by the Department of Human Services.
(iii) The amount of training received equals or exceeds the amount of training or continuing education required under subsection (a) or (b), as applicable.
(iv) For purposes of licensure renewal, the training must have been completed during the relevant biennial renewal period.
(3) The applicant or licensee submits documentation acceptable to the Board demonstrating why the applicant or licensee should not be subject to the training or continuing education requirement. The Board will not grant an exemption based solely upon proof that children are not part of the applicant’s or licensee’s practice. Each request for an exemption under this paragraph will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Board may grant the exemption if it finds that completion of the training or continuing education requirement is duplicative or unnecessary under the circumstances.
(d) Exemptions granted under subsection (c) are applicable only for the biennial renewal period for which the exemption is requested. If an exemption is granted, the Board will issue or renew the license/certificate, as applicable. If an exemption is denied, the Board will e-mail the applicant or licensee a discrepancy notice notifying them of the need to either complete an approved course or, if warranted, to submit additional documentation in support of their request for an exemption.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.508 added under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.508 added March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916.
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.20 (relating to licensure by examination); 49 Pa. Code § 21.28 (relating to licensure by endorsement); 49 Pa. Code § 21.29 (relating to expiration and renewal of license); 49 Pa. Code § 21.131 (relating to continuing education); 49 Pa. Code § 21.150 (relating to licensure by examination); 49 Pa. Code § 21.155 (relating to licensure by endorsement); 49 Pa. Code § 21.156 (relating to renewal of license); 49 Pa. Code § 21.271 (relating to certification requirements); 49 Pa. Code § 21.331 (relating to biennial renewal of certification); 49 Pa. Code § 21.603 (relating to applications); 49 Pa. Code § 21.605 (relating to biennial renewal); 49 Pa. Code § 21.721 (relating to qualifications for licensure); 49 Pa. Code § 21.723 (relating to license renewal); 49 Pa. Code § 21.724 (relating to continuing education); 49 Pa. Code § 21.811 (relating to qualifications for initial certification); 49 Pa. Code § 21.812 (relating to qualifications for certification by endorsement; additional certification); and 49 Pa. Code § 21.822 (relating to biennial renewal of certification).
§ 21.509. Child abuse recognition and reporting course approval process.
(a) An individual, entity or organization may apply for approval to provide mandated reporter training as required under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b) (relating to education and training) by submitting the course materials set forth in subsection (b) simultaneously to the Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and Families, and to the Bureau at the following addresses:
(1) Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and Families, Health and Welfare Building, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120; or electronically at RA-PWOCYFCPSL@pa.gov.
(2) Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, 2601 North Third Street, P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649; or electronically at RA-stcpsl[lowbar]course[lowbar]app@pa.gov.
(b) Submissions must include all of the following:
(1) Contact information (mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number) for the agency/course administrator.
(2) General description of the training and course delivery method.
(3) Title of the course.
(4) Timed agenda and estimated hours of training.
(5) Learning objectives.
(6) Intended audience.
(7) Course related materials, including as applicable:
(i) Handouts.
(ii) Narrated script or talking points.
(iii) Interactive activities or exercises.
(iv) Videos and audio/visual content.
(v) Knowledge checks, quizzes or other means of assessing participant’s understanding of the material.
(vi) For online courses, a transcript of audio training.
(8) Citation of sources, including written permission to use copyrighted material, if applicable.
(9) Anticipated credentials or experience of the presenter, or biography of presenter, if known.
(10) Printed materials used to market the training.
(11) Evaluation used to assess participants’ satisfaction with the training.
(12) Sample certificate of attendance/participation, which shall include:
(i) Name of participant.
(ii) Title of training.
(iii) Date of training.
(iv) Length of training (2 or 3 hours).
(v) Name and signature of the authorized representative of the provider. The signature may be an electronic signature.
(vi) Statement affirming the participant attended the entire course.
(13) Verification of ability to report participation/attendance electronically to the Bureau in a format prescribed by the Bureau.
(c) The Bureau will notify the individual, entity or organization in writing upon approval of the course and will post a list of approved courses on the Bureau’s web site and the Board’s web site.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.509 added under section 2.1(k) of The Professional Nursing Law (63 P.S. § 222.1(k)); section 17.6 of the Practical Nurse Law (63 P.S. § 667.6); and 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2).
Source The provisions of this § 21.509 added March 25, 2022, effective March 26, 2022, 52 Pa.B. 1916.
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 21.508 (relating to child abuse recognition and reporting—mandatory training requirement).
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