Child Abuse Reporting for New York Mental Health Professionals

Fulfills requirement: New York State requirements for child abuse and maltreatment reporting (including implicit bias, adverse childhood experiences, and virtual assessment)

Assessing for child abuse and maltreatment and discerning whether to make a report to child and family services are among the most stressful responsibilities of mental health professionals. The decision can change the lives of the child and all family members, and it also can significantly impact social groups and communities.

In March 2024, the New York Social Services Law was updated to require additional training related to the mandated identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment, specifically in the areas of reducing implicit bias in decision-making, identifying adverse childhood experiences, and recognizing abuse in virtual settings. The law requires that all mandated reporters (even those with prior child abuse training) complete the updated training.

The present introductory/intermediate course was designed to meet these new requirements for New York mental health professionals. The first section of the course consists of highlights from the New York State Social Services Law presented in a clear, user-friendly question-and-answer format. Mental health professionals will explore what questions they should ask themselves when determining if they should make a report, what reporting procedures are mandated, what laws pertain to taking a child into protective custody, and whether they should have concerns about liability for making a report and/or penalty for failing to do so. They also will better understand the roles of the Office of Children and Family Services and the local protective services, the purpose of the Statewide Central Register, what happens during an investigation, and issues related to the Abandoned Infant Protection Act. This section concludes with helpful summaries of and links to guides from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and the Centers for Disease Control. These resources include relevant telephone numbers, procedures, forms, and decision-trees for mandated reporters.

The second section of the course examines three critical areas related to child abuse and maltreatment reporting: (1) protocols to reduce implicit bias in decision-making, (2) addressing and preventing adverse childhood experiences, and (3) identifying child abuse in virtual settings. New York mental health professionals’ decisions to report a family to the Statewide Central Register are often influenced by implicit biases and personal beliefs, contributing to the disproportionate number of specific groups (particularly Blacks and other minority groups) being investigated for abuse and maltreatment and involved in the foster care program. The course provides mental health professionals with critical thinking strategies, specific questions to ask themselves, and steps that must be taken on a societal level to reduce implicit bias. Next, mental health professionals will learn to identify and prevent adverse childhood experiences by reviewing materials from the Centers for Disease Control. Finally, the course provides mental health professionals with strategies to overcome the challenges involved in conducting virtual assessments of child abuse and maltreatment. These include general tips for holistic assessment, leveraging technology effectively, taking appropriate safety measures, identifying subtle and overt signs of abuse, and asking specific questions to assess the child’s home environment, relationship with their caregiver(s), and safety and wellbeing.