A 4598: Requires certain persons and officials required to report suspected child abuse and maltreatment to complete ongoing training; requires all teachers, school superintendents and licensed professionals who are required to report cases of child abuse and maltreatment to complete training in the reporting of suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment at least once every 2 years.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4598 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- read once and referred to the Committee on Children and Families AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring persons and officials required to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment to complete certain ongoing training; to amend the educa- tion law, in relation to requiring school superintendents, teachers and certain other licensed professionals to complete training in the reporting of suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment; and to amend the executive law and the public health law, in relation to child abuse prevention The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 413 of the social services law is amended by adding 2 a new subdivision 1-a to read as follows: 3 1-a. (a) Every person and official required to report child abuse or 4 maltreatment, pursuant to subdivision one of this section, shall, prior 5 to assumption of the position which requires such reporting, complete 6 two hours of coursework or training regarding the identification and 7 reporting of child abuse and maltreatment; provided that every person 8 and official holding such a position on or before the effective date of 9 this paragraph shall complete such coursework or training within one 10 year of the effective date of this subdivision. 11 (b) Every district attorney, assistant district attorney, police offi- 12 cer, peace officer, investigator employed in the office of the district 13 attorney, pediatrician, physician who is employed in an emergency room, 14 registered nurse and registered physician assistant who is employed by a 15 pediatrician or in an emergency room, teacher, child care worker, foster 16 care worker, medical examiner, coroner, preventive services worker, 17 child protective services worker, social worker whose employment 18 involves regular interaction with children, substance abuse and alcohol- 19 ism counselor whose employment involves regular interaction with chil- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07987-01-5 
 A. 4598 2 1 dren, and mental health professional whose employment involves regular 2 interaction with children required to report child abuse or maltreat- 3 ment, pursuant to subdivision one of this section, shall, not less than 4 once every two years, complete two and one-half hours of coursework or 5 training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and 6 maltreatment. Such continuing coursework or training shall, to the 7 greatest extent possible, include advanced training which builds on the 8 initial or earlier coursework required in this subdivision. 9 (c) Except as otherwise provided by the education law, the office of 10 children and family services shall approve and/or establish the course- 11 work and training required to implement the provisions of this subdivi- 12 sion. Such coursework and training may be developed so that it can be 13 offered through various means including, but not limited to, internet 14 based courses and teleconferences. 15 § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 3003 of the education law, as amended by 16 chapter 737 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows: 17 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner shall 18 require that any person applying[, on or after January first, nineteen 19 hundred ninety-one,] for a superintendent's certificate shall, in addi- 20 tion to all the other requirements, have completed two hours of course- 21 work or training regarding the identification and reporting of child 22 abuse and maltreatment, and shall thereafter complete two and one-half 23 additional hours of such coursework or training at least once every 24 period of two years. Such coursework or training shall be provided 25 pursuant to section sixty-five hundred two-b of this chapter as if the 26 superintendent was an applicant for or holder of a license to practice a 27 profession pursuant to title eight of this chapter. The coursework or 28 training shall be obtained from an institution or provider which has 29 been approved by the department to provide such coursework or training. 30 The coursework or training shall include information regarding the phys- 31 ical and behavioral indicators of child abuse and maltreatment and the 32 statutory reporting requirements set out in sections four hundred thir- 33 teen through four hundred twenty of the social services law, including 34 but not limited to, when and how a report must be made, what other 35 actions the reporter is mandated or authorized to take, the legal 36 protections afforded reporters, and the consequences for failing to 37 report. Each applicant shall provide the department with documentation 38 showing that [he or she] such applicant has completed the required 39 training. 40 § 3. Section 3209-a of the education law, as added by chapter 504 of 41 the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows: 42 § 3209-a. Child abuse prevention. Each school district of the state 43 shall: (1) develop, maintain and disseminate written policies and proce- 44 dures pursuant to title six of article six of the social services law 45 and applicable provisions of article ten of the family court act, 46 regarding the mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect, reporting 47 procedures and obligations of persons required to report, provisions for 48 taking a child into protective custody, mandatory reporting of deaths, 49 immunity from liability, penalties for failure to report and obligations 50 for the provision of services and procedures necessary to safeguard the 51 life or health of the child; and (2) establish, and implement on an 52 ongoing basis, a training program for all current and new school offi- 53 cials regarding the policies and procedures established pursuant to this 54 section and the signs and symptoms that school officials may be likely 55 to encounter which may indicate the presence of child abuse or maltreat- 56 ment. 
 A. 4598 3 1 § 4. Subdivision 2 of section 3004 of the education law, as amended by 2 chapter 737 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows: 3 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner shall 4 prescribe regulations requiring that all persons applying[, on or after 5 January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one,] for a certificate or 6 license to be a teacher shall, in addition to all the other certif- 7 ication or licensure requirements, have completed two hours of course- 8 work or training regarding the identification and reporting of child 9 abuse and maltreatment, and shall thereafter complete two and one-half 10 additional hours of such coursework or training at least once every 11 period of two years. Such coursework or training shall be provided 12 pursuant to section sixty-five hundred two-b of this chapter as if the 13 teacher was an applicant for or holder of a license to practice a 14 profession pursuant to title eight of this chapter. The coursework or 15 training shall be obtained from an institution or provider which has 16 been approved by the department to provide such coursework or training. 17 The coursework or training shall include information regarding the phys- 18 ical and behavioral indicators of child abuse and maltreatment and the 19 statutory reporting requirements set out in sections four hundred thir- 20 teen through four hundred twenty of the social services law, including 21 but not limited to, when and how a report must be made, what other 22 actions the reporter is mandated or authorized to take, the legal 23 protections afforded reporters, and the consequences for failing to 24 report. Each applicant shall provide the department with documentation 25 showing that [he or she] such applicant has completed the required 26 training. 27 § 5. The closing paragraph of section 3007 of the education law, as 28 amended by chapter 544 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as 29 follows: 30 Such endorsement confers on the holder of such diploma or certificate 31 the privileges conferred by law on the holder of the diploma of a state 32 teachers college or state college for teachers or state certificate 33 issued in this state. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 34 commissioner shall require that any person seeking endorsement of a 35 foreign certificate or diploma[, on or after January first, nineteen 36 hundred ninety-one,] shall have completed two hours of coursework or 37 training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and 38 maltreatment, and shall thereafter complete two and one-half additional 39 hours of such coursework or training at least once every period of two 40 years. Such coursework or training shall be provided pursuant to section 41 sixty-five hundred two-b of this chapter as if the teacher was an appli- 42 cant for or holder of a license to practice a profession pursuant to 43 title eight of this chapter. The coursework or training shall be 44 obtained from an institution or provider which has been approved by the 45 department to provide such [course work] coursework or training. The 46 coursework or training shall include information regarding the physical 47 and behavioral indicators of child abuse and maltreatment and the statu- 48 tory reporting requirements set out in sections four hundred thirteen 49 through four hundred twenty of the social services law, including but 50 not limited to, when and how a report must be made, what other actions 51 the reporter is mandated or authorized to take, the legal protections 52 afforded reporters, and the consequences for failing to report. Each 53 applicant shall provide the department with documentation showing that 54 [he or she] such applicant has completed the required training. 55 § 6. Subdivision 1 of section 6501 of the education law, as amended by 56 chapter 299 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows: 
 A. 4598 4 1 1. Admission to practice of a profession in this state is accomplished 2 by a license being issued to a qualified applicant by the education 3 department. To qualify for a license an applicant shall meet the 4 requirements prescribed in the article for the particular profession and 5 shall meet the requirements prescribed in section 3-503 of the general 6 obligations law and, where applicable, the requirements of section 7 sixty-five hundred two-b of this subarticle. 8 § 7. Subdivision 1 of section 6502 of the education law, as amended by 9 chapter 599 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows: 10 1. A license shall be valid during the life of the holder unless 11 revoked, annulled or suspended by the board of regents or in the case of 12 physicians, physicians practicing under a limited permit, physician's 13 assistants, specialist's assistants and medical residents, the licensee 14 is stricken from the roster of such licensees by the board of regents on 15 the order of the state board for professional medical conduct in the 16 department of health. A licensee must register with the department and 17 meet the requirements prescribed in section 3-503 of the general obli- 18 gations law and, where applicable, the requirements of section sixty- 19 five hundred two-b of this subarticle to practice in this state. 20 § 8. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6502-b to 21 read as follows: 22 § 6502-b. Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse or maltreatment 23 training. 1. Each applicant for a license to practice a profession 24 pursuant to this title, the practice of which requires the licensee to 25 report suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment pursuant to 26 section four hundred thirteen of the social services law, shall, prior 27 to being licensed to practice such profession, complete two hours of 28 coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of 29 child abuse and maltreatment. Every person licensed to practice a 30 profession pursuant to this title prior to the effective date of this 31 section, the practice of which requires the licensee to report suspected 32 cases of child abuse and maltreatment pursuant to section four hundred 33 thirteen of the social services law, shall complete such coursework or 34 training within one year of the effective date of this section. 35 2. Each person required to complete coursework or training pursuant to 36 subdivision one of this section, who is employed or serves in a position 37 listed in paragraph (b) of subdivision one-a of section four hundred 38 thirteen of the social services law, shall thereafter complete an addi- 39 tional two and one-half hours of coursework or training regarding the 40 identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment at least 41 once every period of two years. Such continuing coursework or training 42 shall, to the greatest extent possible, include advanced training which 43 builds on the initial or earlier coursework required in this subdivi- 44 sion. 45 3. The department may develop a training curriculum regarding the 46 identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment which shall 47 be used to provide the coursework and training required by this section, 48 provided, however, that if the department shall fail to develop such a 49 training curriculum, then the required curriculum for the coursework and 50 training required by this section shall be the training curriculum 51 relating thereto developed by the office of children and family 52 services. Every training curriculum developed by the department pursuant 53 to this subdivision shall be subject to the approval of the office of 54 children and family services. The department shall require every insti- 55 tution and provider of coursework or training pursuant to this section 56 to utilize an approved curriculum. Such coursework and training may be 
 A. 4598 5 1 developed so that it can be offered through various means including, but 2 not limited to, internet based courses and teleconferences. 3 § 9. Paragraph a of subdivision 3 of section 6507 of the education 4 law, as amended by chapter 733 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read 5 as follows: 6 a. Establish standards for preprofessional and professional education, 7 experience and licensing examinations as required to implement the arti- 8 cle for each profession. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 9 commissioner shall establish standards requiring that all persons apply- 10 ing[, on or after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one,] initial- 11 ly, or for the renewal of, a license, registration or limited permit to 12 be a physician, chiropractor, dentist, registered nurse, podiatrist, 13 optometrist, psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed master social worker, 14 licensed clinical social worker, licensed creative arts therapist, 15 licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed mental health counse- 16 lor, licensed psychoanalyst, dental hygienist, licensed behavior 17 analyst, certified behavior analyst assistant, [or] athletic trainer or 18 any other profession which is required to report cases of suspected 19 child abuse and maltreatment, pursuant to section four hundred thirteen 20 of the social services law, shall, in addition to all the other licen- 21 sure, certification or permit requirements, have completed two hours of 22 coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of 23 child abuse and maltreatment and if they are listed in paragraph (b) of 24 subdivision one-a of section four hundred thirteen of the social 25 services law, shall thereafter complete two and one-half additional 26 hours of such coursework or training at least once every period of two 27 years in accordance with the provisions of section sixty-five hundred 28 two-b of this article. The coursework or training shall be obtained 29 from an institution or provider which has been approved by the depart- 30 ment to provide such coursework or training. The coursework or training 31 shall include information regarding the physical and behavioral indica- 32 tors of child abuse and maltreatment and the statutory reporting 33 requirements set out in sections four hundred thirteen through four 34 hundred twenty of the social services law, including but not limited to, 35 when and how a report must be made, what other actions the reporter is 36 mandated or authorized to take, the legal protections afforded repor- 37 ters, and the consequences for failing to report. Such coursework or 38 training may also include information regarding the physical and behav- 39 ioral indicators of the abuse of individuals with developmental disabil- 40 ities and voluntary reporting of abused or neglected adults to the 41 office for people with developmental disabilities or the local adult 42 protective services unit. Each applicant shall provide the department 43 with documentation showing that [he or she] such applicant has completed 44 the required training. The department shall provide an exemption from 45 the child abuse and maltreatment training requirements to any applicant 46 who requests such an exemption and who shows, to the department's satis- 47 faction, that there would be no need because of the nature of [his or 48 her] such applicant's practice for [him or her] them to complete such 49 training; 50 § 10. Section 214-a of the executive law, as added by chapter 504 of 51 the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows: 52 § 214-a. Child abuse prevention. The superintendent shall, for all 53 members of the state police: (1) develop, maintain and disseminate writ- 54 ten policies and procedures pursuant to title six of article six of the 55 social services law and applicable provisions of article ten of the 56 family court act, regarding the mandatory reporting of child abuse or 
 A. 4598 6 1 neglect, reporting procedures and obligations of persons required to 2 report, provisions for taking a child into protective custody, mandatory 3 reporting of deaths, immunity from liability, penalties for failure to 4 report and obligations for the provision of services and procedures 5 necessary to safeguard the life or health of the child; [and] (2) estab- 6 lish, and implement on an ongoing basis, a training program for all 7 current and new employees regarding the policies and procedures estab- 8 lished pursuant to this section; and (3) establish, and implement on an 9 ongoing basis, a training program for all current and new employees who 10 are likely to come into contact with children in the course of their 11 professional duties, regarding the identification and investigation of 12 child abuse and maltreatment and any protocols that exist regarding 13 investigating suspected incidents of child abuse and maltreatment joint- 14 ly with local departments of social services. 15 § 11. Paragraph (j) of subdivision 1 of section 840 of the executive 16 law, as amended by chapter 38 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as 17 follows: 18 (j) (1) Development, maintenance and dissemination of written policies 19 and procedures pursuant to title six of article six of the social 20 services law and applicable provisions of article ten of the family 21 court act, regarding the mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect, 22 reporting procedures and obligations of persons required to report, 23 provisions for taking a child into protective custody, mandatory report- 24 ing of deaths, immunity from liability, penalties for failure to report 25 and obligations for the provision of services and procedures necessary 26 to safeguard the life or health of the child; (2) establishment and 27 implementation on an ongoing basis, of a training program for all 28 current and new police officers regarding the policies and procedures 29 established pursuant to this paragraph; [and] (3) establishment of a 30 training program for police officers whose main responsibilities are 31 juveniles and the laws pertaining thereto, including children under 32 twelve years of age who do not fall under the definition of juvenile 33 delinquent pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of subdivi- 34 sion one of section 301.2 of the family court act and whose behavior, 35 but for their age would bring them within the jurisdiction of the family 36 court pursuant to article three of the family court act, which training 37 program shall be successfully completed before such officers are accred- 38 ited pursuant to section eight hundred forty-six-h of this chapter; and 39 (4) establish, and implement on an ongoing basis, a training program for 40 all current and new employees who are likely to come into contact with 41 children in the course of their professional duties, regarding the iden- 42 tification and investigation of child abuse and maltreatment and any 43 protocols that exist regarding investigating suspected incidents of 44 child abuse and maltreatment jointly with local departments of social 45 services. 46 § 12. Section 2805-n of the public health law, as added by chapter 504 47 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows: 48 § 2805-n. Child abuse prevention. All hospitals shall: (i) develop, 49 maintain and disseminate written policies and procedures pursuant to 50 title six of article six of the social services law and applicable 51 provisions of article ten of the family court act, regarding the manda- 52 tory reporting of child abuse or neglect, reporting procedures and obli- 53 gations of persons required to report, provisions for taking a child 54 into protective custody, mandatory reporting of deaths, immunity from 55 liability, penalties for failure to report and obligations for the 56 provision of services and procedures necessary to safeguard the life or 
 A. 4598 7 1 health of the child; [and] (ii) establish, and implement on an ongoing 2 basis, a training program for all current and new employees regarding 3 the policies and procedures established pursuant to this section; and 4 (iii) establish and implement, on an ongoing basis, a training program 5 for all current and new employees who regularly assess injuries in chil- 6 dren regarding the identification of child abuse and maltreatment. 7 § 13. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day 8 after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that if chapter 733 9 of the laws of 2023 shall not have taken effect on or before such date 10 then section nine of this act shall take effect on the same date and in 11 the same manner as such chapter of the laws of 2023 takes effect. Effec- 12 tive immediately the promulgation, amendment and/or repeal of any rule 13 or regulation necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its 14 effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such 15 date.