This training is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) in partnership with the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate (OCA). The training will provide an overview of the definitions, requirements, and protections associated with being a mandated reporter in Massachusetts. The General Training course is all-inclusive, non-profession specific, and should be taken by every mandated reporter.
Training Description:
In Massachusetts, certain professionals are designated as mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect. As mandated reporters, these individuals have a legal obligation to report any suspected cases of child abuse to the relevant authorities. Taking mandated reporter training is the best way to ensure that you understand your duty and can report effectively.
The training is designed to help mandated reporters in Massachusetts:
- Understand their legal obligations under the 51A Law
- Recognize the various forms child maltreatment (and what is not maltreatment)
- Know how to file a 51A Report
- Know how to respond when a child makes a disclosure
- Understand what happens after a 51A Report is filed
This training lives on a separate Learning Management System (LMS), NOT the Behavioral Health Clearinghouse LMS, so you will need to follow the prompts to create a different login and password to access this training.
Objectives
- How the law defines child abuse and neglect
- What the law requires of you as a mandated reporter
- What protections the law provides for a mandated reporter
- How to spot evidence of child abuse
- How to report child abuse
- What happens after a report is filed
- Definitions of some of the terms used in this program