Making the Tough Call: Exploring the Ethics of Mandated Reporting through the Lens of Racial & Social Justice

Enroll in the Online Self-Study and complete the training on your own schedule.
2 Ethics CE hours available for behavioral health clinicians completing the Online Self-Study

For over 50 years, various professionals have been required by law to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect as “mandated reporters”. This workshop explores the role of mandated reporting by applying foundational ethical principles through the lens of racial & social justice. An exploration of the original intent of mandated reporter laws will be juxtaposed with the evolution of the legal responsibility, and resulting disproportionalities in the current system.  As society grapples with the role that certain systems, including the child welfare system, have played in poor outcomes for children of color, it is vital that we explore the role that individual reporters play in this process. This workshop will provide a framework for professionals to place their role in context, with the goal of furthering racial and social justice for all children and families.

Topics include:

  • Ethical Principles
  • Historical Development of Mandated Reporting
  • Explore Roots of Disproportionate Impacts
  • Framework for “Just” (as in “Justice”) Reporting

Dr. Kathryn Krase is the instructor of five courses that provide in depth material on the topic of mandated reporting.  Completion of all five courses offers participants the Mandated Reporter Training Certificate (MRTC).  You can enroll in these courses individually or as a bundle for a reduced price of $197 (a $63 savings).

Enroll in Dr. Krase's four other Mandated Reporting-related ethics courses

Select each tab above to view specific details of this course

For over 50 years, various professionals have been required by law to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect as “mandated reporters”. This workshop explores the role of mandated reporting by applying foundational ethical principles through the lens of racial & social justice. An exploration of the original intent of mandated reporter laws will be juxtaposed with the evolution of the legal responsibility, and resulting disproportionalities in the current system.  As society grapples with the role that certain systems, including the child welfare system, have played in poor outcomes for children of color, it is vital that we explore the role that individual reporters play in this process. This workshop will provide a framework for professionals to place their role in context, with the goal of furthering racial and social justice for all children and families.

Topics include:

  • Ethical Principles

  • Historical Development of Mandated Reporting

  • Explore Roots of Disproportionate Impacts

  • Framework for “Just” (as in “Justice”) Reporting

This course includes 2+ hours of video training, a post-test and an evaluation.

This course was recorded February 18, 2022

Upon completion of this training professionals will be able to do the following:

  • Explain the competing ethical and legal principles at play in the development of mandated reporting laws over time.
  • Explain the contributing factors related to racial disproportionality in the child welfare system.
  • Identify ethical/ moral and legal conundrums faced when making the decision to report.
  • Apply a framework to guide the process for considering racial and social justice when determining whether they are required to make a report to child protective services.

 Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant and founder of Making the Tough Call is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment. She has authored multiple books and articles on the subject. She has years of experience consulting with government and community-based organizations to develop policy & practice standards.

“Making the Tough Call” is a project of Krase Consulting. Kathryn S. Krase is the sole proprietor of both initiatives. Both Making the Tough Call and Krase Consulting are registered entities in New York State.

Credit Hours: CEs provided with this course include 2 ethics continuing education hours of credit.

Counselors: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if this course would be accepted by your licensing board.

Social Workers: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 2 ethics continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals: This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

Psychologists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals: This activity qualifies for 120 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

To receive your certificate of completion you must complete the course in its entirety.

Online courses are completed by registering, logging in, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), completing all of the modules, completing and passing the post-test, and completing the course evaluation.

Live Webinar courses are completed by registering, logging in to this website, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), attending the full course via webinar, submitting your attendance, and completing the post-test and course evaluation online.

Psychologists and other professionals seeking CE credit through our approval with the American Psychological Association are asked, but not required, to complete the course evaluation before obtaining their certificate of completion, however passing a post-test for online self-study courses, and submitting one's attendance for live on-site and live webinars is required.

You can receive your certificate of completion by logging onto this website, navigating to the course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), scroll to the bottom of your course, and click on your certificate to either download it or print it.

Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities

Click here to view our Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds are offered within the first 30 days for courses which have not been completed.  There is a 10% service fee for refunds.

Grievance Policy

Click here to view our Grievance Policy.

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.  The course may include required reading.

This program was recorded on February 18, 2022

You have six months to access online courses from the time of purchase.

Kathryn Krase Headshot

Kathryn Krase
PhD, JD, MSW

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant and founder of Making the Tough Call is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment. She has authored multiple books and articles on the subject. She has years of experience consulting with government and community-based organizations to develop policy & practice standards.

“Making the Tough Call” is a project of Krase Consulting. Kathryn S. Krase is the sole proprietor of both initiatives. Both Making the Tough Call and Krase Consulting are registered entities in New York State.

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