Exploring Professional Responses to Child Neglect

Description

When a child’s safety may be at risk, your decision can change a life—or devastate a family. Clinicians are often placed in the impossible position of making that call, with limited information, ambiguous guidelines, and high emotional stakes.

Every behavioral health professional will face moments when concern turns to uncertainty—when the line between inadequate parenting and reportable neglect feels dangerously unclear. This course helps you navigate those moments with clarity and confidence, so you can take action that protects children without compromising ethics, trust, or justice.

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., is an attorney, social worker, and national expert on mandated reporting. Through her consulting work and academic leadership, she has helped thousands of professionals across the country make informed decisions when evaluating suspected child maltreatment. Her practical experience and scholarly insight make her uniquely qualified to lead you through this challenging terrain.

Dr. Krase’s teaching approach is grounded in real-world scenarios, ethical reflection, and legal analysis. You’ll be guided through difficult gray areas with a structured decision-making framework that balances professional responsibility, justice, and client-centered care.

This course explores the different forms of child neglect—physical, medical, educational, inadequate supervision, and corporal punishment—alongside the ethical and legal considerations that accompany reporting decisions. It examines intent, impact, and risk; systemic inequities and implicit bias; and how to act responsibly within the boundaries of law and ethics.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarify what constitutes neglect: Understand the federal and professional definitions and how they apply to your role.

• Navigate ethical and legal gray areas: Learn when the law requires a report—and when your professional judgment may offer alternatives.

• Use a decision-making framework: Apply a structured approach that supports thoughtful, defensible decisions under pressure.

Why this course?

• Timely and essential content: With neglect making up the majority of CPS reports—but rarely substantiated—this course addresses a major gap in professional training.

• Instructor expertise and clarity: Dr. Krase’s unique legal and social work perspective brings depth and practicality not found in most mandated reporter trainings.

• Mission-aligned learning: Offered by the Telehealth Certification Institute, this course reflects our commitment to excellence, integrity, and equipping clinicians with the tools they truly need.

Learning Objectives:

• Define child neglect.

• Explain differences between different types of child neglect.

• Explain considerations for determining when making a report to child protective services is required by law.

This course empowers you to respond to potential child neglect with insight and integrity, even when the stakes are high and the answers aren't easy. It’s more than fulfilling an ethics requirement—it’s a tool for responsible, values-driven practice.

Add this course to your cart today and bring greater confidence and clarity to one of the most difficult aspects of your role.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 2 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

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

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W.

Kathryn Krase, Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant, 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. 

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 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 your licensing board would accept this course.

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 marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

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 programming.

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 course 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.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement