Making the Decision to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment

Description

This course satisfies NYS' mandated reporter training requirement.

When you’re the one mandated to decide, “Do I report this?”—the stakes are impossibly high: children’s safety, families’ trust, your ethical integrity, and your legal obligations all converge in a single decision that must be timely, defensible, and free from bias, including when you’re meeting virtually. With New York State’s updated requirements under Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2021 (amending Social Services Law § 413) now expanding mandated reporter training to include protocols to reduce implicit bias, strategies for identifying adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and guidance for recognizing signs of abuse or maltreatment during virtual encounters, this course equips you to make sound, equitable decisions that protect children and support families.

In this immersive learning experience, you’ll move beyond the basics of “see something, say something” into a clear, practice-ready framework that helps you know what to look for, how to weigh what you’re seeing (including in telehealth), and how to act with confidence and compassion. Along the way, you’ll refine judgment and reduce bias in decision-making while strengthening the ethical, family-supportive stance that defines excellent care.

Dr. Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W.—Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant and founder of Making the Tough Call—has authored multiple books and articles on mandated reporting and spent years advising government and community agencies on policy and practice standards; she brings unmatched clarity to the legal, ethical, and procedural realities of reporting. Joining her is Pauline Lucero, MA, LPCC—a bilingual clinician, consultant, and nationally recognized trainer with decades of experience on multidisciplinary teams addressing complex child abuse cases, including specialized expertise with developmental disabilities, cultural competence, Native American communities, and forensic interviewing.

You’ll learn through expert explanations, applied decision frameworks, real-world case vignettes (including telehealth scenarios), and structured reflection prompts that translate law and ethics into day-to-day practice. The course weaves together bias-reduction protocols, ACEs-informed assessment, and virtual-care observation skills with profession-specific responsibilities—so you can decide whether to report to child protective services (CPS) and, regardless of the decision, uphold your obligation to support children and families.

This course covers: implicit bias protocols in mandated reporting; ACEs identification and its relevance to risk appraisal; indicators of maltreatment in virtual settings; legal, ethical, and moral considerations when deciding to report; a step-by-step decision framework you can document and defend; and focused guidance on intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD)—including definitions; examples (e.g., intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Prader-Willi syndrome, familial dysautonomia, neurological impairment); physical and behavioral indicators of maltreatment in children with I/DD; communication changes and non-verbal cues; caregiver red flags; and structured scenarios for mandated reporters to consider.

Key Takeaways:

• Decision clarity under the law: Explain considerations for determining when making a report to child protective services is required by law, including bias-reduction protocols, ACEs-informed judgment, and virtual-care observation skills.
• Ethics in action: Identify the ethical/moral and legal conundrums faced when making the decision to report and apply an approach that supports child safety and family wellbeing.
• A defensible framework: Apply a framework to guide the process for deciding whether to make a report—one you can use, teach, and document in real cases, including with children with I/DD.

Why this course?

• Meets updated NYS requirements: Aligns with Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2021 (SSL § 413) by addressing implicit bias protocols, ACEs identification, and virtual-interaction guidelines—positioning you to meet this requirement with confidence.
• Expert-led, practice-ready: Learn directly from a national authority on mandated reporting (Krase) and a seasoned clinician-trainer (Lucero) with deep experience in disability, culture, and complex casework—so you get guidance that’s both accurate and usable.
• Mission-driven quality: Developed by the Telehealth Certification Institute, whose mission, vision, and values center on excellence, integrity, collaboration, and practical innovation—ensuring training that is credible, current, and applicable across settings.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain considerations for determining when making a report to child protective services is required by law.
• Identify the ethical/ moral and legal conundrums faced when making the decision to report.
• Apply a framework to guide the process for deciding whether to make a report.
• Describe their legal and ethical obligation to support families and children, regardless of their decision whether or not to report to child protective services.
• Recognize signs of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in children and factors to consider when determining whether a child with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities shows indicators of maltreatment or abuse.

By the end, you’ll have a clear, bias-aware, and ACEs-informed process for mandated reporting—one that stands up ethically and legally, travels well to virtual care, and pays careful attention to the unique presentation of children with I/DD. If you’re ready to align with New York’s updated standards while elevating your everyday practice, this training offers a timely, comprehensive path forward.

Join this training to strengthen your judgment, meet the updated mandate, and join a community of professionals committed to protecting children while supporting families.

Enroll now to develop your skills, boost your confidence, and enhance your impact as a behavioral health professional.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 2.5 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

New York Clinicians

Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2021 amended Social Services Law § 413 to require additional training to include protocols to reduce implicit bias in decision-making processes, strategies for identifying adverse childhood experiences, and guidelines to assist in recognizing signs of abuse or maltreatment while interacting virtually within the New York State Mandated Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect coursework. This law requires that mandated reporters, including those who have previously undergone the current training, complete the updated training curriculum by April 1, 2025. (source: https://www.op.nysed.gov/about/training-continuing-education/mandated-training-related-child-abuse)

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, provider #81015 is approved by the New York State Education Department to fulfill the required training.

Course Details

Availability: 

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

Who Should Enroll: 

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

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

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.

Instructors and Disclosures

Instructors

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

Kathryn Krase, 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.

About Pauline Lucero, MA, LPCC

Pauline is a bilingual mental health therapist and nationally known trainer and consultant. For over 34 years, she has provided consultation to multi-disciplinary teams working on complex child abuse cases. She was the forensic interviewer with the team that implemented the first Children’s Advocacy Center in Albuquerque in 1990. She has worked with numerous Native American communities across NM and the nation. She has trained on various issues such as providing culturally competent services, trauma in adults and children, developmental disabilities, Spanish-speaking forensic interviews, and wellness. In addition to training and consulting, since 2002, Pauline has worked as a Behavior Support Consultant for clients with disabilities. Her therapy practice focuses on children and adults who have experienced trauma and serves adults and children with disabilities. She uses a cognitive behavioral approach, implements somatic interventions, is a certified play therapist, and has a BA in Spanish Literature from the University of Rochester and an MA in Counseling from the University of New Mexico. Originally from northern NM, she has lived in Albuquerque since 1985 and has three children.

Disclosure Statement: 

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

CE Hours

This course satisfies NYS' mandated reporter training requirement, which NYS clinicians must fulfill by April 2025. 

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 2.5 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 2.5 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 150 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