Mandated Reporter Training Certificate Program

Description

Every report you make—or choose not to—can profoundly shape a child’s future, impact a family’s stability, and reflect your values as a clinician. But what if fulfilling your legal obligation as a mandated reporter means risking harm to the very clients you're trying to protect? This certificate program empowers behavioral health professionals to navigate that tension with clarity, confidence, and a strong ethical foundation.

In today’s complex and often inequitable systems, clinicians need more than a basic understanding of mandated reporting. This training offers a thoughtful and practical path forward for those seeking to fulfill their legal obligations with care, competence, and integrity.

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., an expert in ethics and the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment, leads this course with clarity and compassion. As the founder of Making the Tough Call and principal consultant at Krase Consulting, Dr. Krase brings decades of experience developing policy, supervising clinical practice, and guiding professionals through challenging reporting decisions.

Dr. Krase’s approach is grounded in real-world examples, critical frameworks, and a deep understanding of the ethical tensions clinicians face. This self-paced certificate program offers an interactive, systems-aware model that helps professionals protect children while also advocating for equity and justice.

Participants will explore the historical and legal foundations of mandated reporting, distinguish between types of child neglect, consider ethical obligations around confidentiality and boundaries, and examine how racial and social injustice influence reporting practices. The training also addresses how to work with clients before and after a report, how to collaborate with CPS, and how to apply trauma-informed, culturally sensitive strategies throughout the process.

Key Takeaways:

• Master complex reporting decisions with confidence: Learn how to assess risk, apply legal thresholds, and determine your obligation to report across multiple scenarios involving child abuse and neglect.

• Integrate ethics, boundaries, and confidentiality into daily practice: Understand how to uphold ethical codes while managing client relationships, disclosures, and your own role as a mandated reporter.

• Adopt a justice-informed lens for clinical decision-making: Examine the structural inequities embedded in the child welfare system and develop strategies for reporting that minimize harm and honor racial and social justice values.

Why this certificate course?

• Comprehensive and cohesive learning journey: This certificate course brings together five interrelated trainings, allowing you to move from foundational knowledge to advanced, justice-informed practices with clarity and continuity.

• Led by a trusted national expert: Dr. Kathryn Krase’s multidisciplinary expertise in law, ethics, and child welfare policy offers depth, credibility, and practical wisdom you won’t find in standard mandated reporter trainings.

• Built for real-world application: You’ll leave with actionable tools, legal and ethical decision-making frameworks, and a stronger ability to protect children and the integrity of your clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of "Making the Tough Call: Exploring the Ethics of Mandated Reporting through the Lens of Racial & Social Justice" course, participants will be able to:

• 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.

Upon completion of "Exploring Ethical Obligations: Boundaries, Confidentiality and Mandated Reporting" course, participants will be able to: 

• Explain the ethical code provisions as they relate to practice with clients/patients at the micro and mezzo levels.

• Describe the limitations on the relationships with clients, as outlined in relevant ethical codes.

• Describe the expectations for keeping client information confidential in their professional practice.

Upon completion of "Advanced Ethical Issues for Mandated Reporters of Child Maltreatment" course, participants will be able to:   

• Identify the ethical/ moral and legal conundrums faced when making the decision to report.

• Apply a framework to guide the process of working with clients before making a report.

• Apply a framework to guide the process of working with clients after making a report.

• Demonstrate skills at collaborating with child protective services for the benefit of clients.

• Demonstrate ways to advocate for improved child protective services systems.

Upon completion of "Exploring Professional Responses to Child Neglect" course, participants will be able to:    

• 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.

Upon completion of "Making the Tough Call: Legal & Ethical Issues Related to the Decision to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment" course, participants will be able to:         

• Determine when making a report to child protective services is required by law.

• Identify the ethical/ moral and legal conundrums faced when deciding to report.

• Apply a framework to guide the process for deciding whether to make a report.

This certificate program helps clinicians respond with skill, thoughtfulness, and accountability when concerns about child maltreatment arise.

Add it to your course library today and feel confident making even the toughest calls.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study program. Instruction consists of 13 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 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.

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 program consists of 13 ethics continuing education hours of credit upon completion of each course. (Individual certificates are issued for each course for a total of 13 ethics CEs))

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 program receive 13 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 780 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