SB 1778

Abstract

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Removes the list of mandated reports under the Act and instead lists several categories of professionals required to report suspected child abuse and neglect to the Department of Children and Family Services, including: (1) medical personnel; (2) social services and mental health personnel; and (3) crisis intervention personnel. Provides that when 2 or more persons who work within the same workplace and are required to report under the Act share a reasonable cause to believe that a child may be an abused or neglected child, a single report may be made by a designated reporter. Provides that nothing in the Act requires a child to come before the mandated reporter in order for the reporter to make a report of suspected child abuse or child neglect. Provides that persons required to report under the Act must complete mandated reporter training provided through or approved by the Department and that the training must be completed within a specified timeframe. Requires the Department to adopt rules by January 1, 2020 on its process for approving mandated reporter training. Provides that, by January 1, 2021, continuing education requirements for persons licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must include mandated reporter training. Requires the Department, by January 1, 2020, to adopt rules and procedures for educating members of the public about their right to report child abuse or neglect. Requires the Department to seek assistance from businesses and organizations on raising awareness about child abuse and child neglect and the Department's statewide toll-free child abuse hotline. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Organizes the list of mandated reporters under the Act into the following categories of professionals: (i) medical personnel; (ii) social services and mental health personnel; (iii) crisis intervention personnel; (iv) education personnel; (v) recreation or athletic program or facility personnel; (vi) child care personnel; (vii) law enforcement personnel; (viii) funeral home directors; (ix) clergy members; and (x) physicians and other specified medical personnel who provide abortions, abortion referrals, or contraceptives. Provides that when 2 or more persons who work within the same workplace and are required to report under the Act share a reasonable cause to believe that a child may be an abused or neglected child, a single report may be made by a designated reporter. Provides that nothing in the Act requires a child to come before the mandated reporter in order for the reporter to make a report of suspected child abuse or child neglect. Provides that persons required to report under the Act must complete mandated reporter training within 3 months of their date of engagement in a professional or official capacity as a mandated reporter, and at least every 3 years thereafter. Provides that the trainings shall be in-person or web-based, and shall include, at a minimum, information on certain topics, including: (a) indicators for recognizing child abuse and child neglect, as defined under the Act; and (b) responding to a child in a trauma-informed manner. Provides that the mandated reporter training shall be provided through the Department of Children and Family Services, through an entity authorized to provide continuing education for professionals licensed through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the State Board of Education, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, or the Department of State Police, or through an organization approved by the Department to provide mandated reporter training. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to make available a free web-based training for reporters. Requires each mandated reporter to report to his or her employer and, when applicable, to his or her licensing or certification board that he or she received the mandated reporter training. Provides that beginning January 1, 2021, if a mandated reporter receives licensure from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or the State Board of Education, and his or her profession has continuing education requirements, the training mandated under the Act shall count toward meeting the licensee's required continuing education hours. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop culturally sensitive materials on child abuse and child neglect, the statewide toll-free telephone number established under the Act, and the process for reporting any reasonable suspicion of child abuse or child neglect. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 1, but with the following changes: Provides that educational personnel required to report under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act must do so only to the extent required under a specified provision of the Act (rather than only to the extent required in accordance with other provisions expressly concerning the duty of school board members to report suspected child abuse). Provides that when 2 or more persons who work within the same workplace and are required to report under the Act share a reasonable cause to believe that a child may be an abused or neglected child, one of those reporters may be designated to make a single report (rather than a single report may be made by a designated reporter). In a provision requiring mandated reporters to complete reporter training within 3 months of their date of engagement in a professional or official capacity as a mandated reporter, provides that the 3-month requirement may be extended to 6 months pursuant to any other applicable State law that governs training requirements for a specific profession. Requires certain medical personnel who work with children in their professional or official capacity to complete mandated reporter training at least every 6 years. Requires such medical personnel to attest at each time of licensure renewal on their renewal form that they understand they are a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect, that they are aware of the process for making a report, that they know how to respond to a child in a trauma-informed manner, and that they are aware of the role of child protective services and the role of a reporter after a call has been made. Requires medical personnel who do not work with children in their professional or official capacity to make similar affirmations in lieu of repeated training. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 50 ILCS 705/7 from Ch. 85, par. 507 Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the curriculum for probationary police officers at all certified police training schools shall include a block of instruction addressing the mandatory reporting requirements under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that minimum in-service training requirements, which a police officer must complete every 3 years, shall include training on reporting child abuse and neglect. Further amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that persons required to report under the Act must complete an initial mandated reporter training (rather than must complete mandated reporter training) within 3 months of their date of engagement in a professional or official capacity as a mandated reporter, or within the time frame of any other applicable State law that governs training requirements for a specific profession, and at least every 3 years thereafter. Provides that the initial requirement (rather than the initial 3-month requirement) only applies to the first time they engage in their professional or official capacity (rather than only applies to the first time they engage in their professional or official capacity and may be extended to 6 months pursuant to any other applicable State law that governs training requirements for a specific profession).