Suspected Child Maltreatment – New Video CE

Reporting Suspected Child Maltreatment: Legal and Ethical Issues is a new 2-hour video continuing education (CE) course that outlines the legal requirements for reporting suspected child neglect and abuse.

Reporting Suspected Child Maltreatment is a new 2-hour video CE course that outlines the legal requirements for reporting suspected child neglect and abuse.

Many professionals throughout the United States are mandated reporters of suspected child maltreatment. However, the legal requirement to report is often confusing to navigate in relation to other professional and ethical responsibilities. This workshop provides profession-based context to the role of mandated reporter.

The course opens with a brief history of mandated reporting and the changes to mandated reporting laws over time. We then discuss who is considered a “mandated reporter,” when a report to Child Protective Services (CPS) is necessary, and the concerns regarding under and over reporting.

A detailed discussion highlights the risk factors and indicators of maltreatment and provides specific definitions and examples of the four types of maltreatment (neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse).

Mandated reporters explore a framework that can guide their decision in making the “tough call” of whether to file a report to CPS or not, using research findings and practical advice based on real case examples. Course #21-56 | 2022 | 2-hour video & handout | 20 posttest questions

Click here to learn more about Reporting Suspected Child Maltreatment

Reporting Suspected Child Maltreatment is an online course that provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation. Click here to learn more.

About the Author:

Kathryn Krase, PhD, JD, MSW, is the principal consultant and owner of Krase Consulting, a multi-disciplinary consulting firm with experience in child welfare systems, higher education, non-profit management, and youth sports coaching. Dr. Krase is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment and 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. As part of her extensive work to educate and support healthcare professionals to intervene and protect children, when necessary, while respecting and supporting family integrity whenever possible, Dr. Krase offers training, resources, blogs, podcasts, and consultations through her website, Making the Tough Call.


Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Domestic Violence CE – New Online Course

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a new 2-hour online continuing education (CE) course that provides information on identifying and treating victims of domestic violence.

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE) course that provides information on identifying and treating victims of domestic violence.

Domestic violence, in the form of child abuse and intimate partner violence, remains a pervasive part of contemporary life in the U.S. Its effects are deep and far-reaching. This domestic violence CE course is intended to help healthcare professionals maintain a high state of vigilance and to be well prepared with immediate and appropriate responses when abuse is suspected or disclosed.

Information on the number of patients in a professional’s practice who are likely to be victims of domestic violence and the number who are likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence, screening procedures for determining whether a patient has any history of being either a victim or a perpetrator of domestic violence, and instruction on how to provide such patients with information on, or how to refer such patients to, resources in the local community, such as domestic violence centers and other advocacy groups, that provide legal aid, shelter, victim counseling, batterer counseling, or child protection services are included.

There is a special section on the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if, and when, to leave an abuser. This course will teach clinicians to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans. 

This course meets the Domestic Violence CE license renewal requirement of all Florida licensees.

Course #21-40 | 2020 | 42 pages | 15 posttest questions

Click here to learn more.

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more.

Have a question? Contact us. We’re here to help!

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; 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-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Domestic Violence Awareness Month CE Sale

Save $10 on Domestic Violence Online CE @pdresources.org

Domestic Violence Awareness MonthOctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness on the effects of child abuse and intimate partner violence (an issue that impacts 1 in 4 women). The essential paradox of family violence is that – while it affects so many individuals so adversely in all sectors of society – it is only minimally discussed because of the stigma and is poorly understood and confronted by the legal, professional, and social systems that are responsible for protecting and treating victims.

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE) course intended to help healthcare professionals maintain a high state of vigilance and to be well prepared with immediate and appropriate responses when abuse is disclosed.

Domestic violence, in the form of child abuse and intimate partner violence, remains a pervasive part of contemporary life in the U.S. Its effects are deep and far-reaching. This course will teach clinicians to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans. There is a special section on the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if and when to leave an abuser. This course meets the Domestic Violence license renewal requirement of all Florida licensees.

Course #21-12 | 2016 | 42 pages | 15 posttest questions

Save $10 on this course during October in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic ViolenceProfessional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education (CE/CEU) credit for this course by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

 

 

Arizona Psychologist License Renewal & CE Information

From the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners

Arizona-licensed psychologists are required to renew their license by April 30th of each odd-numbered year, and must complete a minimum of 60 hours of continuing education during each two-year license renewal period.

Arizona Psychologist CEUsCE Required: 60 hours every 2 years (minimum 40 from Cat 1)
Online CE Allowed: No limit (considered Cat 1 – must have certificate)
License Expiration: 4/30, odd years
National Accreditation Accepted: APA
Notes: 4 hrs professional ethics & 4 hrs domestic violence or child abuse required each renewal (must be from Cat 1)

Category I consists of:

  • Post-doctoral study sponsored by a regionally accredited university or college that provides a graduate-level degree program, or a course, seminar, workshop, or home study with certificate of completion, or a continuing education program offered by a national, international, regional, or state association, society, board, or continuing education provider, if at least 75% of the program is related to the “practice of psychology.”
  • Attending a Board meeting. A licensee receives four continuing education hours in professional ethics as required under subsection (B)(1) for attending eight hours or more of a Board meeting and two continuing education hours for attending between four and eight hours of a Board meeting. A licensee shall complete documentation provided by the Board at the time the licensee attends a Board meeting. The Board shall not accept more than 10 continuing education hours obtained by attending a Board meeting from a licensee for each renewal period; and
  • Serving as a complaint consultant. A licensee who serves as a Board complaint consultant to review Board complaints and provide a written report to the Board, receives continuing education hours equal to the actual number of hours served as a complaint consultant up to a maximum of 20 hours per renewal period.

Category II consists of:

  • Self-study or study groups for professional growth and development as a psychologist;
  • Preparation that results in publication of an authored or co-authored psychology book, psychology book chapter, or article in a peer-reviewed psychology journal;
  • Presentation of a symposium or paper at a state, regional, national, or international psychology meeting;
  • Attendance at or participation in a case conference; or
  • A course, workshop, seminar, or symposium for professional growth and development as a psychologist or enhancement of psychological practice, education, or administration.

All licensees, regardless of status, are required by law to complete and return the Application for License Renewal form with the required fee.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for Arizona-licensed psychologists. Professional Development Resources offers over 150 online and home study courses that provide a certificate of completion. Professional Development Resources allows you the flexibility to earn CEU credits at your own pace and according to your own schedule, wherever you are.

 

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence

Course exerpt from Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence

The essential paradox of family violence is that – while it affects so many individuals so adversely in all sectors of society – it is only minimally discussed because of the stigma and is only poorly understood and confronted by the legal, professional, and social systems that are responsible for protecting and treating victims. Individual cases of abuse frequently go undetected for many years, largely due to the shroud of shame and silence that still persists today, in spite of all efforts to bring domestic violence to light and to justice. It crosses all social and cultural boundaries, including demographic, socioeconomic, and religious strata. The status of family abuse victims has even been compared to that of individuals who had HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s when the disease was “barely recognized, hardly discussed, highly stigmatized, and often ignored or denied” (Fife and Schrager, 2012). While we have made impressive strides in the battle against HIV/AIDS in the last three decades, we have made relatively little progress in the area of family violence.

Child abuse, for example, in spite of progress in protecting the rights of children, remains a dire social issue. Rubin (2012) cites government data indicating that in just one year in the U.S., substantiated cases of child abuse totaled over 700,000 children – about 1.3% of the population of children. To make matters worse, the long-term sequelae include a wide range of serious consequences, such as physical injuries, impaired brain development, behavioral disturbances, substance use disorders, and a variety of psychological disorders. In addition, there are a number of mechanisms by which children who are abused may grow up to become abusers themselves.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is, unfortunately, also a pervasive part of life in U.S. society. In surveys, over 35% of women and nearly 28% of men say they have been raped and/or physically assaulted and/or stalked by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner, or date at some point in their lifetime (Black et al, 2011). Survivors of these forms of violence may experience physical injury, mental health consequences like depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide attempts. Other health consequences like gastrointestinal disorders, substance abuse, sexually trans¬mitted diseases, and gynecological or pregnancy complications are also common. These findings suggest that intimate partner violence is a serious concern in mental health, criminal justice and public health.

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner ViolenceDomestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that will teach clinicians to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans. Course #20-61 | 2012 | 31 pages | 18 posttest questions

This course is presented in two sections. Part I will deal with the scope, definitional concepts, dynamics, recognition, assessment, and treatment of victims of child abuse. A section on bullying is included, with consideration of a contemporary variant of bullying known as “cyber-bullying.” There is also a section addressing the question of whether abused children grow up to become abusers themselves. A strengths-based model of assessment and intervention is detailed.

Part II will cover similar aspects of intimate partner violence, including women, children, and men. Sections are included on cross cultural considerations and same gender abuse dynamics. Emphasis is on identifying victims of IPV and providing screening and intervention procedures that are intended to empower victims to take control of their own lives. There are sections on the dynamics that influence when/whether abuse victims decide to leave their abusers and how clinicians can prepare for immediate interventions as soon as a client discloses that he/she is being abused.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to offer home study continuing education for NCCs (#5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the TexasBoard of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

This course satisfies the domestic violence requirement for biennial relicensure of Florida mental health professionals.

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence

domestic violence

 

Excerpted from the CE Course Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence Professional Development Resources, 2012.

The essential paradox of family violence is that – while it affects so many individuals so adversely in all sectors of society – it is only minimally discussed because of the stigma and is only poorly understood and confronted by the legal, professional, and social systems that are responsible for protecting and treating victims. Individual cases of abuse frequently go undetected for many years, largely due to the shroud of shame and silence that still persists today, in spite of all efforts to bring domestic violence to light and to justice. It crosses all social and cultural boundaries, including demographic, socioeconomic, and religious strata. The status of family abuse victims has even been compared to that of individuals who had HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s when the disease was barely recognized, hardly discussed, highly stigmatized, and often ignored or denied. While we have made impressive strides in the battle against HIV/AIDS in the last three decades, we have made relatively little progress in the area of family violence.

Child Abuse

Child abuse, in spite of progress in protecting the rights of children, remains a dire social issue. One study cited government data indicating that in just one year in the U.S., substantiated cases of child abuse totaled over 700,000 children – about 1.3% of the population of children. To make matters worse, the long-term sequelae include a wide range of serious consequences, such as physical injuries, impaired brain development, behavioral disturbances, substance use disorders, and a variety of psychological disorders. In addition, there are a number of mechanisms by which children who are abused may grow up to create disturbed relationships with their own children and their spouses.

Child abuse continues to occur at significant rates in U.S. society. Nearly 1½ % of children were victims of child abuse in a single year (2008). Approximately 72% of them experienced neglect, 16% were physically abused, 9% were sexually abused, and 7% were psychologically/emotionally abused. More than half of these children were under 8 years of age. Disturbing as these numbers are, they probably represent only the tip of the iceberg. Not all incidents of abuse are reported or substantiated. The actual prevalence of child maltreatment is much higher than the substantiated rate.

Studies have estimated that one in seven, or nearly 15% of youths are maltreated at some point in childhood or adolescence. The number of unreported instances is far greater, because the children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedures for validating an episode can be difficult. The long-term emotional and psychological damage of physical and/or sexual abuse can be devastating to the child. The problem needs to be identified, the abuse stopped, and the child and family offered professional help.

Child abuse can take place within the family, by a parent, stepparent, sibling or other relative; or outside the home, for example, by a friend, neighbor, childcare person, teacher, or stranger. When abuse has occurred, a child can develop a variety of distressing feelings, thoughts and behaviors.

Do Abused Children Become Abusers? The concept of intergenerational transmission of family violence should be viewed with caution. First, it is very important for abused children to avoid developing the expectation that they are bound to repeat history. Second, there is no reliable empirical consensus in support of the idea that children who are abused are likely to become abusers. As Hall (2011) warns, “Although there is empirical data that parents who have been abused have higher rates of abusing their own children, the idea that family violence can be directly linked to abuse in the next generation has become controversial because definitions of abuse and rates of reporting are inconsistent and methodological challenges for child abuse research abound…. My research suggests that there may be gaps in these theories….. some children may learn not to do something they that they see is harmful or ineffective.” Hall advocates shifting to a strengths-based framework of intervention that places the focus of treatment on individual competencies in order to give individuals the opportunity to avoid repeating dysfunctional patterns.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is, unfortunately, also a pervasive part of life in U.S. society. In surveys, over 35% of women and nearly 28% of men say they have been raped and/or physically assaulted and/or stalked by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner, or date at some point in their lifetime. Survivors of these forms of violence may experience physical injury, mental health consequences like depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide attempts. Other health consequences like gastrointestinal disorders, substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and gynecological or pregnancy complications are also common. These findings suggest that intimate partner violence is a serious concern in mental health, criminal justice and public health.

As is the case with child abuse, intimate partner violence is a widespread social issue. In surveys, over 35% of women and 28% of men say they have been raped and/or physically assaulted and/or stalked by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner, or date at some time in their lifetime. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey [NISVS], “Sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are major public health problems in the United States. Many survivors of these forms of violence can experience physical injury, mental health consequences such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide attempts, and other health consequences such as gastrointestinal disorders, substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and gynecological or pregnancy complications. These consequences can lead to hospitalization, disability, or death.”

Current findings consistently indicate that IPV is a pattern, not an isolated event. In a nationally representative sample of 8,000 women and 8,000 men, aged 18 and older, the National Violence against Women Survey reported that two thirds of women physically assaulted by a partner had been victimized multiple times.

One positive note is that there seem to be indications that some forms of IPV may be on the decline in recent years. For example, the National Crime Victimization Survey indicated that the rate of intimate partner violence for females decreased from 4.2 individuals per 1,000 in 2009 to 3.1 individuals per 1,000 in 2010.

Definitions of Terms

Five types of intimate partner violence are described in the NISVS. These include sexual violence, stalking, physical violence, psychological aggression, and control of reproductive/sexual health.

1. Sexual violence includes rape, being made to penetrate someone else, sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact, and non-contact unwanted sexual experiences.

2. Physical violence includes a range of behaviors from slapping, pushing or shoving to severe acts such as being beaten, burned, or choked.

3. Stalking victimization involves a pattern of harassing or threatening tactics used by a perpetrator that is both unwanted and causes fear or safety concerns in the victim.

4. Psychological aggression includes expressive aggression (such as name calling, insulting or humiliating an intimate partner) and coercive control, which includes behaviors that are intended to monitor and control or threaten an intimate partner.

5. Control of reproductive or sexual health includes the refusal by an intimate partner to use a condom. For a woman, it also includes times when a partner tried to get her pregnant when she did not want to become pregnant. For a man, it also includes times when a partner tried to get pregnant when the man did not want her to become pregnant.

Domestic violence, in the form of child abuse and intimate partner violence, remains a pervasive part of contemporary life in the U.S. Its effects are deep and far-reaching. As noted throughout the course, it crosses all social and cultural boundaries, including demographic, socioeconomic, and religious strata. This course has endeavored to help health professionals to understand the far-reaching effects of violence on child development, on individuals, families, and society. In consideration of the very high prevalence of domestic violence, they need to maintain a high state of vigilance and to be well prepared with immediate and appropriate responses when abuse is disclosed. In particular, professionals need to appreciate the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if and when to leave an abuser. As stated in the course, leaving a relationship is a process that occurs over time. The challenge to clinicians is to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans.

If you would like the full text of this publication, it is available at Amazon.com in Kindle format at http://www.amazon.com/Domestic-Violence-Child-Intimate-Partner-ebook/dp/B00I2WYFW2

If you would like to read this entire article and receive two hours of continuing education credit, visit Professional Development Resources at https://pdresources.org/course/index/1/1111/Domestic-Violence-Child-Abuse-and-Intimate-Partner-Violence

 

More Free Resources:

 

National Child Abuse Prevention Month


April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Child abuse and neglect affect about 6 million children in the United States each year, according to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). In more than 80% of cases, the abuse is from a parent.

Providing support for parents at risk for child abuse is critical to protecting children and ending the cycle of abuse. Each April, the Children’s Bureau, within the ACF, observes National Child Abuse Prevention Month to educate and empower families and communities to protect and care for victims of child abuse and neglect.

The NICHD adds to these efforts by supporting research to identify effective interventions that can help reduce the risk for abuse and by increasing our understanding of the short- and long-term effects of abuse and neglect on children and families. Select a link below to learn more about National Child Abuse Prevention Month and related NICHD research.

Strengthening Families and Communities
NICHD Research on Child Abuse
More Information

Related Online CEU Course:

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner ViolenceDomestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence is a 2-hour online continuing education course approved for psychologists, counselors, social workers, occupational therapists and MFTs. Domestic violence, in the form of child abuse and intimate partner violence, remains a pervasive part of contemporary life in the U.S. Its effects are deep and far-reaching. This course is intended to help health professionals maintain a high state of vigilance and to be well prepared with immediate and appropriate responses when abuse is disclosed. There is a special section on the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if and when to leave an abuser. This course will teach clinicians to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans. This course satisfies the domestic violence requirement for biennial relicensure of Florida mental health professionals. Course #20-61 | 2012 | 31 pages | 18 posttest questions

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC #5590); the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC #000279); the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists (#193); and the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board (#RCST100501).

Florida’s New Child Abuse Reporting Law Among Nation’s Toughest

By Kate Santich, Orlando Sentinel

Florida’s new child-abuse-reporting law, passed in the wake of the Penn State scandal, is being called the nation’s toughest, and its penalties could have wide-ranging consequences for both universities and ordinary citizens.

Colleges and universities that “knowingly and willfully” fail to report suspected child abuse, abandonment or neglect — or prevent another person from doing so — now face fines of up to $1 million for each incident. And individuals who fail to report abuse and neglect face felony prosecution and fines up to $5,000.

While previous laws have required reporting only when the suspected abuser was a parent or caretaker, the new statute — which took effect Oct. 1 — applies to any abuser, even those who are children themselves.

“It was just very important that we had a consistent law that made Florida the only true mandatory-reporting state in the nation — one where everyone is required to report,” said activist Lauren Book, a 27-year-old survivor of long-term childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her nanny. Founder of an advocacy and education organization called Lauren’s Kids, Book was a lead architect of the legislation, signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year.

At the time, it was dubbed “the Penn State law,” coming as it did on the heels of charges against that university’s former longtime assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who was eventually found guilty on 45 counts of child sexual abuse. Because of testimony that other school officials knew about the ongoing abuse and either ignored it or covered it up, the university’s president was forced to resign, legendary football coach Joe Paterno was fired and the university was hit with tens of millions of dollars in fines.

Before the passage of Florida’s law — officially called the Protection of Vulnerable Persons Act — there was no legal requirement to report suspected abuse if the abuser wasn’t a parent or caretaker, said Press Secretary Erin Gillespie of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Her department is now charged with fielding all calls through its abuse hotline (1-800-962-2873). But allegations that don’t involve parents, legal guardians or other caretakers will be transferred to local law-enforcement agencies.

The law further directs DCF to develop a more user-friendly way to report online and possibly via email or text.

“People keep asking if calls will go up because now it’s a felony [not to report],” Gillespie said. “Well, if that scares people enough to call us, then, please, let them call. Most people realize that children are vulnerable, and any decent person who suspects abuse would report it anyway.”

The Legislature also budgeted more than $2.1 million in recurring funds for DCF to hire an additional 47 workers to handle the expected increase in workload.

“Overall, I want to applaud the legislators for doing a great thing,” said Attorney Howard Talenfeld, founding president of Florida’s Children First! and lead counsel in several landmark cases against the state’s child-welfare system. “This law is precedential.”

But Talenfeld said he is worried about the law’s unequal treatment of juvenile offenders.

The new law makes reporting of child-on-child abuse mandatory for the first time. Children 12 and under who are deemed perpetrators will be referred for treatment and therapy, but those 13 and up will be referred to law enforcement.

Domestic Violence: Child Abuse and Intimate Partner ViolenceThe Florida Department of Health requires that healthcare professionals obtain two (2) hours of continuing education credit on domestic violence every third biennial licensure renewal period. Professional Development Resources provides courses on domestic violence to meet this requirement, and has updated their current offering to include the new child abuse reporting laws. The course is intended to help health professionals maintain a high state of vigilance and to be well prepared with immediate and appropriate responses when abuse is disclosed. There is a special section on the complexity of an abuse victim’s decision about if and when to leave an abuser. This course will teach clinicians to detect abuse when they see it, screen for the particulars, and respond with definitive assistance in safety planning, community referrals, and individualized treatment plans. For more info, please visit: https://www.pdresources.org/course/index/6/1111/Domestic-Violence-Child-Abuse-and-Intimate-Partner-Violence

Psychological Abuse: Common & Harmful

Psychological abuse — including demeaning, bullying and humiliating — may be the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. Yet it’s among the hardest to identify or to treat.

Psychological Abuse: More Common, as Harmful as Other Child Maltreatment It may be the most common kind of child abuse — and the most challenging to deal with. But psychological abuse, or emotional abuse, rarely gets the kind of attention that sexual or physical abuse receives.

That’s the message of a trio of pediatricians, who write this week in the journal Pediatrics with a clarion call to other family doctors and child specialists: stay alert to the signs of psychological maltreatment. Its effects can be every bit as devastating as those of other abuse.

Psychological maltreatment can include terrorizing, belittling or neglecting a child, the pediatrician authors say.

“We are talking about extremes and the likelihood of harm, or risk of harm, resulting from the kinds of behavior that make a child feel worthless, unloved or unwanted,” Harriet MacMillan, one of the three pediatrician authors, told reporters.

What makes this kind maltreatment so challenging for pediatricians and for social services staff, however, is that it’s not defined by any one specific event, but rather by the nature of the relationship between caregiver and child. That makes it unusually hard to identify.

Keeping a child in a constant state of fear is abuse, for example. But even the most loving parent will occasionally lose their cool and yell. Likewise, depriving a child of ordinary social interaction is also abuse, but there’s nothing wrong with sending a school-aged boy to stew alone in his room for an hour after he hits a younger sibling. All of this means that, for an outsider who observes even some dubious parenting practice, it can be hard to tell whether a relationship is actually abusive, or whether you’ve simply caught a family on a bad day.

Psychological abuse can also include what you might call “corrupting a child” — encouraging children to use illicit drugs, for example, or to engage in other illegal activities.

In their Pediatrics paper, MacMillan and co-authors say that 8% to 9% of women and 4% of men reported severe psychological abuse in childhood when the question was posed in general-population surveys of the U.S. and Britain. A number of U.S. surveys have also found that more adults claim they faced psychological maltreatment as kids than claim they experienced any other form of abuse. This suggests that psychological maltreatment may be the most common form of abuse inflicted on kids.

Because of that, pediatricians must be as sensitive to signs of emotional maltreatment as they are to signals of sexual or physical abuse, the authors say. And while it may be possible in the event of psychological abuse to intervene to improve the child’s home life — especially where the root cause is a parent’s own mental-health issue — the authors stress:

Consideration of out-of-home care interventions should not be restricted to cases of physical or sexual abuse; children exposed to psychological maltreatment may also require a level of protection that necessitates removal from the parental home.

Abuse in Childhood Common Among Alcohol Addicts

By Shari Roan

Abuse in childhood common among alcohol addicts, study finds

In a survey of 196 men and women being treated for alcohol dependence, almost one-quarter of men and one-third of women reported a history of childhood physical abuse.

Abuse in childhood appears to be a particularly strong risk factor for developing alcohol addiction later in life, researchers reported Thursday.

Alcohol dependence is linked to many risk factors — including genetics, drinking in adolescence and having other mental health disorders. A history of physical, sexual or emotional abuse in childhood is known to be another risk factor. The new study, however, shows how strong this link could be.

Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse surveyed 196 men and women who were inpatients being treated for alcohol dependence. Almost one-quarter of men and 33% of women reported a history of childhood physical abuse while rates of sexual abuse were 12% for men and 49% for women.

In addition, the study found that sexual abuse raised the risk of also developing anxiety disorder and emotional abuse increased the risk of developing depression. People who were physically abused in childhood and became alcohol dependent were more likely to have a history of suicide attempts. Alcoholics who experience more than one type of childhood abuse were more likely to develop another psychiatric disorder or to attempt suicide.

The study suggests how important trauma assessment is in alcohol-treatment services, the authors said.

The study appears in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-trauma-alcohol-20120315,0,5329235.story

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