BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1207
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Date of Hearing: April 29, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1207 (Lopez) - As Introduced February 27, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires a child day care licensee applicant to take
training in the duties of mandated reporters under the Child
Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) as a condition of
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licensure, requires child day care administrators and employees
to take mandated reporter training within the first six weeks of
employment, and requires the Office of Child Abuse Prevention
(OCAP), within the Department of Social Services (DSS), to
disseminate specified information and provide statewide guidance
regarding reporting requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Minor absorbable costs (GF) to DDS to provide the required
information.
COMMENTS:
1)Background. Current law defines "mandated reporter" under
CANRA with an extensive list of employee classifications (such
as teachers, doctors, firefighters, counselors, etc.) and
individuals, such as foster parents. The list does include a
licensee, administrator, or employee of a licensed community
care or child day care facility, or a Head Start program
teacher.
Current law also strongly encourages employers to provide
their employees who are mandated reporters with training in
the duties imposed by CANRA. This is to include training in
child abuse and neglect identification and reporting. Whether
or not employers provide their employees such training, the
employers are required to provide their employees who are
mandated reporters with a statement that informs the employee
that he or she is a mandated reporter and informs the employee
of his or her reporting obligations and confidentiality
rights.
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2)Purpose. According to the author, "Although licensees,
administrators, and employees of licensed child day care
facilities and employees of child care institutions are
mandated reporters under California's Child Abuse and Neglect
Reporting Act, the law does not require them to complete any
training on recognizing the signs of child abuse or neglect or
how to comply with mandated reporter requirements.
"California Community Care Licensing Division requires child
care licensee applicants to sign a statement entitled
'Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse.'
However, without instruction or guidance on how to recognize
the signs of child abuse and neglect, how to support a child
and work with a family during or after a report, and how to
make a report, many child care providers are unaware of what
being a mandated reporter entails. This bill ? require[s]
child care licensees, administrators, and employees of
licensed child day care facilities to complete training in how
to meet their responsibilities as mandated reporters."
3)Prior Legislation: AB 1432 (Gatto), Chapter 797, Statutes of
2014, required annual training in the identification of, and
reporting of, known or suspected child abuse and neglect by
all school district, county office of education, state special
schools, and diagnostic centers operated by the California
Department of Education, and charter school personnel within
the first six weeks of each school year, or within six weeks
of employment.
Analysis Prepared by:Pedro R. Reyes / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
AB 1207
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