(a) Except as
provided in subsection (c), individuals applying to the Board for a license
shall have completed at least 3 hours of training in child abuse recognition
and reporting requirements which has been approved by the Department of Human
Services and the Bureau, as set forth in §
13.309 (relating to child abuse
recognition and reporting course approval process). The applicant shall certify
on the application that the applicant has either completed the required
training or has been granted an exemption under subsection (c). The Board will
not issue a license unless the Bureau has received an electronic report from an
approved course provider documenting the attendance/participation by the
applicant or the applicant has obtained an exemption under subsection
(c).
(b) Except as provided in
subsection (c), licensees seeking renewal of a license issued by the Board
shall complete, as a condition of biennial renewal of the license, at least 2
hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and
reporting. This 2 hours of continuing education in child abuse recognition and
reporting will be accepted as a portion of the continuing education required
under §
13.401 (relating to credit hour
requirements) regardless of whether it otherwise meets the requirements of
§§
13.402-
13.405. For credit to be granted,
the continuing education course or program must be approved by the Bureau, in
consultation with the Department of Human Services, as set forth in §
13.309. The Board will not renew a
license unless the Bureau has received an electronic report from an approved
course provider documenting the attendance/participation by the licensee in an
approved course or the licensee has obtained an exemption under subsection
(c).
(c) An applicant or licensee
may apply in writing for an exemption from the training/continuing education
requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) provided the applicant or
licensee meets one of the following:
(1) The
applicant or licensee submits documentation demonstrating that:
(i) The applicant or licensee has already
completed child abuse recognition training as required under section
1205.6 of the Public School Code
of 1949 (
24 P.S. §
12-1205.6).
(ii) The training was approved by the
Department of Education in consultation with the Department of Human
Services.
(iii) The amount of
training received equals or exceeds the amount of training or continuing
education required under subsection (a) or (b), as applicable.
(2) The applicant or licensee
submits documentation demonstrating that:
(i)
The applicant or licensee has already completed child abuse recognition
training required under
23 Pa.C.S. §
6383(c) (relating to
education and training).
(ii) The
training was approved by the Department of Human Services.
(iii) The amount of training received equals
or exceeds the amount of training or continuing education required under
subsection (a) or (b), as applicable.
(3) The applicant or licensee submits
documentation acceptable to the Board demonstrating why the applicant or
licensee should not be subject to the training or continuing education
requirement. Each request for an exemption under this paragraph will be
considered on a case-by-case basis. The Board may grant the exemption if it
finds that completion of the training or continuing education requirement is
duplicative or unnecessary under the circumstances.
(d) Exemptions granted under subsection (c)
are applicable only for the biennial renewal period for which the exemption is
requested. If an exemption is granted, the Board will issue or renew the
license, as applicable. If an exemption is denied, the Board will email the
applicant or licensee a discrepancy notice notifying them of the need to either
complete an approved course or, if warranted, to submit additional
documentation in support of their request for an exemption.
