(a) Except as
provided in subsection (c), individuals applying to the Board for an initial
license or certificate shall complete, as a condition of licensure, 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 §
40.209 (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 or certificate 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 and certificate holders seeking
renewal of a license or certificate issued by the Board shall complete, as a
condition of biennial renewal of the license or certificate, at least 2 hours
of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting, as a
portion of the total continuing education required for biennial renewal. 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 §
40.209. The licensee or
certificate holder shall certify on the biennial renewal application that the
licensee or certificate holder has either completed the required continuing
education or has been granted an exemption under subsection (c). The Board will
not renew a license or certificate unless the Bureau has received an electronic
report from an approved course provider documenting the
attendance/participation by the licensee or certificate holder in an approved
course or the licensee or certificate holder has obtained an exemption under
subsection (c).
(c) An applicant,
licensee or certificate holder may apply in writing for an exemption from the
training/continuing education requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b)
provided the applicant, licensee or certificate holder meets one of the
following:
(1) The applicant, licensee or
certificate holder submits documentation demonstrating that:
(i) The applicant, licensee or certificate
holder has already completed child abuse recognition training as required by
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, licensee or
certificate holder submits documentation demonstrating that:
(i) The applicant, licensee or certificate
holder has already completed child abuse recognition training required by
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, licensee or certificate
holder submits documentation demonstrating that the applicant, licensee or
certificate holder 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.
