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Child Abuse and Neglect: A Healthcare Professional's Guide to Pennsylvania's Reporting Requirements

Child Abuse and Neglect: A Healthcare Professional's Guide to Pennsylvania's Reporting Requirements

3 hours
Credits / Contact Hours
$90
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Very well written, easy to digest, time efficient, and straight to the point. Thank you!

Da
Dawn O.
Verified review

I appreciate the convenience of the course being online and accessible through my phone and that it directly reports to support mandated education requirements.

Pr
Priya M.
Verified review

The course was well organized and helpful in meeting state licensure requirements. I found the content to be very informative and practical.

Cr
Cristina G.
Verified review

Course

Learn to navigate Pennsylvania's child abuse reporting laws, equipping yourself with the knowledge and skills to identify, report, and safeguard children's well-being as a mandated reporter.

Nationally & state accredited

Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs
Pharmacy

Course Features

Instant certificates
All required courses
7-day live chat & phone support
Auto reporting toCPE Monitor
Unlimited course attempts

What you'll learn

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Define child abuse and neglect under Pennsylvania’s mandated reporter framework, including what “reasonable cause to suspect” means for reporting.

  2. Identify common clinical and behavioral indicators of suspected child abuse or neglect across healthcare settings.

  3. Determine applicability of Pennsylvania mandated reporting requirements by determining when a report is required, even when key details (e.g., perpetrator, confirmed abuse type, child present) are not available.

  4. Describe the correct reporting workflow, including how to submit a report to ChildLine/portal and complete required follow-up documentation and internal notifications per policy.


Course description

In today's healthcare landscape, mandated reporters play a crucial role in safeguarding the well-being of children. Understanding the intricacies of child abuse reporting requirements is paramount for healthcare professionals, as they are often the first line of defense in identifying and reporting suspected cases of abuse or neglect. This comprehensive course aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill their reporting obligations effectively. By delving into Pennsylvania's specific reporting laws and protocols, participants will gain a deep understanding of when, how, and to whom to report suspicions of child abuse.


Course content

  • Introduction

  • Prevalence of Child Abuse in Pennsylvania

  • Child Abuse Risk Factors

  • Consequences of Maltreatment Child Welfare in Pennsylvania

  • CPS vs. GPS: Reporting Criteria

  • Mandatory Notification of Substance-Exposed Infants by Health Care Providers & Plan of Safe Care (Act 54 of 2018)

  • Key Components of Child Abuse Categories & Indicators of Child Abuse

  • What Is Child Abuse?

  • What Is Bodily Injury?

  • What Is Serious Mental Injury?

  • What Is Serious Physical Neglect?

  • What Is Sexual Abuse and Exploitation?

  • What Is Human Trafficking?

  • Exclusions from Child Abuse

  • Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

  • Reporting Procedure

  • Failure to Report

  • Investigation of Reports

  • After a Referral/Report Is Made

  • Preventing Child Abuse

  • Safe Haven of Pennsylvania (Newborn Protection Act)

  • Key Takeaways

  • Conclusion

  • Post-Test


Course details

Release Date11/14/2024
Expiration Date11/14/2027
Review Date11/14/2027
ACPE UAN0657-0000-24-130-H99-P 0657-0000-24-130-H99-T
ACCME Activity Number203710988
AGD Number386503 | Course Code: 155
Activity TypeKnowledge-based
Activity FormatEnduring

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Instructor

avatar
John VillaMD, FACEP, FAAFP

John Francis Villa, MD, FACEP, FAAFP is an Emergency Medicine Specialist in Florida with more than 25 years in emergency medicine and family medicine.


Ideal CE course for these professions

This continuing education course is especially relevant for these healthcare professions, but other professionals may also benefit


Accreditations

Dentistry financial disclosure

AchieveCE​. Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit.​ Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement.​ 09/01/202​5 to 08/31/202​9. Provider ID# 386503

  • Alabama Board of Dental Examiners

  • Florida Board of Dentistry

  • Kentucky Board of Dentistry

  • Louisiana Board of Dentistry

  • Michigan Board of Dentistry

  • South Carolina Board of Dentistry

  • Tennessee Board of Dentistry

  • Virginia Board of Dentistry

  • Dental Board of CA


Frequently asked questions

How many CE credits does this course provide?

This course, "Child Abuse and Neglect: A Healthcare Professional's Guide to Pennsylvania's Reporting Requirements", provides 3 contact hours of continuing education credit upon successful completion.

Is this course accredited?

Yes, this course is accredited by Dentistry, Nursing, Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Pharmacy, AOA - UNE - 3 HOURS. AchieveCE is an approved provider of continuing education for healthcare professionals.

Which professions is this course approved for?

This course is especially relevant for: Dental Therapist, Certified Respiratory Therapist, Certified Nursing Assistant, Autonomous Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Certified Chiropractic Physician Assistant, Advanced Practice Nurse Prescribers, Pharmacist, Certified Nurse Midwife, Health Access Dentist, Nursing Assistive Personnel, Expanded Function Dental Assistant, Registered Respiratory Therapist, Dental Hygienist, Certified Nurse Aides, Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary, Advanced Dental Assistant, Chiropractic Physician, Registered Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Nurses, Occupational Therapist, Forensic Nurse-CSA, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Psychiatric Nurse, Physical Therapy Assistant, Clinical Nurse Specialist, APRN - Certified Nurse Midwife, Licensed Practical Nurse, Licensed Psychiatric Technician Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Dentist, Registered Nurse, Podiatric Physician, Licensed Nursing Assistant, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Public Health Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Consultant Pharmacist, Osteopathic Physician, Dental Technician, Community Dental Health Coordinator, Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Care Practitioner Critical Care, Dental Lab, Certified Nurse Specialist, Respiratory Care Practitioner, Certified Nursing Assistant, Respiratory Care Practitioner Non-Critical Care, Denturist, Registered Dental Assistant, General Dentist, Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant Radiographer, Dental Assistant. Other healthcare professionals may also benefit from this continuing education content.

How do I report my CE credits after completing this course?

Your credits are automatically and instantly reported to CPE Monitor upon successful completion. No manual reporting is required on your part.

Will I receive a certificate of completion?

Yes, you will receive a certificate of completion immediately after finishing the course and passing the assessment. The certificate can be downloaded and printed directly from your account.

What is your refund policy?

We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you can request a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

How long do I have to complete this course?

You have unlimited time to complete the course at your own pace. Once purchased, the course is available in your account until its expiration date. You can pause and resume at any time.


Most helpful reviews

Star reviewsReal reviews, real results
Da
Dawn O.Nutritionist
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I am always interested in continuing education in the areas of health, wellness, nutrition and mental health. Your course was well written, well organized and helpful in meeting state licensure requirements.

Pr
Priya M.Occupational Therapist
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Very well written, easy to digest, time efficient, and straight to the point. Thank you!

Cr
Cristina GRegistered Nurse
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I appreciate the convenience of the course being online and accessible through my phone and that it directly reports to CEBroker to support mandated education requirements.

Al
Allison B.Nurse Practitioner
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curly quote as a decorative item

I really loved this information. I was hospitalized last year for almost a month and I noticed multiple medical errors (not being hooked up to my IV multiple times, given wrong medication which caused my sodium to be very low, etc.) which lengthened my stay. I can now define those exact errors and better understand what happened to me. I hate that these medical errors are so common and I appreciate how well laid out your breakdown and categorization of them was.

Buy with confidence with money back guarantees

30 Day Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee

This course is guaranteed to meet or exceed your expectations for convenience and quality. View Terms

License Renewal Money Back Guarantee

Includes all state CE requirements and hours needed for your license renewal. View Terms


Requirements & disclosures

Financial Disclosures

This educational activity was developed by AchieveCE free of any commercial support. The following individuals have indicated that they have no financial relationships with an ineligible company that may impact this activity:

• John Villa, MD, FACEP, FAAFP - Faculty • Patricia Dunn, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC - Nurse Planner, Content Reviewer • Pete Kreckel, RPh - Pharmacist Planner • Marie Fluent DDS, CDIPC - Dentist Planner • Luke Porter - Planner • Vicki Holder - Content Developer

All presenters, planners, and others involved in program development have no financial interests or relationships with companies that would influence the content. They also do not have any financial interest in selling technologies, programs, products, or services to CME/CE professionals.

AI tools, including GPT-5.5 Thinking, Scite.AI, Skywork.AI, Perplexity Pro, Gemini 3 Pro, and Claude Opus 4.7, may have been used to support activity planning, research, content development, citation review, and quality review. All AI-assisted content was reviewed by qualified human reviewers. AchieveCE remains responsible for the accuracy, balance, independence, and integrity of this educational activity.

Passing Grade

Participants must achieve a passing score on the activity post-test, which may be 70% or 80%, depending on the course. They must also complete an activity evaluation. There are no time limits and unlimited test-taking attempts. Credits will be reported automatically to CE Broker if your license information is entered correctly in your profile.

Hardware Requirements

Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Mac OS X 10.1+, iOS 10+, Android 4.3+

Software Requirements

Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Adobe Acrobat Reader

Network Requirements

Broadband Internet Connection: T1, Hi-speed DSL or Cable4G cellular connection


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