We want to make you aware of several new laws that relate to child protection. Some of the laws impact everyone; others are limited to certain industries or licensures. Some of the issues related to compliance are still being worked out by the respective Pennsylvania authorities.
Examples of What’s New:
| 1. | New clearance requirements for volunteers in child-serving organizations (Act 153) |
| 2. | A broadening of who is defined as a mandated reporter (Act 33) |
| 3. | New mandatory training for professional licensees (Act 31) |
| 4. | Requirement for employment history reviews [schools] (Act 168) |
Who’s impacted?
The PA legislature passed 22 new pieces of legislation in 2014 related to child protection. The links below will take you to an analysis of the more notable legislative changes, including:
Act 153 (HB435)
All adults (paid or unpaid) who are responsible for the welfare of a child or have direct contact with a child are impacted by the new clearance requirements.
Act 33 (SB21)
The list of mandated reporters in Pennsylvania was significantly expanded through the broadening of definitions; the list now includes virtually everyone who participates in a program that serves children, whether paid or unpaid.
Act 31 (HB431)
A specific subset of professional licensees is now required to complete a state-approved training that addresses indicators of abuse and the Pennsylvania requirements for reporting abuse.
Act 168 (HB1816)
This legislation creates the requirement and provides the process for school entities to conduct a mandatory ‘employment history review’ for any prospective employee prior to hiring.
Philadelphia Insurance Company, in partnership with the esteemed Abuse Prevention Systems, is offering two resources to help you understand these new PA state laws. We encourage you to review these documents which explain the new requirements, define terms, and answer questions.
PA Law Changes: New Requirements for Organizations Serving Children – http://image.exct.net/lib/fecd15717367027c/m/2/PennsylvaniaLawChanges4-21-2015b.pdf
FAQs: PA House Bill 435 Volunteer Screening – http://image.exct.net/lib/fecd15717367027c/m/2/HB435VolScreeningFAQs4-21-20152.pdf
Please let us know if you have any questions or can be of any assistance.
