Improve Reporting to Protect Abused and Neglected Children Support Sb 1778 Hca 1

IMPROVE REPORTING TO PROTECT ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN SUPPORT SB 1778 HCA 1

SENATE: JULIE MORRISON – JACQUELINE Y. COLLINS – MATTIE HUNTER - ROBERT PETERS, ELGIE R. SIMS JR., LAURA M. MURPHY, KIMBERLY A. LIGHTFORD, CRISTINA CASTRO, CHRISTOPHER BELT, ANDY MANAR, SCOTT M. BENNETT, OMAR AQUINO, AND IRIS Y. MARTINEZ HOUSE: SARA FEIGENHOLTZ, MICHELLE MUSSMAN, THERESA MAH, ROBIN GABEL

WHY AMEND THE ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILD REPORTING ACT?

The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA) requires specified professions to report suspected child abuse and neglect to a hotline staffed by the Department of Children and Family Services. Many mandated reporters, however, do not know the potential signs of child abuse and neglect, when to report it, how to make a report, or the implications of making a hotline call.

SB 1778 HCA 1 CLARIFIES WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING

Reorganizes the list of mandated reporters. While no substantive changes are made to the personnel mandated to report, reorganizing the list into distinct categories helps reporters identify that they are required to report and improves awareness of their legal responsibility to make hotline calls.

Requires that all mandated reporters report the same types of abuse. ANCRA currently requires that clergy only report child sexual abuse. The bill requires clergy to report all forms of child abuse and neglect, as defined by ANCRA, just like every other mandated reporter in the law.

Establishes a clearer institutional reporting process. ANCRA requires persons to immediately report suspected child abuse or neglect, or “cause a report to be made.” The bill clarifies the language and provides a process for situations in which two or more people in an organization suspect abuse or neglect.

Clarifies the meaning of “professional or official capacity” and highlights that anyone can make a report. The amendment defines what situations constitute a reporter’s “professional or official capacity.”

SB 1778 HCA 1 IMPLEMENTS TRAINING FOR REPORTERS

Under ANCRA, only school personnel must complete reporter training. The bill requires all mandated reporters to complete a training within the first 3 months of becoming a mandated reporter or within an applicable training statute time frame. Additional training must be completed at least every 3 years for all mandated reporters except medical personnel. Medical personnel who work with children must complete training at least every 6 years; medical personnel who do not work with children are not required to complete training. All medical personnel must sign a statement upon licensure renewals attesting they understand their mandate to report, indicators of child abuse and neglect, and how to respond to a child in a trauma-informed way. When delivered by an approved provider, training can count toward existing continuing education requirements for persons licensed by the Department of Financial & Professional Regulation.

Current mandated reporters fail to report more than half of their suspicions of child maltreatment. Studies consistently conclude mandated reporters indicate a lack of understanding of reporting procedures and indicators of abuse and neglect as reasons for failure to report.

SB 1778 HCA 1 PROMOTES PUBLIC AWARENESS

SB 1778 HCA 1 mandates DCFS to create and make available materials aimed at increasing public knowledge about child abuse and neglect and reporting procedures.

For more information contact Anita Weinberg ([email protected]) or Char Rivette ([email protected]). See reverse for a list of supporting organizations.

IMPROVE REPORTING TO PROTECT ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN SUPPORT SB 1778 HCA 1

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS (AS OF 5/7/19):

Advocacy Network for Children All Our Children’s Advocacy Center Amita Behavioral Health’s Proviso Children’s Advocacy Center Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago April House Children's Advocacy Center Braveheart Children’s Advocacy Center Carrie Lynn Children’s Center Champaign County Children’s Advocacy Center Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center Child Network (Children's Advocacy Centers of Kankakee & Iroquois Counties) Children’s Advocacy Center of DeKalb County Children's Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois Civitas ChildLaw Center at Loyola University Chicago School of Law Cook County Health Illinois Action for Children Illinois Affiliation of Marriage and Family Therapists Illinois Association of School Social Workers Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics Illinois Chapter – Foster Care Alumni of America Illinois Collaboration on Youth Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Office of the Inspector General JCFS Chicago Kane Country Children’s Advocacy Center LaSalle County Children’s Advocacy Center McLean County Children’s Advocacy Center Mercer County Family Crisis Center Office of the Cook County Public Guardian Ounce of Prevention Fund Perry-Jackson Children’s Advocacy Center Prevent Child Abuse Illinois Tazewell County Children's Advocacy Center The Child 1st Center The Guardian Center Two Rivers Children’s Advcaocy Center UCAN Unified Child Advocacy Network University of Illnois Springfield Child Protection Training Academy

For more information contact Anita Weinberg ([email protected]) or Char Rivette ([email protected]).

IMPROVE REPORTING TO PROTECT ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN SUPPORT SB 1778 HCA 1

Will County Children’s Advocacy Center

For more information contact Anita Weinberg ([email protected]) or Char Rivette ([email protected]). See reverse for a list of supporting organizations.