Pennsylvania Code › Title 49 - PROFESSIONAL AND VOCATIONAL STANDARDS › Part I - DEPARTMENT OF STATE › Subpart A - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 49 - STATE BOARD OF SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS AND PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS-LICENSURE OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS › CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS › Section 49.58 - Child abuse recognition and reporting- mandatory training requirement

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) Except as
					 provided in subsection (c), individuals applying to the Board for a license as
					 a professional counselor 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 §
											49.59 (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), licensed professional counselors 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 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 §
											49.59 (relating to child abuse
					 recognition and reporting course approval process). 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 within the applicable biennial renewal period or the licensee
					 has obtained an exemption under subsection (c). If a licensee holds more than
					 one license issued by the Board, or holds a license issued by another licensing
					 Board within the Bureau that requires mandatory training in child abuse
					 recognition and reporting, credit for completion of an approved course will be
					 applied to both licenses.
(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 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.
(iv) For purposes of licensure renewal, the
					 training must have been completed during the relevant biennial renewal
					 period.