UNIVERSITY PARK, – Penn State’s professional program designed to help individuals recognize and report suspected child abuse is now available online for University employees.
Approximately 3,500 employees have completed the “Reporting Child Abuse” program since it went live on Feb. 28. In addition, more than 11,000 people also have completed Penn State’s face-to-face training for identifying and preventing abuse.
Last spring, Penn State finalized a new administrative policy, AD-72, “Reporting Suspected Child Abuse,” to provide guidance to University employees regarding mandated reporting requirements according to the University and the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law. The policy requires that all University employees complete the training each calendar year.
Currently the online training is available for University employees only, noted Susan Cromwell, director of workplace learning and performance in Penn State’s Office of Human Resources. Training availability will be expanded to include volunteers and students by the end of May. “In the interim we will continue to offer live training for these groups until all training is online,” she said.
Once fully implemented, the online program will replace the live, face-to-face training. However, face-to-face sessions can still be requested and used in specialized circumstances, noted Susan Basso, vice president for Human Resources.
More than 11,000 authorized adults — employees or volunteers who have responsibility for minors — have completed face-to-face training. The University began live sessions last April to address an immediate need to train authorized adults who would be working with children at numerous summer camps and workshops at University Park and other Penn State campuses across the Commonwealth.
According to Cromwell, the online format greatly simplifies delivery of the training.
“It’s much more accessible,” she said. “Employees, volunteers and students will be able to take the training at their convenience, and we can accurately track all individuals who have been trained. Also, if the law or information changes at any time, we can easily make updates.”
The program is part of Penn State’s initiative to help ensure a safe community for children, with the goal of educating the University community about child abuse and reporting. The program is intended to move people from not only awareness of the issue but toward having the confidence to take action, Basso said.
The training is required for all University employees at every campus location, with the exception of Penn State Hershey Medical Center/College of Medicine, University Health Services and the client representation clinics of the Dickinson School of Law. Each of those units follow the policies and training appropriate to its own unique activities.