Continuing Education for Commonwealth Employees Who Work with Domestic or Family Violence Cases and Who are Required to Report Abuse and Neglect of Children

Continuing Education for Commonwealth Employees Who Work with Domestic or Family Violence Cases and Who are Required to Report Abuse and Neglect of Children. (a) The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs shall provide courses of continuing education concerning domestic and family violence for Commonwealth employees: (1) Who work with cases of domestic or family violence; and (2) Who are required by law to report abuse or neglect of children. (b) The courses must be prepared and presented in consultation with public and private agencies that provide programs for victims of domestic or family violence and programs of intervention for perpetrator, advocates for victims and the Family Violence Task Force. (c) The courses must include but are not limited to the following topics: (1) The nature, extent, and causes of domestic or family violence; (2) Practices designed to promote safety of the victim and other family and household members, including safety plans; (3) Resources available for victims and perpetrators of domestic or family violence; (4) Sensitivity to gender bias and cultural, racial, and sexual issues; and (5) The lethality of domestic or family violence. (d) As used in this section “Commonwealth employees who work with cases on domestic or family violence” include: (1) Probation Officers; (2) Workers in child protective services; (3) Psychologists; psychiatrists; therapists; and counselors; (4) Social Workers; (5) Court appointed special advocates; (6) Mediators; (7) Custody-evaluators; and (8) Emergency Room and Primary Care Physicians, Physician’s Assistants and Nurses. Source: PL 12-19, § 2 (409).