1Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
2Consolidated Statutes, further providing for education and
3training.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Section 6383(a) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
7Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

8§ 6383. Education and training.

9(a) Duties of department and county agencies.--

10(1) The department and each county agency, both jointly
11and individually, shall conduct a continuing publicity and
12education program for the citizens of this Commonwealth aimed
13at the prevention of child abuse and child neglect, including
14the prevention of newborn abandonment, the identification of
15abused and neglected children and the provision of necessary
16ameliorative services to abused and neglected children and
17their families.

1(2) The department and each county agency shall conduct
2an ongoing training and education program for local staff,
3persons required to make reports and other appropriate
4persons in order to familiarize those persons with the
5reporting and investigative procedures for cases of suspected
6child abuse and the rehabilitative services that are
7available to children and families.

8(3) In addition, the department shall, by regulation,
9establish a program of training and certification for persons
10classified as protective services workers[. The regulations
11shall provide for the] that includes the following:

12(i) The grandfathering of all current permanent
13protective services workers as certified protective
14services workers.

15(ii) Upon request by the county agency and approval
16of the department, the agency may conduct the training of
17the county's protective services workers.

18(iii) Basic training on drug and alcohol abuse and
19addiction, warning signs of drug and alcohol problems,
20methods of referral for assessment and treatment of
21addiction.

22* * *

23Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.