Role of Mental Health Professionals in the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect NBCC approved
Course Description
Target Audience: Social workers, counselor, and other mental health professionals.
Course Content Level: Advanced
Number of CE Hours: 6
Type of CE hours: Clinical
Delivery format: Reading based asynchronous distance learning.
Course completion requirements:
How to Obtain Continuing Education Credit
Please follow the steps below to obtain the necessary contact hours of home study continuing
education credit:
1. Read course objectives.
2. Study the course text:
3. The questions for the final examination are attached here. Answer these questions by marking
your Scantron card:
Write your name on every Scantron card in the space provided. Also write the exam title
in the space marked “Subject”.
True/false examination Mark the Scantron card as follows: Use A for true answers, B for
false answers. Disregard C, D and E.
Multiple-choice questions Choose the letter of the correct answer and mark the Scantron
card accordingly.
Marking the Scantron card Use No. 2 pencil only. Make dark marks. Erase completely to
change.
4. Complete the licensure information on the examination sheet.
5. Return the scantron card, examination sheet and student evaluation of the course.
You’ll need 70% correct score on the post-test for successful completion of the course.
6. Retain a copy of the answers for your record.
Homestead Schools, Inc. is solely responsible for the quality and content of this CE
program and for the selection of its instructor/author, and receives no outside financial
support in the preparation, presentation or implementation of its CE activities.
The sponsor has no affiliation with companies whose products or services are mentioned
in this course material; they are mentioned only for their educational and
informational value. The sponsor’s sole source of revenue is the tuition paid by
participants like you in its CE program.
Instructor Credentials: N/A
ACE Provider Approval Statement: Homestead Schools, Inc., 1070, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Assoiciation of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses for continuing education credit.
ACE provider approval period: 4/2/2023-4/2/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 6 Clinical continuing education credits.
ADA Accomodations: Homestead Schools, Inc. ensures that its facilities accommodate and are accessible according to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Cancellation/Refund Policy: Should you need to cancel your order or if you are not satisfied with the quality of our course material, you can return the course (before a certificate is issued) within 90 days and receive a prompt and full refund (less shipping and handling.)
Course last updated: December, 2024
Learning Objectives
After completing this course you’ll be able to:
- Discuss the types of mental health professionals who work with neglected and abused children, including their varying professional orientations, education, training, and clinical supervision requirements.
- Describe the roles of mental health professionals working with neglected and abused children, such as advocate, educator, consultant, and expert witness.
- List some of the responsibilities of mental health professionals, including reporting abuse and neglect, referrals, prevention, training, and establishing quality assurance standards.
- Explain specific concepts and terms related to the field of child abuse and neglect, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, and neglect.
- List recent data concerning the incidence and effects of abuse and neglect.
- Distinguish between forensic and clinical evaluations in cases of suspected child abuse and neglect.
- Analyze the information to assess suicide risk.
- Discuss mental health treatment concepts and issues including intra-familial child sexual abuse treatment, confidentiality, skill building and education, marital therapy, relationship issues, self-help groups, and interacting with the justice system.
Course Contents
- The Mental Health Professional and Child Abuse
- Mental Health Disciplines and Child Abuse Intervention
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Clinical Social Work
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Counseling
- Art Therapy/Expensive Arts Therapy
- Child Abuse Intervention as a Subspecialty
- Primary and Secondary Prevention
- Tertiary Intervention
- Evaluation and Treatment
- Advocate
- Source of Information and Referrals
- Educator
- Preparing Clients to Testify in Court
- Consultant to County or State Departments of Social Services
- Expert Witness
- Report Child Abuse and Neglect
- Resistance to Child Abuse Reporting Laws
- Inappropriate Interventions
- Whether to Tell the Client that the Mental Health Professional Is Making a Report
- Refer Children for Medical Evaluations
- Prevent Sexual Abuse of Child and Adult Clients by Therapists
- Acquire Knowledge, Skills, and Expertise Through Training
- Establish Quality Assurance Practices and Standards
- Participate on a Multidisciplinary Team
- Operational Definitions
- Physical Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Emotional/Psychological Abuse
- Child Neglect
- Incidence
- Effects of Child Abuse
- Contextual and Developmental Factors
- Physical Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Neglect
- Mental Health Evaluations
- Forensic Evaluations
- Parents
- Clinical Evaluations of Children, Parents and Families
- Assessing Suicidal Risk
- Behavioral Clues to Suicide
- Intrafamilial Child Abuse Treatment
- Isolation
- Poor Communication and Ambiguous Boundaries
- Sexual Distortions
- Intervention Issues
- Assessment of the Child’s Immediate and Long-Term Treatment Needs
- Child’s Safety from Abuse
- Empowerment of the Nonoffending Parent
- Management of Sexualized Behavior
- Skill Building and Education
- Status of the Intrafamilial Perpetrator
- Willingness of the Perpetrator to Assume Genuine Responsibility
- Awareness and Management of Incestuous Thoughts and Behavior
- Marital Therapy
- Reestablishment of the Parent-Child Relationship
- The Comprehensive Sexual Abuse Treatment Program (CSATP)
- Nonfamilial Child Abuse: Providing Support to Parents
- Child Physical Abuse Treatment Components
- Education and Skill Training May Not Be Enough
- Aggression Management
- Self-Help Groups
- Parents Anonymous Model
- Neglecting Families: Intensive In-home Interventions
- Dealing with the Justice System
- Managing the Therapeutic Environment
- Physical Environment
- Support Personnel
- Structure of the Therapeutic Session
- Confidentiality
- Release of Information
- Personal Issues for Mental Health Professionals
- Countertransference
- Stress and Burnout
- Managing Professional and Private Lives
- Responsibilities of Supervisors, Managers, and Administrators
- Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
- State Laws
- Who Reports
- Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
- When to Report
- Where to Report
- How to Report
- Local Program Reporting Requirements
- Local Policies and Procedures for Reporting
- Difficulties Encountered When Reporting
- Personal Feelings
- Program Policies and Practices
- Nature of the Parent-Program Relationship
- Center-Based Programs
- Family Child Care
- Once the Report is Made
- Summary
- Who Must Report
- Circumstances
- Privileged Communications
APPENDIX C: Child Abuse Reporting Numbers
Glossary of Terms