California’s youth service organizations have new mandated reporter training requirements under AB 506, a bill that seeks to better protect children against child abuse and sexual abuse.
Find out what AB 506 means for administrators, employees, and volunteers of youth services organizations.
AB 506: Mandated Reporter Training Requirements for Youth Service Organizations
AB 506 is specifically written to prevent child abuse and sexual abuse in youth service organizations and businesses that provide services to minors.
Under AB506, a “business that provides services to minors” means a non-profit or for-profit business that meets the following requirements:
- Primary purpose is providing extracurricular services or instructions to youth under 18 years of age (does not include daycare or child care providers)
- Has adult employees with supervisory or disciplinary power over a child/ children
Under AB506, administrators, employees, and regular volunteers of youth service organizations are required to complete child abuse and neglect reporting training, also known as mandated reporter training.
Mandated Reporter Training Requirements for Volunteers
Mandated reporter training is a familiar requirement for many professionals who regularly come into contact with youth. California has legislation requiring childcare and daycare professionals, school personnel, as well as HR employees and supervisors of teen workers.
Many other professionals have mandated reporting requirements under California Penal Code § 11165.7, including social workers, clergy, police officers, health care professionals, and more.
How Does AB 506 Define a “Regular Volunteer”?
Under AB 506, a regular volunteer is defined as a volunteer with a youth service organization who is 18 years or older and has direct contact with, or supervises children, for more than
- 16 hours per month, or
- 32 hours per year
Previously, volunteer-specific mandated reporter training courses were available but not required.
However, AB 506 now makes it mandatory for volunteers to take mandated reporter training if they meet the above requirements as a “regular volunteer.”
Proof of Mandated Reporter Training Tied to Insurance Coverage
AB 506 ties an organization’s insurance to proof that all administrators, employees, and regular volunteers have completed their mandated reporter training requirements. Under the law, insurance carriers can request information demonstrating compliance before writing a liability policy.
Additional Requirements Under AB 506
In addition to mandated reporter training requirements, AB 506 includes the following requirements for youth service organizations:
- Background checks with fingerprints to exclude persons with a history of sexual abuse or child abuse
- Policies and procedures to ensure the prevention and reporting of suspected child abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
- The “two-adult-rule”: policies requiring the presence of at least two mandated reporters whenever adults at the organization are in contact with or supervising children.
Meet AB 506 Requirements with Volunteer-Specific Training
Mandated Reporter Training provides profession-specific training courses for mandated reporters.
Our online training and courseware meet the volunteer mandated reporter training requirements under California AB 506.
We can provide online training courses or SCORM-compliant courseware that fits seamlessly into your organization’s existing learning management system (LMS).
Mandated Reporter Training includes certificates of completion so you can easily track which of your volunteers, employees, and administrators have completed their training requirements, and to provide proof of completion for insurance purposes.
