Legislature enacts Sen. Diamond’s bill to require mandated reporter training

AUGUSTA — A bill to require mandated reporters of suspected child abuse to undergo periodic training in how to detect warning signs was enacted unanimously by the Maine Senate and sent to the governor on Tuesday.

Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Winthrop.

The bill, LD 622, “An Act to Require Training of Mandated Reporters under the Child Abuse Laws,” was sponsored by Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham.

“This bill ensures that adults who work with children on a daily basis have up-to-date training on how to spot warning signs,” said Sen. Diamond. “By empowering our mandated reporters, we will protect more kids from abuse or neglect and spur more of the investigations that put adults who mistreat children behind bars.”

Dozens of categories of professionals in Maine — including doctors, teachers and religious leaders — are “mandated reporters,” meaning they must report any suspected abuse or neglect of children to the Department of Health and Human Services for investigation.

Maine’s mandated reporter law is designed to ensure that those adults charged with care for Maine children keep a watchful eye to protect youngsters in their charge.

LD 622 is modeled after similar legislation in other states that require such training. It requires mandated reporters to undergo training approved by DHHS every four years.

The governor has 10 days to sign the bill into law, allow the bill to become law without his signature, or veto the bill.

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