The Florida Senate

415.5015  Child abuse prevention training in the district school system.--

(1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the "Child Abuse Prevention Training Act of 1985."

(2)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--It is the intent of the Legislature that primary prevention training for all children in kindergarten through grade 12 be encouraged in the district school system through the training of school teachers, guidance counselors, parents, and children.

(3)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section:

(a)  "Department" means the Department of Education.

(b)  "Child abuse" means those acts as defined in ss. 39.01, 415.503, and 827.04.

(c)  "Primary prevention and training program" means a training and educational program for children, parents, and teachers which is directed toward preventing the occurrence of child abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, child neglect, and drug and alcohol abuse, and toward reducing the vulnerability of children through training of children and through including coordination with, and training for, parents and school personnel.

(d)  "Prevention training center" means a center as described in subsection (5).

(4)  PRIMARY PREVENTION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.--A primary prevention and training program shall include all of the following, as appropriate for the persons being trained:

(a)  Information provided in a clear and nonthreatening manner, describing the problem of sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and alcohol and drug abuse, and the possible solutions.

(b)  Information and training designed to counteract common stereotypes about victims and offenders.

(c)  Crisis counseling techniques.

(d)  Available community resources and ways to access those resources.

(e)  Physical and behavioral indicators of abuse.

(f)  Rights and responsibilities regarding reporting.

(g)  School district procedures to facilitate reporting.

(h)  Caring for a child's needs after a report is made.

(i)  How to disclose incidents of abuse.

(j)  Child safety training and age-appropriate self-defense techniques.

(k)  The right of every child to live free of abuse.

(l)  The relationship of child abuse to handicaps in young children.

(m)  Parenting, including communication skills.

(n)  Normal and abnormal child development.

(o)  Information on recognizing and alleviating family stress caused by the demands required in caring for a high-risk or handicapped child.

(p)  Supports needed by school-age parents in caring for a young child.

(5)  PREVENTION TRAINING CENTERS; FUNCTIONS; SELECTION PROCESS; MONITORING AND EVALUATION.--

(a)  Each training center shall perform the following functions:

1.  Act as a clearinghouse to provide information on prevention curricula which meet the requirements of this section and the requirements of ss. 231.17, 236.0811, and 415.501.

2.  Assist the local school district in selecting a prevention program model which meets the needs of the local community.

3.  At the request of the local school district, design and administer training sessions to develop or expand local primary prevention and training programs.

4.  Provide assistance to local school districts, including, but not limited to, all of the following: administration, management, program development, multicultural staffing, and community education, in order to better meet the requirements of this section and of ss. 231.17, 236.0811, and 415.501.

5.  At the request of the Department of Education or the local school district, provide ongoing program development and training to achieve all of the following:

a.  Meet the special needs of children, including, but not limited to, the needs of disabled and high-risk children.

b.  Conduct an outreach program to inform the surrounding communities of the existence of primary prevention and training programs and of funds to conduct such programs.

6.  Serve as a resource to the Department of Children and Family Services and its districts.

(b)  The department, in consultation with the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, shall select and award grants by January 1, 1986, for the establishment of three private, nonprofit prevention training centers: one located in and serving South Florida, one located in and serving Central Florida, and one located in and serving North Florida. The department, in consultation with the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, shall select an agency or agencies to establish three training centers which can fulfill the requirements of this section and meet the following requirements:

1.  Have demonstrated experience in child abuse prevention training.

2.  Have shown capacity for training primary prevention and training programs as defined in ²subsection (4).

3.  Have provided training and organizing technical assistance to the greatest number of private prevention and training programs.

4.  Have employed the greatest number of trainers with experience in private child abuse prevention and training programs.

5.  Have employed trainers which represent the cultural diversity of the area.

6.  Have established broad community support.

(c)  The department shall monitor and evaluate primary prevention and training programs utilized in the local school districts and shall monitor and evaluate the impact of the prevention training centers on the implementation of primary prevention programs and their ability to meet the required responsibilities of a center as described in this section.

(6)  The Department of Education shall administer this act and in so doing is authorized to adopt rules and standards necessary to implement the specific provisions of this act.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 85-248; s. 49, ch. 86-220; s. 129, ch. 97-101; s. 67, ch. 97-190.

¹Note.--The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was redesignated as the Department of Children and Family Services by s. 5, ch. 96-403, and the Department of Health was created by s. 8, ch. 96-403.

²Note.--Definition of the term may be found at subsection (3).