Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SERENA DIMASO
District 13 (Monmouth)
Assemblywoman HOLLY T. SCHEPISI
District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DePhillips
SYNOPSIS
Directs school districts to establish policies and require training for employees on issues regarding child sexual abuse.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning child sexual abuse awareness and supplementing chapter 36 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A school district shall establish a policy designed to increase staff, student, and parent awareness of sexual abuse of children. The policy shall address issues including knowledge of warning signs that a child may be a sexual abuse victim, prevention techniques, actions that a child victim should take to obtain assistance, and available counseling options for students affected by sexual abuse.
b. A school district’s policy under subsection a. of this section shall require that teachers and other school employees complete training which includes, at a minimum, information regarding the following:
(1) factors indicating that a child is at risk for sexual abuse;
(2) recognition of warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse;
(3) internal procedures for seeking assistance for a child who is a victim of sexual abuse or is at risk for sexual abuse, including referral to a school counselor, social worker, or another mental health professional; and
(4) techniques for reducing a child’s risk of sexual abuse.
c. A teaching staff member may satisfy in each annual professional development period one or more hours of the professional development requirement established by the State Board of Education through participation in training programs on child sexual abuse awareness and prevention.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires school districts to establish policies designed to increase staff, student, and parent awareness of child sexual abuse. The policy will address issues including knowledge of warning signs that a child may be a sexual abuse victim, prevention techniques, actions that a child victim should take to obtain assistance, and available counseling options for students affected by sexual abuse.
Under the bill, a school district’s policy must require that teachers and other school employees complete training that includes, at a minimum, information on the following: (1) factors indicating that a child is at risk for sexual abuse; (2) recognition of warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse; (3) internal procedures for seeking assistance for a child who is a victim of sexual abuse or is at risk for sexual abuse, including referral to available counseling options; and (4) techniques for reducing a child’s risk of sexual abuse.
The bill provides that a teaching staff member may satisfy in each annual professional development period one or more hours of the professional development requirement established by the State Board of Education through participating in training programs on child sexual abuse awareness and prevention.