About : Statute S7643-A Expanding CHAMP's Role

Introduced by Sens. MEIER, SPANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services, Children and Families -- reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the social services law, child abuse medical provider program

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 422-c to read as follows:

§ 422-c. Establishment of the child abuse medical provider program (CHAMP). 1. The child abuse medical provider program shall be established by the office of children and family services and operated by the child abuse referral and evaluation (CARE) program of the SUNY Upstate medical university, provided other similarly qualified organizations may also operate a CHAMP program, to improve access to quality medical care for suspected child abuse victims by providing training in the assessment and diagnostic skills for medical providers to identify and treat child abuse victims and by developing and providing continuing education and mentoring to certain persons mandated to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title. CHAMP shall be a network of expert child abuse medical professionals, that provides a comprehensive source of child abuse information that offers resources and educational tools created to assist and educate mandated reporters in the identification of child abuse and maltreatment.

2. The CHAMP program shall provide information, training and mentoring on child abuse or neglect to certain persons mandated to report suspected child abuse or maltreatment pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this title, and may include, but not be limited to:
(a) distant learning;
(b) a web based curriculum;
(c) video conferencing;
(d) workshops;
(e) mailings;
(f) self-study courses;
(g) continued learning through case conferences and peer review; and
(h) direct training of medical providers.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

BILL NUMBER: S7643A

SPONSOR: MEIER

TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the child abuse medical provider program

PURPOSE:
This bill establishes the Child Abuse Medical Provider Program (CHAMP) in statute so that this program's important work continues. CHAMP is a network of medical professionals who improve access to quality medical care for suspected child abuse victims by providing information, continuing education, and mentoring to certain individuals mandated to report child abuse.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill creates a new section 422-c of the social services law to have the Office of Children and Family Services establish the Child Abuse Medical Provider Program (CHAMP) which shall be operated by the Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation (CARE) Program of the SUNY Upstate Medical University, provided other similarly qualified organizations may also operate a CHAMP program, to improve access to quality medical care for suspected child abuse victims by providing information, continuing education, mandated to report child

Section two of the bill provides for an immediate effective date.

EXISTING LAW:
While the CHAMP program is not in statute, there has been appropriation language which provided funding through the Department of Health over the years. The 2006-07 budget includes additional funding through the Office of Children and Family Services.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New legislation.

JUSTIFICATION:
Medical professionals including doctors, dentists, physician assistants, nurses practitioners, and nurses are mandated to report instances they believe to be child abuse and are looked to as a source of expertise when a child is believed to be sexually or physically abused. It is imperative that medical professionals have a professional source for information and referrals when faced with a possible case of child abuse.

CHAMP is a network of medical professionals committed to making sure other medical professionals have as much information as possible to identify, refer and/or treat an allegedly abused child. It is also committed to helping expand the number of medical professionals who can serve as experts in the field of child abuse.

Providing medical professionals with information, referrals, training and mentoring on child abuse is vitally important. The State, recognizing how important this is, allocated $500,000 in new money this year to facilitate the CHAMP programs work. This bill establishes the program in the Office of Children and Family Services so that it will become an even more effective part of New York’s efforts to protect, treat children who have been sexually or physically abused.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The 2006-07 budget include $500,000 for the CHAMP program.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.