HF4384

Purpose

This bill updates requirements for training child care providers on abusive head trauma (AHT). Its goal is to reduce the risk of head injuries in infants and young children by ensuring caregivers are informed and prepared.

Main Provisions

• Applicability: The required training applies to directors, staff, substitutes, and unsupervised volunteers before they may care for children under school age.
• Timing: Training must occur during orientation and then annually in each calendar year.
• Duration: Training must be at least 30 minutes long.
• Content focus: Training must cover risk factors related to shaking infants and young children, and include ways to reduce the risk of abusive head trauma. It must also cover how license holders should communicate with parents about reducing this risk.
• Format: The training must be interactive and cannot be solely reading or viewing information.
• Use of prior training: If the training is completed during orientation, it can count toward in-service training requirements under the relevant provision.
• State resources: The state commissioner must provide a video presentation about the dangers of shaking infants and young children, which may be used in conjunction with the annual training.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Establishes mandatory, annual, interactive AHT training for anyone working with children under school age.
• Requires the training to address risk factors and parent communication about risk reduction.
• Allows orientation training to count toward ongoing in-service requirements.
• Adds a state-provided video resource to support training.

Implementation and Resources

• The commissioner (state department) will provide a video presentation on the dangers of shaking infants and young children to support the required training.

Affected Parties

• Child care facilities and license holders
• Directors, staff, substitutes, and unsupervised volunteers who care for children under school age

Notable Definitions/Terms (from the bill)

• Abusive head trauma (AHT)
• Risk factors related to shaking infants and young children
• Interactive training (not solely reading or viewing)
• Orientation and in-service training requirements
• Communication with parents about reducing risk
• Video presentation on the dangers of shaking infants and young children

Relevant Terms abusive head trauma, AHT, shaking infants, risk factors, child care providers, orientation, inservice training, interactive training, license holder communication with parents, video presentation, dangers of shaking infants and young children