HF4419

Purpose

• To strengthen child care safety by requiring abusive head trauma training for staff, substitutes, and volunteers, and by providing informational resources to reduce the risk of abusive head trauma in young children.

Main Provisions

• Training requirement
  • Before caring for children under school age, the director, staff, substitutes, and unsupervised volunteers must complete abusive head trauma training.
  • Training must occur during orientation and then again each calendar year.
  • The training must be at least 30 minutes long.
  • The training must cover risk factors related to shaking infants and young children and ways to reduce the risk of abusive head trauma.
  • Guidance is provided on how license holders should communicate with parents about reducing the risk.
• Optional use of existing training
  • If abusive head trauma training is completed during orientation, it can be used to meet in-service training requirements under subdivision 9.d.
• Educational materials
  • The commissioner may provide a video presentation on the dangers of shaking infants and young children, which can be used in conjunction with the annual training.
  • License holders must post and maintain a poster (written or approved by the commissioner) with information on risk factors related to shaking and means to reduce the risk of abusive head trauma.
  • The poster must be placed in a readily accessible and conspicuous location for staff, volunteers, children, and visitors.

Implementation Details

• Applicability
  • Applies to child care centers serving children under school age.
• Accessibility and visibility
  • The poster must be placed so it is easily seen by on-site staff, substitutes, volunteers, and those receiving services or visiting the facility.
• Oversight
  • The requirements reference Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 142B.65 subdivision 7 and the commissioner’s role in providing or approving training materials.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a mandatory, annual abusive head trauma training requirement for all relevant staff and volunteers.
• Requires explicit focus on risk factors related to shaking infants and young children and steps to reduce risk.
• Establishes a mandatory poster and the potential use of a state-provided video to support training.
• Creates a formal linkage between orientation training and potential credit toward in-service requirements (subdivision 9.d).

Potential Impacts

• Child care centers will need to schedule and document annual training for all required personnel.
• Facilities must display the approved poster in a prominent, accessible location.
• Parents may receive more consistent messaging about reducing abusive head trauma risk.
• Staff and volunteers may receive more standardized information and resources to prevent harm.

ImplementationNotes

• Training duration is set at a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Training must be renewed each calendar year, ensuring ongoing awareness.

Related Terms and Concepts (for quick reference)

• Abusive head trauma
• Risk factors
• Shaking infants and young children
• Training (orientation and annual in-service)
• Director, staff, substitutes, unsupervised volunteers
• License holder
• Poster (information on risk factors and reduction methods)
• Video presentation on dangers
• Commissioner (state authority)
• Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 142B.65 subdivision 7
• In-service training requirements (subdivision 9.d)

Relevant Terms abusive head trauma; risk factors; shaking infants; training; orientation; annual training; director; staff; substitutes; unsupervised volunteers; license holder; poster; video presentation; commissioner; Minnesota Statutes 142B.65 subdivision 7; in-service training requirements.