This book is designed to educate students and professionals in practice across the United States about what it means to be a mandated reporter and help them consider their professional role as a mental or behavioral health professional. This book will provide definitions, explanations, case examples, discussion questions, and questions of all kinds that relate to different aspects of the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment. This book has been designed to be used as a supplement to other training on reporting child maltreatment, including classroom-based training provided through professional education programs. However, this book can also be used as a stand-alone resource for professionals in various stages of practice who want some more guidance about what to think about when they are considering a report to CPS. There are a lot of resources out there designed to assist professionals who are considering making a report to CPS. This book, and related trainings, provides a unique but important perspective to this process. This book starts with YOU.
