At a Glance
Who must complete it: Members of numerous licensed healthcare, behavioral-health, and education professions.
Minimum training: The underlying NYSED licensure requirement generally requires at least two hours of approved training.
Current update: Mandated reporters, including those who previously completed training, must complete the updated curriculum by November 17, 2026.
Possible addendum: People who completed approved training from November 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025 may be able to complete a short 15-minute addendum.
Important November 17, 2026 Deadline
New York amended its mandated-reporter curriculum to include protocols and guidance for identifying abuse or maltreatment involving children with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Mandated reporters—including individuals who completed earlier versions of the training—must complete the updated curriculum by November 17, 2026.
Approved providers began offering the fully updated curriculum on September 1, 2025.
A person who completed an approved mandated-reporter course between November 1, 2022 and August 31, 2025 may be able to satisfy the additional requirement through a short, approximately 15-minute addendum offered by most approved providers.
A person who completed training before November 1, 2022 should generally expect to complete the current updated training rather than only the addendum.
Which Professions Are Subject to the Requirement?
NYSED identifies child-abuse training requirements for the following licensed professions:
- Athletic trainers.
- Certified behavior analyst assistants.
- Chiropractors.
- Creative arts therapists.
- Dental hygienists.
- Dentists.
- Licensed behavior analysts.
- Licensed clinical social workers.
- Licensed master social workers.
- Marriage and family therapists.
- Mental health counselors.
- Nurse practitioners.
- Optometrists.
- Physicians.
- Podiatrists.
- Psychoanalysts.
- Psychologists.
- Registered professional nurses.
New York also requires applicable training for people seeking certain teaching, administrative, supervisory, and school-service certificates.
The exact point at which documentation is required can differ by profession. It may be connected to initial licensure, a limited permit, certification, registration renewal, or a statewide curriculum-update deadline.
Is the Requirement One-Time or Recurring?
The original professional-licensure requirement is generally described as a one-time requirement involving at least two hours of approved coursework.
However, a one-time licensure requirement does not prevent New York from requiring existing mandated reporters to complete a substantially updated curriculum.
New York has issued statewide curriculum-update requirements, including:
- Updated content addressing implicit bias, adverse childhood experiences, and recognizing abuse during virtual interactions, with an April 1, 2025 deadline.
- Additional content concerning children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, with a November 17, 2026 deadline.
Professionals should therefore distinguish between:
- The original licensure or certification requirement; and
- Later requirements to complete an updated mandated-reporter curriculum.
Can My Professional Education Program Satisfy the Requirement?
Graduates of certain New York State-registered professional programs may have completed the required child-abuse training as part of their education.
For covered programs, graduates after the applicable statutory effective date may not need to take separate training for the original licensure requirement.
This does not necessarily eliminate the obligation to complete a later statewide curriculum update.
Medical residency training is treated differently. A medical residency occurs after the individual receives the underlying professional education and is not required to include the NYSED child-abuse curriculum. An out-of-state medical graduate should not assume that training received during a New York residency satisfies the licensure requirement.
How Do I Find an Approved Provider?
Use a provider listed by the New York State Education Department for Child Abuse Identification and Reporting training.
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services developed the curriculum that approved providers must offer. OCFS is also listed as an approved provider and offers a free training option.
The NYSED provider directory identifies providers that offer online training. Fees, schedules, course lengths, and formats may vary.
Some providers offer programs longer than the minimum required time. Confirm that the offering includes the current curriculum and, when relevant, the material required for the November 17, 2026 update.
What Documentation Is Required?
An approved provider must issue authorized documentation after the participant completes the training.
Depending on the person’s profession and circumstances, the Certification of Completion may need to be submitted with:
- An initial license application.
- A limited-permit application.
- A certification application.
- A registration or re-registration.
- Documentation requested by NYSED.
NYSED provides online processes through which applicants and current licensees can upload required documentation.
Keep a copy of every certificate, addendum record, and submission confirmation for your records.
Are Exemptions Available?
A professional may apply for an exemption when the nature of the person’s practice creates no need for the training.
NYSED states that an exemption may be considered when a professional:
- Has no professional contact with people under age 18; and
- Has no contact with certain adults with disabilities who reside in a residential-care school or facility.
Exemptions are limited and are not automatic. The professional must submit the appropriate application and receive approval from NYSED.
Separate historical exemptions may apply to some education professionals who held permanent New York credentials on or before September 1, 1990 and who have not applied for additional credentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q I completed mandated-reporter training years ago. Must I take it again? ▶
Under the current update, mandated reporters who previously completed training must complete curriculum that includes the newly required material by November 17, 2026.
Q I completed the course between November 1, 2022 and August 31, 2025. What do I need? ▶
You may be able to complete an approximately 15-minute addendum addressing the new intellectual- and developmental-disability material. Check with an approved provider.
Q I completed the fully updated course after September 1, 2025. Do I need the addendum? ▶
The fully updated curriculum offered beginning September 1, 2025 should already include the new material. Retain your certificate and confirm that the course was an approved current offering.
Q Is this the same as general continuing education? ▶
No. It is a mandated training requirement connected to professional duties, licensure, certification, or mandated-reporter status. It may also provide continuing education credit, but that depends on the provider and profession.
Q Does every participant submit a certificate to NYSED? ▶
Submission requirements vary by profession and circumstance. Follow the instructions provided by your licensing or certifying agency and retain a copy of your documentation.