Speak Up to Protect Every Abused Kid Act

Casey, Robert P., Jr.

Speak Up to Protect Every Abused Kid Act This bill establishes and modifies certain requirements related to mandatory reporting of suspected and known incidents of child abuse. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants for campaigns to educate the public and for training about (1) state child abuse or neglect laws, and (2) the responsibility to report suspected incidents of such abuse or neglect. Further, for a state to be eligible for various grants supporting child abuse or neglect treatment and prevention programs, the state must provide assurances that it has mandatory reporting requirements in place for specified individuals who provide services involving children (e.g., health care providers, school personnel, child care employees, and volunteers). States must (1) provide training to these individuals about reporting abuse, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of the state's reporting requirements. The bill also revises reporting requirements for child abuse or neglect treatment and prevention grants to include data about changes in the rates of child abuse reporting and child abuse fatalities.