Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove’s (D-Los Angeles) bill, AB 189 (Kamlager-Dove) that would designate autism professionals as mandated reporters passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee with unanimous support. The bill now heads to the Appropriations Committee. AB 189 clarifies that all Qualified Autism Service Practitioners (QASPs) are considered mandated reporters under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA). Mandated reporters are people who are required by law to report known or suspected child maltreatment.
“Including qualified autism professionals as mandated reporters reduces confusion among the autism provider types as to who is a mandated reporter,” Assemblymember Kamlager-Dove said. “By clarifying that all autism service providers and paraprofessionals are mandated reporters, more children will be protected from continued abuse.”
Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently are unable to advocate for themselves. Those with ASD are at increased risk of child abuse than typically developing children.
Licensed providers (Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Board of Behavioral Sciences licensees etc.) already are mandated reporters. However, Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Analysts, Behavior Analysts and Behavior Management Assistants are not licensed in CA and thus don’t have a reporting requirement.
Assembly District 54 consists of Baldwin Hills, Cheviot Hills, the Crenshaw District, Century City, Culver City, Ladera Heights, Mar Vista, Palms, Rancho Park, Westwood and parts of South Los Angeles and Inglewood.
