Committee backs bill to require child‑abuse training for health care providers, reduces hour requirement and makes it CME credit

The House Children and Family Law Committee on March 4 voted to recommend House Bill 493, which would require education on child abuse and neglect for certain health care providers as a condition of licensure, amended to make the training one hour and to count it toward providers’ continuing medical education (CME) requirements.

The committee’s vote came after multiple hours of testimony from medical practitioners, the Office of Child Advocate and professional associations, with proponents citing missed cases of abuse and opponents warning against a statutory mandate. The committee approved the bill as amended by voice/roll call and then by roll call 13–0 in favor of the recommendation to pass with amendment (OTPA).

The bill’s proponents said mandatory training is needed because voluntary courses have not reached enough clinicians. Cassandra Sanchez, child advocate for the state of New Hampshire, told the committee that her office identified nine non‑ambulatory infants who presented to emergency departments with multiple broken…