A. A person who serves as a judge, prosecutor, child's attorney, guardian ad litem, treatment guardian, court appointed attorney, court appointed special advocate, foster parent, mental health commissioner or mental health treatment service provider for a child subject to an abuse or neglect petition, a family in need of services petition or a mental health placement shall receive periodic training, to the extent of available resources, to develop his knowledge about children, the physical and psychological formation of children and the impact of ethnicity on a child's needs. Institutions that serve children and their families shall, considering available resources, provide similar training to institutional staff.

B. The training shall include study of:

(1) cross-cultural dynamics and sensitivity;

(2) child development;

(3) family composition and dynamics;

(4) parenting skills and practices;

(5) culturally appropriate treatment plans; and

(6) alternative health practices.

History: 1978 Comp., § 32A-18-1, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 77, § 224; 1995, ch. 206, § 45; 1999, ch. 254, § 4; 2009, ch. 239, § 66.

The 2009 amendment, effective July 1, 2009, in Subsection A, after "prosecutor", added "child's attorney".

Applicability. — Laws 2009, ch. 239, § 71, provided that the provisions of this act apply to all children who, on July 1, 2009, are on release or are otherwise eligible to be placed on release as if the Juvenile Public Safety Advisory Board Act had been in effect at the time they were placed on release or became eligible to be released.

The 1999 amendment, effective July 1, 1999, deleted "resource consultant" following "ad litem" in Subsection A.

The 1995 amendment, effective July 1, 1995, inserted "resource consultant" following "guardian ad litem" in Subsection A.