PA Family Support Alliance Names New Director to Guide Training for Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Christina E. Phillips, a former practice improvement specialist with the Child Welfare Training Program, which is based in Mechanicsburg and affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, has been named director of training for the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA).

Phillips, who has experience in child welfare at the local, state, and federal levels, will be in charge of training "mandated reporters" to recognize and report suspected child abuse and neglect.

PFSA is the top organization in Pennsylvania for training mandated reporters—individuals who come into contact with children through their occupation, the course of their employment, or the practice of their profession and are required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect.

The nonprofit agency provided training to 7,540 individuals statewide during its recently ended 2009-2010 program year.

Before joining the Child Welfare Training Program, Phillips served as associate director of the National Center for Child Death Review in Washington, D.C., and held several positions in the Office of Children, Youth and Families in the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare in Harrisburg. She also worked as a caseworker for Lebanon County Children and Youth Services.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lebanon Valley College. She lives in Lebanon.

"Ms. Phillips brings a highly valued breadth of experience to the position of director of training," said PFSA Executive Director Angela M. Liddle. "She is thoroughly grounded in the field of child welfare, knows the system inside and out, and understands the challenges that mandated reporters face in carrying out their responsibilities. She will be a terrific asset as we work to expand the reach of our training."

PFSA works through schools, early childhood education centers, religious institutions, and social service agencies to teach mandated reporters to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect and how to appropriately report such cases.

Earlier this year PFSA launched online training to serve professionals who already have had live, face-to-face training and are seeking a refresher or an update. The agency is also supporting legislation that would require mandated reporters employed by schools to undergo periodic training.

In addition to providing training, PFSA works with affiliated member agencies across Pennsylvania to offer information, educational materials, and programs that teach and support good parenting practices.

For more information, visit the PFSA Web site at www.pa-fsa.org. To report suspected child abuse or neglect call ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313.

SOURCE PA Family Support Alliance

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