More Pennsylvanians getting child abuse recognition training

(Harrisburg) -- More Pennsylvanians have been trained in the last year to recognize and report child abuse.

The Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance says it's seen a 16 percent increase in the number of people mandated to report abuse completing special training.

Executive Director Angela Liddle says the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal is likely motivating people to take action.

"Of course, we've all heard a lot about Penn State, and that really brought a level of outrage for the breach of trust on so many levels. People just are frustrated. They're tired of hearing of these situations and they're tired of feeling kind of inept in how to respond," Liddle says.

She adds the "Front Porch Project" also brought training to 13 communities for people who are not mandated child abuse reporters.

A state law signed in July requires school personnel to undergo training every five years on child abuse and neglect reporting.