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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session |
Senate: HHS DP 8-0-0-0 | 3rd Read 28-0-2-0 |
SB 1307: child services; safety assessment model
Sponsor: Senator Barto, LD 15
Committee on Health & Human Services
Overview
Directs the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to use an evidence-informed safety model to assess the safety of children and include it in their training for DCS investigators.
History
DCS must develop , establish and implement initial screening and safety assessment protocols in consultation with the Attorney General, county attorneys, chiefs of police, sheriffs, medical experts, victims' rights advocates, domestic violence victim advocates and mandatory reporters. Any initial screening and safety assessment tools must be based on sound methodology and ensure valid and reliable responses (A.R.S. § 8-817).
Additionally, DCS must train all its investigators in forensic interviewing, processes and protocols which includes: 1) Uniform safety and risk assessment tools to determine whether the conduct constitutes abuse or neglect and the severity of the abuse or neglect; 2) The duty to protect the legal and due process rights of children and families from the time of the initial contact through case closure; 3) Instruction on a child's rights as a crime victim and instruction on the legal rights of parents; and 4) A checklist or other mechanism to assist the investigator in giving consideration to the relevant factors in each investigation (A.R.S. § 8-456).
Laws 2017, Chapter 282, Sec. 5 established the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the DCS (Committee) to review: 1) DCS's implementation of policies, procedures and program effectiveness; 2) All reports on program outcomes released by DCS to the Legislature for trend and areas for statutory improvement and audits issued by the office of the Auditor General; and 3) policies and procedures relating to guardianships and dependency proceedings.
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to use an evidence-informed safety assessment model to assess the safety of a child and include training on the evidence-informed safety assessment model for DCS investigators. (Sec. 1)
2.
Deletes the requirement that training
for DCS investigators include training in uniform safety and risk assessment
tools. (Sec. 1)
3. Directs DCS to present the new safety assessment model to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on DCS or the committees with jurisdiction over DCS in the Senate and House of Representatives before implementation. (Sec. 1)
4. Clarifies that the safety assessment model must be based on an evidence-informed safety model and ensure valid and reliable responses. (Sec. 2)
5. Requires DCS to apply its safety assessment model uniformly across the state. (Sec. 3)
6. Defines evidence-informed. (Sec. 1)
7. Makes technical and conforming change. (Sec. 1, 3)
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11. SB 1307
12. Initials AG Page 0 Health & Human Services
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