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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
kinship foster care; hearings; reports
Purpose
Specifies that the requirement that the Department of Child Safety (DCS) file documentation with the court regarding attempts made to contact a child's adult relatives or persons with a significant relationship to the child (kinship caregivers) applies to each subsequent review and report or permanency planning hearing after the child is taken into temporary custody.
Background
DCS was
established with the primary purpose of protecting children. Required DCS
duties necessary to achieve that purpose include: 1) investigating reports of
abuse and neglect;
2) assessing, promoting and supporting the safety of a child in a safe and
stable family; 3) working cooperatively with law enforcement regarding reports
that include criminal conduct allegations; and 4) without compromising child
safety, coordinating services to achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of
the child, strengthen the family and provide child-safety prevention,
intervention and treatment services (A.R.S.
§ 8-451).
If a child is taken into temporary custody, as part of the ongoing search, DCS must use due diligence in an initial search to identify and notify any kinship caregivers within 30 days. The placement of a child who is in DCS custody is determined by the best interests of the child, and DCS must establish kinship foster care services for a child who has been removed from the child's home (A.R.S. §§ 8-514.03 and 8-514.07). In 2023, the Legislature passed H.B. 2313, which prescribed various procedures for DCS to follow when conducting a search to identify a child's kinship caregivers, including that DCS must file documentation with the court regarding attempts made to identify and notify any kinship caregivers within 30 days of the child being taken into temporary custody and at each subsequent hearing (Laws 2023, Ch. 87).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Specifies that DCS must file documentation with the court at each review and report hearing or permanency planning hearing regarding attempts made by DCS to identify and notify a child's kinship caregivers within 30 days of the child being taken into temporary custody.
2. Makes technical changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
HHS 1/29/24 DP 10-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/20/24 57-0-2-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 1, 2024
MM/KS/slp