 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
foster youth permanency project team
Purpose
Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to establish a Foster Youth Permanency Project Team (Team) to implement solutions to barriers to permanency for children who are likely to either be in DCS custody at the timing of turning 18 years old or begin participating in the Extended Foster Care Program
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).
As DCS foster care services are generally limited to individuals under the age of 18, DCS may provide extended foster care services through the Extended Foster Care Program to qualified young adults who: 1) were in DCS custody as a dependent child at the time of turning 18 years old; 2) is 18, 19 or 20 years old and is completing education, employed at least 80 hours per month, participating in a program that promotes employment or removes barriers to employment, or is unable to be a full-time student or be employed because of a documented medical condition; and 3) sign a voluntary extended foster care agreement with DCS between the young adult's 18th and 21st birthdays. The Young Adult Administrative Review Panel must review, at least every 6 months, each qualified young adult's voluntary extended foster care case plan, including services and supports provided and needed to assist the young adult's successful transition to adulthood (A.R.S. § 8-521.02).
According to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note, H.B. 2704 may generate increased costs for contracts between the Team and outside professionals. The actual cost cannot be determined (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to establish a Team to implement solutions to barriers to permanency for children who are likely to:
a) be in DCS custody when the child turns 18 years old; or
b) begin participating in the Extended Foster Care Program.
2. Requires the Director of DCS to appoint DCS staff and volunteers with experience or expertise in child welfare to serve as team members.
3. Allows the Director of DCS to appoint additional members who:
a) have expertise or experience in social work;
b) are attorneys with expertise in representing children or experience in child welfare law;
c) have served as guardians ad litem; or
d) have served as court appointed special advocates.
4. Requires the Team to:
a) develop a methodology for selecting children who have the greatest likelihood of turning 18 years old while in DCS custody without having obtained permanency through adoption or a permanent guardianship;
b) thoroughly review the child's case file;
c) convene an initial meeting that includes the child, the child's caregivers and attorney, DCS personnel, guardians ad litem and court appointed special advocates, as applicable and necessary;
d) establish an individualized and written permanency plan for the child;
e) convene ongoing meetings to evaluate the child's progress towards permanency and to amend the child's permanency action plan as necessary;
f) identify specific options to place a child with individuals or families who are willing and able to provide permanency to the child; and
g) take reasonable steps to prevent unwarranted invasions of privacy and protect the privacy and dignity of children subject to a permanency action plan.
5. Grants the Team access to all DCS documents and personnel necessary to perform Team duties.
6. Allows the Team to enter into contracts with:
a) child or adolescent psychiatrists with expertise in effective therapies and assessing proper use of psychotropic medications;
b) attorneys with expertise in social security benefits, education, immigration, disability, adoption, and DCS and child welfare policies; and
c) private investigators who can successfully locate relatives or kin of children who were not previously identified as placement options.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
HHS 2/12/24 DP 8-1-0-1
3rd Read 2/26/24 48-8-3-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 8, 2024
MM/slp