5981EDA8DC265DA4872583E10062FA87 Hearing Summary CLICS/CLICS2019A/commsumm.nsf PUBLICBILL SUMMARY For HB19-1288SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICESDate Apr 19, 2019 Location SCR 357 HB19-1288 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole 12:02:12 PM Senator Fields and Senator Crowder, bill sponsors, presented House Bill 19-1288. This bill establishes certain rights for siblings in foster care, unless the rights are not in the best interests of one of the siblings. These include the rights to: be placed in foster care homes with siblings; be placed in close geographical distance to siblings; obtain temporary respite placements together, when possible; be placed with families and professionals who have had training on the importance of sibling relationships; be notified about changes in sibling placement or catastrophic events; be included in permanency planning discussions; maintain frequent and meaningful contact; be involved in each other's lives and share celebrations; annually receive contact information for all siblings; have private communications; be provided an explanation if contact with a sibling is restricted or denied; expect that a guardian ad litem will advocate for request contact and visits with siblings; have contact with siblings in any adoptive or guardianship placement; and receive age-appropriate documents from the county department of human services describing these rights. In addition, the bill allows an adult sibling of a youth in foster care to have the right to be considered as a foster care provider, adoptive parent, and relative custodian to their sibling. Finally, the bill requires a county department of human services to develop a sibling contact plan for youth with siblings in foster care. 12:06:09 PM Becky Updike, Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center, testified in support of the bill. 12:07:16 PM Stacey Sanders, Elevating Connections, testified in support of the bill. 12:09:55 PM Davion, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. 12:11:39 PM Bri Lennon, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. 12:14:32 PM Dominique Mallard, Project Foster Power, testified in support of the bill. 12:21:19 PM The witness panel responded to questions. 12:23:41 PM Korey Elger, Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS), testified in support of the bill. 12:28:20 PM Motion Refer House Bill 19-1288 to the Committee of the Whole. Moved Fields Seconded Crowder Yes Smallwood Yes Winter Yes Pettersen Yes Fields Yes Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS 12:28:21 PM Senator Fields recessed the meeting.