Child Welfare Prevention and Intervention Funding

Title IV-E waiver demonstration project - extension - administrative costs in foster care proceedings - allocation of child welfare money to counties - appropriation. The act authorizes the state department of human services (department) to pursue federal reimbursement for Title IV-E administrative costs associated with independent legal representation in foster care proceedings. The act creates a fund for fees collected for reimbursement of these administrative costs.

The act extends the repeal date of the Title IV-E waiver demonstration project by one year to June 30, 2020.

The act clarifies provisions relating to the annual close-out process for small- and medium-sized counties and for all counties, including provisions relating to the allocation of unspent appropriations. The act creates 2 accounts within the child welfare prevention and intervention services cash fund (fund) and relocates general provisions relating to the fund within the statute. The act clarifies that all money in the fund must be used for the delivery of child welfare prevention and intervention services that have been approved by the department.

For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act adjusts the appropriation made to the department of human services in the annual general appropriation act for child welfare services by $9,700,000 to reflect federal child welfare funding allocations, and appropriates $9,700,000 to the child welfare prevention and intervention services cash fund for use for child welfare prevention and intervention services.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)