Foster Care Prevention Services

Child welfare - foster care prevention services - qualified residential treatment programs - federal compliance. The act authorizes the department of human services (department) to establish and implement a foster care prevention services program for families with children and youth who are candidates for foster care but who can safely remain at home with receipt of foster care prevention services. Eligible recipients of foster care prevention services include children and youth and their parents, legal custodians, legal guardians, and kin caregivers when their needs are directly related to the safety, permanent placement, or well-being of the child or youth.

If a child or youth is placed in a qualified residential treatment program (QRTP), the court or the administrative review division of the department is required to review the assessment and needs of the child or youth and determine whether placement in the QRTP is appropriate.

The act requires a county department of human or social services (county department) to submit certain evidence to the court during each review and permanency hearing of a child or youth placed in a QRTP. A county department may provide foster care prevention services to a child or youth and the parents or kin caregivers of the child or youth upon the receipt of a report of intrafamilial abuse or neglect or human trafficking.

The act adds the federal "Family First Prevention Services Act" as a program to be administered by the department. The act also adds foster care prevention services to the definition of child welfare services. The act requires the department to implement the utilization of foster care prevention services and qualified residential treatment programs when the federal government approves the state's five year Title IV-E prevention plan.

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