H.B. 120 Enrolled

CHILD WELFARE FUNDING FOR IN-HOME
SERVICES
2004 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Mike Thompson

LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends Child and Family Services.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
. requires the Division of Child and Family Services to seek funding for in-home
services to prevent the removal of children from their homes and promote the
preservation of families.
Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
62A-4a-202, as last amended by Chapter 94, Laws of Utah 2003

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 62A-4a-202 is amended to read:
62A-4a-202. Preventive services -- Family preservation services.
(1) (a) Within appropriations from the Legislature and monies obtained under
Subsection (5), the division shall provide preventive, in-home services and family preservation
services for families whose children are at immediate risk of being removed from the home and
for families in crisis, if:

(i) the child's welfare is not immediately endangered; and
(ii) the division determines that it is possible and appropriate.
(b) In determining whether preventive or family preservation services are reasonable and
appropriate, in keeping with the provisions of Subsection 62A-4a-201 (1) the child's health, safety,
and welfare shall be the paramount concern. The division shall consider whether those services
will be effective within a six-month period, and whether they are likely to prevent reabuse or
continued neglect of the child.
(2) The division shall maintain a statewide inventory of early intervention, preventive, and
family preservation services available through public and private agencies or individuals for use by
caseworkers. The inventory shall include:
(a) the method of accessing each service;
(b) eligibility requirements for each service; and
(c) the geographic areas and the number of families that can be served by each service,
and information regarding waiting lists for each service.
(3) As a part of its preventive services, the division shall provide family preservation
services that are short-term, intensive, crisis intervention programs, and that address:
(a) the safety of children;
(b) the physical and emotional needs of parents and children[; the division shall also
evaluate], including evaluating specific needs of the family, including depression, addiction, and
mental illness;
(c) the child's physical surroundings, including cleaning and repairing physical housing,
and addressing needs for necessities such as food, heat, and electricity;
(d) personal cleanliness, nutrition, and provision of personal grooming supplies and
clothing;
(e) budgeting, money management, and employment; and
(f) parenting skills, including nonviolent discipline, nurturing, and structure, and teaching
responsibility, respect for others, cooperation, and moral values.
(4) (a) The division may use only specially trained caseworkers or private providers to

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provide the family preservation services described in Subsection (3).
(b) Family preservation caseworkers may only be assigned a minimum number of families,
but the division shall require that they be available 24 hours for an intensive period of at least six
weeks, and that they respond to an assigned family within 24 hours.
(c) The division shall allow family preservation caseworkers to be creative and flexible in
responding to the needs of each individual family.
(5) To provide, expand, and improve the delivery of in-home services to prevent the
removal of children from their homes and promote the preservation of families, the division shall
make substantial effort to obtain funding, including:
(a) federal grants;
(b) federal waivers; and
(c) private monies.

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