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S.B. 149

             1     

DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

             2     
AMENDMENTS

             3     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Allen M. Christensen

             6     
House Sponsor: Paul Ray

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill amends Title 62A, Chapter 4a, Child and Family Services by making technical
             11      changes and clarifications.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    makes clarifications and technical changes.
             15      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             16          None
             17      Other Special Clauses:
             18          None
             19      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             20      AMENDS:
             21          62A-4a-105, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 186
             22     
             23      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             24          Section 1. Section 62A-4a-105 is amended to read:
             25           62A-4a-105. Division responsibilities.
             26          (1) The division shall:
             27          [(1)] (a) administer services to minors and families, including:


             28          (i) child welfare services[,];
             29          (ii) domestic violence services[,]; and
             30          (iii) all other responsibilities that the Legislature or the executive director may assign
             31      to the division;
             32          (b) provide the following services:
             33          (i) financial and other assistance to an individual adopting a child with special needs
             34      under Part 9, Adoption Assistance, not to exceed the amount the division would provide for the
             35      child as a legal ward of the state;
             36          (ii) non-custodial and in-home preventative services, including:
             37          (A) services designed to prevent family break-up; and
             38          (B) family preservation services;
             39          (iii) reunification services to families whose children are in substitute care in
             40      accordance with the requirements of this chapter and Title 78A, Chapter 6, Juvenile Court Act
             41      of 1996;
             42          (iv) protective supervision of a family, upon court order, in an effort to eliminate abuse
             43      or neglect of a child in that family;
             44          (v) shelter care in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and Title 78A,
             45      Chapter 6, Juvenile Court Act of 1996;
             46          (vi) domestic violence services, in accordance with the requirements of federal law;
             47          (vii) protective services to victims of domestic violence, as defined in Section 77-36-1 ,
             48      and their children, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and Title 78A, Chapter 6,
             49      Part 3, Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings;
             50          (viii) substitute care for dependent, abused, neglected, and delinquent children;
             51          (ix) programs and services for minors who have been placed in the custody of the
             52      division for reasons other than abuse or neglect, under Section 62A-4a-250 ; and
             53          (x) training for staff and providers involved in the administration and delivery of
             54      services offered by the division in accordance with this chapter;
             55          [(2)] (c) establish standards for all:
             56          (i) contract providers of out-of-home care for minors and families;
             57          (ii) facilities that provide substitute care for dependent, abused, neglected, and
             58      delinquent children placed in the custody of the division; and


             59          (iii) direct or contract providers of domestic violence services described in Subsection
             60      (1)(b)(vi);
             61          (d) have authority to:
             62          (i) contract with a private, nonprofit organization to recruit and train foster care
             63      families and child welfare volunteers in accordance with Section 62A-4a-107.5 ; and
             64          (ii) approve facilities that meet the standards established under Subsection (1)(c) to
             65      provide substitute care for dependent, abused, neglected, and delinquent children placed in the
             66      custody of the division;
             67          [(3)] (e) cooperate with the federal government in the administration of child welfare
             68      and domestic violence programs and other human service activities assigned by the department;
             69          [(4) provide for the compilation of]
             70          (f) in accordance with Subsection (2)(a), promote and enforce state and federal laws
             71      enacted for the protection of abused, neglected, dependent, delinquent, ungovernable, and
             72      runaway children, and status offenders, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter,
             73      unless administration is expressly vested in another division or department of the state;
             74          (g) cooperate with the Employment Development Division in the Department of
             75      Workforce Services in meeting the social and economic needs of an individual who is eligible
             76      for public assistance;
             77          (h) compile relevant information, statistics, and reports on child and family service
             78      matters in the state;
             79          [(5)] (i) prepare and submit to the department, the governor, and the Legislature reports
             80      of the operation and administration of the division in accordance with the requirements of
             81      Sections 62A-4a-117 and 62A-4a-118 ;
             82          [(6) promote and enforce state and federal laws enacted for the protection of abused,
             83      neglected, dependent, delinquent, ungovernable, and runaway children, and status offenders, in
             84      accordance with the requirements of this chapter, unless administration is expressly vested in
             85      another division or department of the state. In carrying out the provisions of this Subsection
             86      (6), the division shall cooperate with the juvenile courts, the Division of Juvenile Justice
             87      Services, and with all public and private licensed child welfare agencies and institutions to
             88      develop and administer a broad range of services and supports. The division shall take the
             89      initiative in all matters involving the protection of abused or neglected children if adequate


             90      provisions have not been made or are not likely to be made, and shall make expenditures
             91      necessary for the care and protection of those children, within the division's budget. Except to
             92      the extent provided by rule made by the division on or after May 10, 2011, the division is not
             93      responsible for investigating domestic violence in the presence of a child as described in
             94      Section 76-5-109.1 ;]
             95          [(7) provide substitute care for dependent, abused, neglected, and delinquent children,
             96      establish standards for substitute care facilities, and approve those facilities;]
             97          [(8) provide adoption assistance to persons adopting children with special needs under
             98      Part 9, Adoption Assistance, of this chapter. The financial support provided under this
             99      Subsection (8) may not exceed the amounts the division would provide for the child as a legal
             100      ward of the state;]
             101          [(9) cooperate with the Employment Development Division in the Department of
             102      Workforce Services in meeting social and economic needs of individuals eligible for public
             103      assistance;]
             104          [(10) conduct court-ordered home evaluations for the district and juvenile courts with
             105      regard to child custody issues. The court shall order either or both parties to reimburse the
             106      division for the cost of that evaluation, in accordance with the community rate for that service
             107      or with the department's fee schedule rate;]
             108          [(11) provide noncustodial and in-home preventive services, designed to prevent
             109      family breakup, family preservation services, and reunification services to families whose
             110      children are in substitute care in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and Title
             111      78A, Chapter 6, Juvenile Court Act of 1996;]
             112          [(12) provide protective supervision of a family, upon court order, in an effort to
             113      eliminate abuse or neglect of a child in that family;]
             114          [(13) establish programs and provide services to minors who have been placed in the
             115      custody of the division for reasons other than abuse or neglect, pursuant to Section
             116      62A-4a-250 ;]
             117          [(14) provide shelter care in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and Title
             118      78A, Chapter 6, Juvenile Court Act of 1996;]
             119          [(15) provide social studies and reports for the juvenile court in accordance with
             120      Section 78A-6-605 ;]


             121          [(16) arrange for and provide training for staff and providers involved in the
             122      administration and delivery of services offered by the division in accordance with this chapter;]
             123          [(17) provide domestic violence services in accordance with the requirements of
             124      federal law, and establish standards for all direct or contract providers of domestic violence
             125      services. Within appropriations from the Legislature, the division shall provide or contract for
             126      a variety of domestic violence services and treatment methods;]
             127          (j) provide social studies and reports for the juvenile court in accordance with Section
             128      78A-6-605 ;
             129          (k) within appropriations from the Legislature, provide or contract for a variety of
             130      domestic violence services and treatment methods;
             131          (l) subject to Subsection (2)(b), conduct court-ordered home evaluations for the district
             132      and juvenile courts with regard to child custody issues;
             133          [(18)] (m) ensure regular, periodic publication, including electronic publication,
             134      regarding the number of children in the custody of the division who:
             135          (i) have a permanency goal of adoption[, or for whom]; or
             136          (ii) have a final plan of termination of parental rights [has been approved], pursuant to
             137      Section 78A-6-314 , and promote adoption of those children;
             138          [(19) provide protective services to victims of domestic violence, as defined in Section
             139      77-36-1 , and their children, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and of Title 78A,
             140      Chapter 6, Part 3, Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings;]
             141          [(20)] (n) subject to Subsection (2)(c), refer an individual receiving services from the
             142      division to the local substance abuse authority or other private or public resource for a
             143      court-ordered drug screening test[. The court shall order the individual to pay all costs of the
             144      tests unless:]; and
             145          [(a) the cost of the drug screening is specifically funded or provided for by other
             146      federal or state programs;]
             147          [(b) the individual is a participant in a drug court; or]
             148          [(c) the court finds that the individual is impecunious;]
             149          [(21) have authority to contract with a private, nonprofit organization to recruit and
             150      train foster care families and child welfare volunteers in accordance with Section
             151      62A-4a-107.5 ; and]


             152          [(22)] (o) perform [such] other duties and functions [as] required by law.
             153          (2) (a) In carrying out the requirements of Subsection (1)(f), the division shall:
             154          (i) cooperate with the juvenile courts, the Division of Juvenile Justice Services, and
             155      with all public and private licensed child welfare agencies and institutions, to develop and
             156      administer a broad range of services and support;
             157          (ii) take the initiative in all matters involving the protection of abused or neglected
             158      children, if adequate provisions have not been made or are not likely to be made; and
             159          (iii) make expenditures necessary for the care and protection of the children described
             160      in this Subsection (2)(a), within the division's budget.
             161          (b) When the division conducts a court-ordered home evaluation for a district or
             162      juvenile court under Subsection (1)(l), the court shall order either or both parties to reimburse
             163      the division for the cost of the evaluation, in accordance with:
             164          (i) the community rate for that service; or
             165          (ii) the department's fee schedule rate.
             166          (c) When an individual is referred to a local substance abuse authority or other private
             167      or public resource for court-ordered drug screening under Subsection (1)(n), the court shall
             168      order the individual to pay all costs of the tests unless:
             169          (i) the cost of the drug screening is specifically funded or provided for by other federal
             170      or state programs;
             171          (ii) the individual is a participant in a drug court; or
             172          (iii) the court finds that the individual is impecunious.
             173          (3) Except to the extent provided by rule, the division is not responsible for
             174      investigating domestic violence in the presence of a child, as described in Section 76-5-109.1 .




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-3-12 2:58 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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