SB 472

Abstract

Foster care; termination of parental rights; independent living needs assessments; supervisory spans of control. Requires local boards of social services and child-placing agencies, if the child has been in the custody of a local board or child-placing agency for 15 of the most recent 22 months and no petition for termination of parental rights has been filed with the court, to include in the petition for a permanency planning hearing the reasons why a petition to terminate parental rights has not been filed and the reasonable efforts made regarding reunification or transfer of custody to a relative. The bill requires that local boards and child-placing agencies provide information to birth parents regarding the parent's option to voluntarily terminate parental rights, and that the Commissioner of Social Services develop clear guidance documents regarding the manner in which such information should be relayed. The bill requires the Board of Social Services to promulgate regulations related to termination of parental rights, independent living needs assessments and plans, and reporting requirements for local boards and child-placing agencies. The bill requires the Commissioner to (i) provide training to local boards and child-placing agencies regarding common errors made related to termination of parental rights and (ii) establish a work group to assess the feasibility and costs of establishing supervisory spans of control for foster care supervisors. The work group shall report its findings by November 30, 2020.

Foster care; termination of parental rights;independent living needs assessments; supervisory spans of control.Requires local boards of social services and child-placing agenciesto include in a petition for a permanency planning hearing a cleardescription of the reasons why a petition to terminate parental rightshas not been filed if the child has been in the custody of a localboard or child-placing agency for 15 months and no petition for terminationof parental rights has been filed with the court. The bill requiresthat local boards and child-placing agencies provide information to birth parents regarding the parent's option to voluntarily terminate parental rights, and that the Commissioner of Social Services developclear guidance documents regarding the manner in which such informationshould be relayed. The bill requires the Board of Social Servicesto promulgate regulations related to termination of parental rights,independent living needs assessments and plans, and reporting requirementsfor local boards and child-placing agencies. The bill requires theCommissioner to (i) provide training to local boards and child-placing agencies regarding common errors made related to termination of parentalrights and (ii) establish a work group to assess the feasibilityand costs of establishing supervisory spans of control for foster care supervisors.