The proposed bill, H.B. 2454, amends existing Arizona law regarding the responsibilities of the Department of Child Safety (DCS) in kinship foster care cases. The key change is that DCS is now required to file documentation with the court not only within thirty days of a child being taken into temporary custody but also at each subsequent review and report hearing or permanency planning hearing. This documentation must detail the efforts made to identify and notify the child's adult relatives or significant caregivers, ensuring that these steps are consistently reported throughout the child's custody process.

Additionally, the bill specifies the content of the required documentation, which includes a narrative of the department's efforts, responses from relatives, dates of contact attempts, and reasons for not considering certain relatives for placement. This amendment aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the DCS's efforts to involve kinship caregivers in the care of children in temporary custody. Overall, the bill strengthens the legal framework surrounding kinship foster care by ensuring ongoing communication and documentation throughout the custody process.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-514.07
House Engrossed Version: 8-514.07
Chaptered Version: 8-514.07