This bill proposes several updates to current statutes regarding child welfare and placement. It introduces new definitions, such as "extended family member," which refers to adults connected to a child by marriage to a biological family member. The bill also modifies existing definitions, such as changing "state operated" to "state-operated" and clarifying terms related to restrictive behavior management. Additionally, it emphasizes the presumption that placement with an adult relative, extended family member, or significant person in the child's life is in the child's best interest, which is a new insertion in the law.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that the department must conduct due diligence in identifying and notifying adult relatives, extended family members, and significant persons within thirty days of a child's temporary custody. It requires written documentation of these efforts and updates on the status of kinship foster care placements every thirty days. The bill also enhances the rights of children in foster care, ensuring they are informed about their placement status and the efforts made to find suitable kinship care. Overall, the proposed changes aim to strengthen the focus on family connections and improve the processes surrounding child welfare and placement.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-501, 8-514.03, 8-514.07, 8-529, 8-801, 8-824, 8-842, 8-509, 36-593.01, 8-821, 8-806, 8-521.01, 41-1750, 92-544, 8-548, 8-521.02, 41-1376, 8-845, 8-823, 8-481, 8-841