This bill amends Section 232.108 of the Iowa Code to modify the requirements for placing siblings together when their custody has been transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or a placing agency. Under current law, HHS is mandated to make reasonable efforts to place siblings together whenever possible, provided that such placement is in the best interests of each child. However, the new legislation introduces a provision that allows HHS to forgo this requirement under specific circumstances.

The bill states that HHS is not required to place a child with a sibling if both siblings' custody was previously transferred to the department, the department placed the child or the sibling, and it has been determined that the siblings have little or no established relationship. This change aims to provide HHS with more flexibility in making placement decisions that are deemed appropriate based on the individual circumstances of the children involved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 232.108