The bill establishes the Secretary of Children, Youth and Families Nominating Committee, which will provide a list of qualified nominees for the appointment of the Secretary by the governor. This committee will consist of nine members with expertise in child welfare, and the bill outlines specific appointment procedures for various legislative and judicial leaders. Additionally, the bill transfers rulemaking authority for the plan of care process from the Children, Youth and Families Department to the Health Care Authority and updates the requirements for these plans. It also enacts the Families First Act within the Children's Code, mandating the development of a strategic plan for foster care prevention services and collaboration with other departments.

Moreover, the bill amends the Citizen Substitute Care Review Act to enhance oversight of child welfare cases, introducing new definitions and clarifying the act's purpose. It establishes a Substitute Care Advisory Council with ten voting members, responsible for reviewing cases and reporting findings annually. The bill also creates a Substitute Care Review Board composed of volunteer members to review children's court cases and mandates timely responses from the department regarding the board's reports. It emphasizes confidentiality in the review process and outlines the transfer of certain responsibilities to the administrative office of the courts by July 1, 2025, while repealing specific existing sections of law.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 9-2A-3, 9-2A-6, 9-2A-8, 32A-1-4, 32A-3A-13, 32A-3A-14, 32A-4-3, 32A-4-4.1, 32A-4-21, 32A-4-33, 32A-8-2, 32A-8-4