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 will ensure geographical diversity among candidates. The bill also transfers rulemaking authority for the Plan of Safe Care process from the Children, Youth and Families Department to the Health Care Authority, while updating the requirements for Plans of Safe Care. It mandates the implementation of a multilevel response system statewide and the development of a strategic plan aligned with the federal Families First Prevention Services Act, including various amendments to existing laws to enhance collaboration and improve child welfare services.

Additionally, the bill amends the Citizen Substitute Care Review Act, restructuring the substitute care advisory council and increasing its membership to ten voting members. It introduces new sections focusing on volunteer member participation and case review boards, outlining requirements for background checks, training, and confidentiality measures. The council is tasked with creating rules for volunteer recruitment and ensuring representation from the communities served. The bill also establishes procedures for reviewing children's court cases by volunteer boards and includes a temporary provision for transferring responsibilities from the regulation and licensing department to the administrative office of the courts by July 1, 2025. The effective date for the provisions of this act is set for July 1, 2025.

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