Existing law requires the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services to administer a program to award incentive payments to an agency which provides child welfare services in a county whose population is 100,000 or more (currently Clark and Washoe Counties). (NRS 432B.2165) To receive an incentive payment, existing law requires such an agency to submit to the Division an application that includes, without limitation: (1) a description of the specific goal that the agency which provides child welfare services agrees to achieve over the upcoming fiscal year if the incentive payment is awarded; and (2) where applicable, an estimate of the percentage of the goals established in the prior application that will be achieved by the agency which provides child welfare services by the end of the current fiscal year. (NRS 432B.2165, 432B.217) Existing law requires the Division to award an incentive payment to each applicant in an amount that, for an applicant that received an incentive payment for the previous fiscal year, depends on the percentage of the goal established in the prior application that the applicant achieved. (NRS 432B.2165-432B.2175) Sections 2-4 of this bill revise that program to instead require the Division to award categorical grants to each agency which provides child welfare services in a county whose population is 100,000 or more. Section 2 of this bill requires such an agency which provides child welfare services to submit to the Division: (1) a description of the specific goal that the agency which provides child welfare services agrees to achieve over the upcoming fiscal year using the money awarded to the agency which provides child welfare services as a categorical grant; and (2) where applicable, an estimate of the percentage of the goal established for the current fiscal year that the agency which provides child welfare services will achieve by the end of the fiscal year. Section 2 requires the Division to award a categorical grant to each agency which provides child welfare services in a county whose population is 100,000 or more for each fiscal year. Section 2 requires each agency which provides child welfare services that receives a categorical grant to use the money: (1) for the purpose of achieving the goal established by the agency which provides child welfare services for the fiscal year for which the categorical grant is awarded; and (2) if any money remains after the agency which provides child welfare services achieves that goal, to provide child welfare services. Section 8 of this bill repeals a provision prescribing the procedure for applying for and awarding incentive payments under the current program. Section 1 of this bill makes conforming changes to: (1) replace a reference to the current program of incentive payments with a reference to grants awarded pursuant to section 2; and (2) revise a statutory reference that is not applicable to the program of categorical grants. Section 3 of this bill requires each agency which provides child welfare services that receives a categorical grant to submit to the Division, after the conclusion of the fiscal year for which the grant was received, a report which demonstrates whether the goal established by the agency which provides child welfare services for the fiscal year was achieved and, if the goal was not achieved, the percentage of the goal that was achieved. Section 4 of this bill requires the Division to annually report similar information to the Governor and the Legislature. Section 6 of this bill prescribes the procedure for transitioning from the current program of incentive payments to the program of categorical grants prescribed by sections 2-4. Existing law requires the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services to evaluate and review issues relating to child welfare. (NRS 218E.330) During the 2023-2024 interim, section 5 of this bill requires the Committee to study: (1) issues related to the funding of agencies which provide child welfare services in this State; (2) the effects of reductions to rates of reimbursement under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program on agencies which provide child welfare services and other persons and entities that provide services to children in the child welfare system in this State; (3) certain additional factors relating to child welfare; (4) necessary investments in technology to support the administration and maintenance of information relating to child welfare in this State; and (5) any other subjects identified by agencies which provide child welfare services.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 432B.180, 432B.2165, 432B.2175, 432B.218, 432B.217
Reprint 1: 432B.180, 432B.2165, 432B.2175, 432B.218, 432B.217
BDR: 432B.180, 432B.2165, 432B.2175, 432B.218, 432B.217