The bill amends Section 42-72-5 of the General Laws, focusing on the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in the state. It emphasizes the department's role in planning, developing, and evaluating a comprehensive program of services for children, including prevention, intervention, and after-care programs. The bill mandates the department to notify and cooperate with police in cases of sexual assault on minors and to implement a new hiring process by October 1, 2023. It introduces a new requirement for the department to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of its services every five years, with the first assessment due by March 31, 2026, and establishes a committee to advise on these assessments. The committee will include various stakeholders and must follow open meetings laws, with the assessment results to be posted online and submitted to the governor and legislative leaders.

The bill also details the department's responsibilities, such as reducing long-term foster care, conducting sexual abuse seminars, setting adoption service fees, and ensuring education for children in state care. It defines criteria for "seriously emotionally disturbed children" and those with "functional developmental disabilities," requiring community contributions for their education. The bill addresses transition planning for services provided to individuals up to age 21 and specifies budget allocations for managing these cases. It requires the DCYF to maintain a continuum of care for children and administer funds under federal programs. By October 1, 2023, the DCYF director must establish a hiring process for social caseworkers or child protective investigators, with an interim report due by March 15, 2024. The act will take effect upon passage, and sections (d) and (e) have been deleted by previous legislation.

Statutes affected:
7823: 42-72-5