HB 653 — Foster care; DSS to establish and implement a collaborative local board placement program.

SPECIAL SESSION I ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––-- 2022 SPECIAL SESSION I CHAPTER E10 An Act to amend and reenact § 63.2-900 of the Code of Virginia, relating to foster care;

R O [H 653] Approved LAugust L4, 2022 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

E § 63.2-900.

DA. family homes, children's residential facilities or independent living arrangements, subject to thele supervision of the Commissioner and in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board, such persons under 18 years of age as may be entrusted to it by the parent, parents or guardian, committed by any court of competent jurisdiction, or placed through an agreement between it and the parent, parents or guardians where legal custody remains with the parent, parents, or guardians.

Pursuant to § 63.2-319, a local board shall have the right to accept for placement in suitable family homes, children's residential facilities or independent living arrangements, subject to the supervision of the Commissioner and in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board, such persons under 18 years of age as may be entrusted to it by the parent, parents or guardian, committed by any guardians where legal custody remains with the parent, parents, or guardians.d the parent, parents or The Board shall adopt regulations for the provision of foster care services by local boards, which shall be directed toward the prevention of unnecessary foster care placements and towards the iHmediateimmediate care of and permanent planning for children in the custody of or placed by local boards and tha6that shall seekachieve, outas kinshipquickly care options to keep children out of foster care and as apracticable, placementpermanent optionplacements for thosestsuch childrenchildren. in foster care, if it is in the child's best interests, pursuant to § 63.2-900.1.

The local board shall first seek out kinship care options to keep children out of foster care and as a placement option for those children in foster care, if it is in the child's best interests, pursuant to § 63.2-900.1.

however, the local board shall seek to place the child with a foster family within the locality of the local board or a nearby locality through the collaborative local board placement program set forth in subsection F, provided that such placement is stabilization,in diligentthe familybest search,interests intensiveof in-home,the intensivechild. wraparound, respite, mentoring, family mentoring, adoption support, supported adoption, crisis stabilization or other community-based services.

Services may include but are not limited to assessment and stabilization, diligent family search, intensive in-home, intensive wraparound, respite, mentoring, family mentoring, adoption support, supported adoption, crisis stabilization or other community-based services.

Within 30 days of accepting for foster care placement a person under 18 years of age whose father is unknown, the local board shall request a search of the Virginia Birth Father Registry established pursuant to Article 7 (§ 63.2-1249 et seq.) of Chapter 12 to determine whether any man has registered fatheras of the child,putative thefather local board shall contact the man to begin the process to determine paternity.tative The local board shall, in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Board and in accordance with the entrustment agreement or other order by which such person is entrusted or committed to its care, have custody and control of the personchild. so entrusted or committed to it until he is lawfully discharged, has been adopted or has attained his majority.

If the search results indicate that a man has registered as the putative father of the child, the local board shall contact the man to begin the process to determine paternity.

The local board shall, in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Board and in accordance with the entrustment agreement or other order by which such person is entrusted or committed to its care, have custody and control of the person so entrusted or committed to it until he is lawfully discharged, has been adopted or has attained his majority.

The local board shall have authority to place for adoption, and to consent to the adoption of, any child properly committed or entrusted to its care when the order of commitment or entrustment of, any agreement between the parent or parents and the agency provides for the termination of all parental rights and responsibilities with respect to the child for the purpose of placing and consenting to the adoption of the child.

The placement of a child in a foster home, whether within or without the Commonwealth, shall not be for the purpose of adoption unless the placement agreement between the foster parents and the local board specifically so stiB.stipulates.

PriorB. to the approval of any family for placement of a child, a home study shall be completed and the prospective foster or adoptive parents shall be informed that information about shaken baby of 2 syndrome, its effects, and resources for help and support for caretakers is available on a website maintained by the Department as prescribed in regulations adopted by the Board.

HomePrior studiesto bythe localapproval boardsof any family for placement of a child, a home study shall be conductedcompleted inand accordancethe withprospective thefoster Mutualor Familyadoptive Assessmentparents homeshall studybe templateinformed that information about shaken baby syndrome, its effects, and anyresources addendafor theretohelp developedand support for caretakers is available on a website maintained by the Department.Department as prescribed in regulations adopted by the Board.

Home studies by local of 2 boards shall be conducted in accordance with the Mutual Family Assessment home study template and any addenda thereto developed by the Department.