HR 2033 — Timely Mental Health for Foster Youth Act

(a) Joint development In order to be eligible for payment under this subpart, a State must have a plan for child welfare services which has been developed jointly by the Secretary and the State agency designated pursuant to subsection (b)(1), and which meets the requirements of subsection (b). (b) Requisite features of State plans Each plan for child welfare services under this subpart shall— (1) provide that a State agency will administer or supervise the administration of the plan under this subpart; (2) provide for coordination between the services provided for children under the plan and the services and assistance provided under division A 1 of subchapter XX, under the State program funded under part A, under the State plan approved under subpart 2 of this part, under the State plan approved under the State plan approved 2 under part E, and under other State programs having a relationship to the program under this subpart, with a view to provision of welfare and related services which will best promote the welfare of such children and their families; (3) include a description of the services and activities which the State will fund under the State program carried out pursuant to this subpart, and how the services and activities will achieve the purpose of this subpart; (4) contain a description of— (A) the steps the State will take to provide child welfare services statewide and to expand and strengthen the range of existing services and develop and implement services to improve child outcomes; (B) the child welfare services staff development and training plans of the State; and (C) the steps that the State will take to ensure that, with respect to any judicial proceeding involving a child and in which there is an allegation of child abuse or neglect, including a proceeding on dependency, adoption, guardianship, or termination of parental rights, information about available independent legal representation is provided to— (i) the child, as appropriate; and (ii) any individual who is a parent or guardian, or has legal custody, of the child; (5) provide, in the development of services for children, for utilization of the facilities and experience of voluntary agencies in accordance with State and local programs and arrangements, as authorized by the State; (6) provide that the agency administering or supervising the administration of the plan will furnish such reports, containing such information, and participate in such evaluations, as the Secretary may require; (7) provide for the diligent recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children in the State for whom foster and adoptive homes are needed; (8) provide assurances that the State— (A) is operating, to the satisfaction of the Secretary— (i) a statewide information system from which can be readily determined the status, demographic characteristics, location, and goals for the placement of every child who is (or, within the immediately preceding 12 months, has been) in foster care; (ii) a case review system (as defined in section 675(5) of this title and in accordance with the requirements of section 675a of this title) for each child receiving foster care under the supervision of the State; (iii) a service program designed to help children— (I) where safe and appropriate, return to families from which they have been removed; or (II) be placed for adoption, with a legal guardian, or, if adoption or legal guardianship is determined not to be appropriate for a child, in some other planned, permanent living arrangement, subject to the requirements of sections 675(5)(C) and 675a(a) of this title, which may include a residential educational program; and (iv) a preplacement preventive services program designed to help children at risk of foster care placement remain safely with their families; and (B) has in effect policies and administrative and judicial procedures for children abandoned at or shortly after birt...