SB 1325 — independent living program; stipend

BillSenate Number:Engrossed independent living program;

S.B.stipend State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session SENATE BILL 1325 AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 8-521, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES;

1325RELATING LivingstonTO FloorCHILD AmendmentWELFARE ReferenceAND to:PLACEMENT.

printed(TEXT billOF AmendmentBILL draftedBEGINS by:ON NEXT PAGE) - i - S.B.

Leg1325 CouncilBe FLOORit AMENDMENTenacted EXPLANATIONby • Requires the DepartmentLegislature of Child Safety, a licensed child welfare agency or a tribal child welfare agency to provide a monthly stipend of no less than $1,200 to each child in the IndependentState Living Program, rather than the 150 percent of theArizona: basic daily rate provided to children in foster care between the ages of 12 and 18.

AmendmentSection explanation1. prepared by Liam Maher 02/22/2022 Fifty-fifth Legislature Livingston Second Regular Session S.B.

1325Section LIVINGSTON8-521, FLOORArizona AMENDMENTRevised SENATEStatutes, AMENDMENTSis TOamended S.B.to read:

13258-521. (Reference to printed bill) Page 1, line 29, strike "monthly DAILY" insert "monthly" Line 32, strike "ONE HUNDRED FIFTY PERCENT OF THE" Strike lines 33 and 34, insert "$1,200." Amend title to conform DAVID LIVINGSTON 1325FloorLIVINGSTON 02/22/2022 03:27 PM C:

LATIndependent -living 1program; -

conditions;

eligibility;

rules;

case management unit;

progress reports A.

The department or a licensed child welfare agency may establish an independent living program for youths who are the subject of a dependency petition or who are adjudicated dependent and are all of the following:

1.

In the custody of the department, a licensed child welfare agency or a tribal child welfare agency.

2.

At least seventeen years of age.

3.

Employed or full-time students.

B.

The independent living program may consist of a residential program of less than twenty-four hours a day supervision for youths under the supervision of the department through a licensed child welfare agency or a foster home under contract with the department.

Under the independent living program, the youth is not required to reside at a licensed child welfare agency or foster home.

C.

The director or the director's designee shall review and approve any recommendation to the court that a youth in the custody of the department be ordered to an independent living program.

D.

For a youth to participate in an independent living program, the court must order such a disposition pursuant to section 8-845.

E.

The department of child safety, a licensed child welfare agency or a tribal child welfare agency having custody of the youth shall provide the cost of care as required by section 8-453, subsection A, paragraph 9, subdivision (b), item (iii) for each child placed in an independent living program pursuant to this section, except that the monthly amount provided shall not exceed the average monthly cost of purchased services for the child in the three months immediately preceding placement in an independent living program BE LESS THAN $1,200.

F.

The department shall adopt rules pursuant to title 41, chapter 6 to carry out this section.

G.

The department shall provide quarterly progress reports to the court and to local foster care review boards for each youth participating in the independent living program.

H.

The local foster care review boards shall review at least once every six months the case of each youth participating in the independent living program.

- 1 - S.B.

1325 I.

The department shall establish an educational case management unit within the division consisting of two case managers to develop and coordinate educational case management plans for youths participating in the independent living program and to assist youths in the program to do the following:

1.