HB 2704 — foster youth permanency project team

HouseSenate Engrossed House Bill foster youth permanency project team State(now: of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session HOUSE BILL 2704 AN ACT AMENDING TITLE 8, CHAPTER 4, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 8-469;

foster youth permanency;

pilot project) State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session CHAPTER 256 HOUSE BILL 2704 AN ACT AMENDING TITLE 8, CHAPTER 4, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 8-469;

Foster youth permanency pilot project team;

THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAMTEAM. TO IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT WHEN THE CHILD TURNS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR TO BEGIN PARTICIPATING IN THE EXTENDED FOSTER CARE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SECTION 8-521.02.

THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM SHALL:

1.

DEVELOP A METHODOLOGY TO IDENTIFY CHILDREN WHO ARE BELIEVED TO BE AT RISK OF EXITING THE DEPARTMENT'S CUSTODY WITHOUT A PERMANENCY PLACEMENT.

2.

IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT WHEN THE CHILD TURNS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR TO BEGIN PARTICIPATING IN THE EXTENDED FOSTER CARE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SECTION 8-521.02.

THE DIRECTORFOSTER SHALLYOUTH APPOINTPERMANENCY DEPARTMENTPILOT STAFFPROJECT AND VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE OR EXPERTISE IN CHILD WELFARE TO SERVE AS TEAM MEMBERSCONSISTS ANDOF MAY APPOINT THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS:

5.

MEMBERS WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CHILD'S CASE AND WHO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD'S PERMANENCY PLAN PREFERENCES.

6.

MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERIENCE IN PERMANENCY PLANNING POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES.

THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM SHALL DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

DEVELOP A METHODOLOGY FOR SELECTING THOSE CHILDREN WHO HAVE THE GREATEST LIKELIHOOD OF TURNING EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE WHILE IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT HAVING OBTAINED PERMANENCY THROUGH ADOPTION OR A PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP PURSUANT TO SECTION 8-872.

2.

2.

CONVENE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM MEETINGS THAT INCLUDE THE CHILD, THE CHILD'S CAREGIVERS, THE CHILD'S ATTORNEY AND MEMBERS OF THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM WHO ARE APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION B OF THIS SECTION AND WHO AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHILD'S CASE, AS APPLICABLE AND NECESSARY.

AT THE INITIAL MEETING, THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM SHALL IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO PERMANENCY FOR EACH CHILD SELECTED AND DETERMINE THE ASSISTANCE, RESOURCES AND TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE CHILD TO ACHIEVE PERMANENCY.

CONVENEREVIEW ANAND INITIALDISCUSS FOSTERTHE YOUTH PERMANENCY PROJECTPLAN TEAMFOR MEETING THAT INCLUDES THE CHILD,CHILD. THE CHILD'S CAREGIVERS, THE CHILD'S ATTORNEY, DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, GUARDIANS AD LITEM AND COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES, AS APPLICABLE AND NECESSARY.

AT THE INITIAL MEETING, THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PROJECT TEAM SHALL IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO PERMANENCY FOR EACH CHILD SELECTED AND DETERMINE THE ASSISTANCE, RESOURCES AND TOOLS NEEDED FOR EACH CHILD TO ACHIEVE PERMANENCY.

ESTABLISHCONVENE ANONGOING INDIVIDUALIZEDMEETINGS ANDOF WRITTENTHE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PLANPILOT FORPROJECT TEAM TO EVALUATE THE CHILD.CHILD'S PROGRESS TOWARDS PERMANENCY AND TO AMEND THE CHILD'S PERMANENCY ACTION PLAN AS NECESSARY.

CONVENEIDENTIFY ONGOINGSPECIFIC MEETINGSOPTIONS OFTO THEPLACE FOSTERA YOUTHCHILD PERMANENCYWITH PROJECTINDIVIDUALS TEAMOR TOFAMILIES EVALUATEWHO THEARE CHILD'SWILLING PROGRESSAND TOWARDSABLE PERMANENCYTO ANDPROVIDE PERMANENCY TO AMENDA CHILD SELECTED BY THE CHILD'SFOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY ACTIONPILOT PLANPROJECT ASTEAM. NECESSARY.

6.

IDENTIFY SPECIFIC OPTIONS TO PLACE A CHILD WITH INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES WHO ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO PROVIDE PERMANENCY TO A CHILD SELECTED BY THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PROJECT TEAM.

D.

THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PROJECT TEAM SHALL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS AND PERSONNEL THAT ARE NECESSARY TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PROJECT TEAM.

2704 E.D.

THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM MAYSHALL ENTERHAVE INTOACCESS CONTRACTSTO WITHALL ANYDEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS AND PERSONNEL THAT ARE NECESSARY TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE FOLLOWING:FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM.

E.

THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM MAY ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

THE FOSTER YOUTH PERMANENCY PILOT PROJECT TEAM SHALL TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO PREVENT UNWARRANTED INVASIONS OF PRIVACY AND TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY AND DIGNITY OF CHILDREN WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF A PERMANENCY ACTION PLAN.

Sec.

2.

Report Not later than July 1, 2026, the department of child safety shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairpersons of the senate and house of representatives health and human services committees, or their successor committees, on the outcomes of the foster youth permanency pilot project team established by section 8-469, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, with recommendations on how the department may improve and enhance the foster youth permanency pilot project team.

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 21, 2024.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 21, 2024.