Bill > HB4676

This bill amends Section 8b of the 1994 Public Act 203 in Michigan, which establishes certain standards for foster care and adoption services. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Ensuring that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) develops and implements a "children's assurance of quality foster care policy" that provides foster children with various rights and protections, such as fair treatment, placement with relatives and siblings, transition planning, access to advocacy services, enrollment in school within 5 days, participation in extracurricular activities, and adequate food, shelter, and supplies. 2. Requiring DHHS to maintain a written policy describing the grievance procedure for foster children to address any perceived non-compliance with the children's assurance of quality foster care policy, including information on how to file a grievance and contact information for the Office of the Child Advocate and the Department's Office of Family Advocate. 3. Allowing foster children to file a grievance with the supervising agency regarding the perceived non-compliance with the children's assurance of quality foster care policy, and if the grievance is not resolved, to request that their lawyer-guardian ad litem petition the court for appropriate relief. 4. Limiting the sole remedy that may be provided under this section to injunctive relief. 5. Requiring DHHS to implement the children's assurance of quality foster care policy no later than June 25, 2019.