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Bill > HF86
IA HF86
IA HF86A bill for an act relating to aid, processes, and services for children in, adopted from, or in need of foster care.(See HF 873.)
summary
Introduced
01/17/2025
01/17/2025
In Committee
01/17/2025
01/17/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill relates to aid, processes, and services for children in, adopted from, or in need of foster care. The bill allows a court to adjudicate a child in need of assistance (CINA) when the child requires treatment to cure or alleviate a serious chemical dependency or mental or behavioral health disorder that compromises the child’s safety or causes untoward aggressive behavior toward others in the household, and the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian (parent) is unwilling to provide such treatment, or the parent’s efforts to secure needed treatment have been exhausted and unsuccessful. Under current law, to be adjudicated a CINA, a child must need treatment to cure or alleviate a serious mental illness or disorder, or emotional damage as evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or untoward aggressive behavior toward the child’s self or others and the child’s parent is unwilling to provide such treatment. The bill eliminates certain circumstances when a child may be adjudicated a CINA. The bill eliminates the requirement that certain reimbursements to foster parents must be based on 65 percent of the United States department of agriculture estimate of the cost to raise a child in the calendar year immediately preceding the fiscal year, and eliminates the additional stipend for special needs children. Instead, the bill requires the department of health and human services (HHS) to adopt rules relating to the foster parent reimbursement rates (rates) and to review the rates no less than once every three years. The bill requires HHS to reimburse an adoption petitioner for the costs of the preplacement and postplacement investigations related to the adoption up to a maximum amount of $2,000 per investigation. The bill prohibits HHS from making such reimbursements until the person performing the preplacement background check approves the adoption petitioner’s initial required background checks.
AI Summary
This bill modifies several provisions related to child welfare and foster care in Iowa. It expands the definition of when a child can be adjudicated as a Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) by including chemical dependency and behavioral health disorders that compromise child safety or cause aggressive behavior toward household members, and by allowing for CINA status when parents' efforts to secure treatment have been exhausted. The bill eliminates certain previous circumstances for CINA classification and changes foster parent reimbursement regulations by removing the requirement to base payments on a specific percentage of child-raising costs and the additional special needs stipend. Instead, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must now adopt rules for foster parent reimbursement rates and review these rates at least every three years. Additionally, the bill requires HHS to reimburse adoption petitioners up to $2,000 for pre-placement and post-placement investigation costs, but only after the initial background checks have been approved. These changes aim to provide more flexible and responsive support for children in foster care and adoption processes.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 873. (on 03/07/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF86 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF86.html |
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