Bill > HB2671

This bill enhances Arizona's child welfare laws by expanding the definition and considerations for kinship and extended family care placements. The bill introduces a new definition of "extended family member" to include grandparents, individuals with a biological connection to the child through marriage, and people with a significant relationship to the child. It requires the Department of Child Safety to prioritize placing children with relatives, extended family members, or persons with a significant relationship to the child, provided such placement is in the child's best interest and does not pose safety risks. The bill mandates more thorough searches for potential family placements, including comprehensive record searches and interviews with relatives, and requires the department to file detailed documentation of these search efforts every thirty days for at least six months. Additionally, the bill strengthens children's rights in foster and kinship care settings, ensuring they can be placed with relatives or extended family members when possible, have appropriate privacy and protection, and receive necessary support services. The legislation aims to keep children closer to their family networks while maintaining their safety and well-being, and provides more structured guidelines for identifying and supporting potential kinship care placements.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/82541