Bill > HB256

This bill revises Georgia's "Foster Placements Bill of Rights" to expand its protections and clarify existing provisions, renaming it to reflect the broader scope. Key changes include defining "foster placement" to encompass not only foster parents but also relative caregivers (like grandparents or aunts) and fictive kin (individuals who have an established bond with the child but are not related by blood or marriage), and granting these caregivers reasonable access to non-identifying information from a child's protective services record within 14 days of a request, which they can share with a certified volunteer advocate. The bill also introduces the "reasonable and prudent parent standard" for determining a child's participation in activities, clarifies training requirements for caregivers, and ensures timely financial reimbursement. Furthermore, it strengthens the rights of foster placements to be treated with dignity, to continue their family values, to be informed about a child's history and needs before placement, to refuse a placement or request a child's removal without reprisal, and to participate in case planning and decision-making. The bill also establishes the right to a fair investigation of complaints, the presence of a certified volunteer advocate during investigations and meetings, and protection from retaliation for filing grievances, with a new deadline of July 1, 2026, for developing grievance and mediation procedures.

Health and Social Services, Justice

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69869