Bill > SB88

This bill introduces several changes to child placement and foster care regulations in Alaska, with a primary focus on improving the process of finding suitable family placements for children in the child welfare system. The bill mandates that the Department of Family and Community Services conduct a "diligent search" within 30 days of removing a child from their home, which involves interviewing the child, parents, relatives, and other potential sources of information about family members or friends who could provide care. The department must now comprehensively search databases and conduct reasonable investigations to identify potential family placements. For children being considered for adoption, the department must locate living adult family members and investigate their ability to care for the child, with a preference for placing children with family members. The bill also provides new rights for foster parents, such as the ability to make age-appropriate decisions for the child and access to the child's medical records. Additionally, the legislation establishes a more structured approach to placing children, prioritizing placements with adult family members or family friends who meet foster care licensing requirements. The bill includes provisions to help family members navigate the foster care licensing process and ensures that factors like poverty or inadequate housing cannot be used as primary reasons to deny a family placement. The new regulations aim to keep children closer to their families and support more stable, familial care arrangements.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB88