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Bill > HF638
IA HF638
IA HF638A bill for an act relating to child placements, and making an appropriation.(Formerly HSB 146; See HF 1003.)
summary
Introduced
02/28/2025
02/28/2025
In Committee
03/03/2025
03/03/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill relates to child placements. Under current law, after a dispositional hearing for a child in need of assistance proceeding, if a court determines that placing a child’s custody with either of the child’s parents is not in the child’s best interests, the court must transfer the child’s custody to the department of health and human services (HHS) for placement with certain persons as prioritized in Code section 232.102(1)(a) (transfer of legal custody of child and placement). If a child was placed with a licensed foster parent for at least nine months immediately preceding the dispositional hearing, the bill prohibits the court from placing the child with a different individual unless the court makes a specific finding that placement with the different individual is in the child’s best interests, and the court provides reasons for the finding. Currently, HHS divides the state into five separate child protective services (CPS) service areas, and Code section 232.84 (transfer of custody —— notice to adult relatives) requires HHS, juvenile court services, or a private agency to exercise due diligence to identify and provide notice to certain adult relatives of a child if the child’s custody is transferred from the child’s parents. The bill appropriates $275,000 to HHS for FY 2025-2026 for the purpose of adding five HHS employees to perform CPS duties. HHS must assign each employee employed through the appropriation to a separate CPS service area. Each employee shall be responsible for performing the identification and notice duties required under Code section 232.84 for the service area to which the employee was assigned, and each employee shall utilize, to the extent practicable, national models and practice standards to improve outcomes under the requirements of Code section 232.84.
AI Summary
This bill addresses child placement procedures and enhances child protective services (CPS) in Iowa. It modifies existing law to provide additional protections for children in foster care by requiring courts to make specific findings before changing a child's placement if they have been with a licensed foster parent for at least nine months. The bill mandates that courts must provide explicit reasons and demonstrate that any proposed placement change is in the child's best interests. Additionally, the legislation appropriates $275,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year 2025-2026 to hire five new employees specifically dedicated to child protective services. These new employees will be assigned to different CPS service areas and will be responsible for identifying and notifying adult relatives of children whose custody is being transferred, with the expectation that they will utilize national best practices and models to improve outcomes. The bill aims to enhance the child welfare system by providing more stability for children in foster care and improving the process of relative notification during custody transfers.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance
Sponsors (0)
No sponsors listed
Other Sponsors (1)
Health And Human Services (House)
Last Action
Withdrawn. H.J. 1073. (on 04/28/2025)
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=HF638 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF638.html |
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