Bill > S141

This bill establishes a comprehensive framework for supporting families and children who are experiencing challenges, with a focus on preventing unnecessary court interventions and providing community-based services. The legislation creates a network of family resource centers (FRCs) that will offer coordinated services to help families address issues like chronic absenteeism, behavioral health challenges, and other potential risks before resorting to juvenile court proceedings. Key provisions include requiring schools to refer students to family resource centers at least 45 days before filing a Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) petition, establishing standardized intake and assessment tools, and creating a data collection system to track service needs and outcomes. The bill also redefines what constitutes a "child requiring assistance" and "habitually absent without permission", emphasizing that court intervention should be a last resort after exhausting community-based service options. Additionally, the legislation mandates the creation of online resources to explain the CRA process, ensures confidentiality of service records, and requires annual reporting on the services provided, with data disaggregated by various demographic factors. The overall goal is to provide supportive, preventative interventions that keep children with their families and in their community schools whenever possible.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S141