Bill > H228

This bill transfers foster care review responsibilities from the Foster Care Review Office (FCRO) to the Office of the Child Advocate, establishing a comprehensive new framework for reviewing foster care cases. The bill creates an interdisciplinary committee chaired by the Child Advocate, which will include representatives from various state agencies and will meet monthly to address systemic issues affecting children in foster care. The Child Advocate will now conduct mandatory foster care case reviews every six months for every child in foster care, using local panels composed of trained citizen volunteers and office staff. These reviews will comprehensively assess placement appropriateness, progress towards permanency, service delivery, and the child's overall well-being, with detailed reports to be submitted to the department, courts, and legal parties within 30 days. The bill also mandates that the Department of Children and Families provide the Child Advocate unrestricted access to all relevant records and information, and requires annual public reporting on foster care system findings and recommendations. Additionally, the bill includes provisions protecting volunteers and staff from legal liability unless they act with gross negligence, and establishes a transition plan for implementing these new responsibilities within 15 months of the act's effective date. The overall goal is to enhance oversight, accountability, and transparency in the foster care system while prioritizing the best interests of children and youth in out-of-home placements.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H228