Bill > SB1644

This bill, known as the "Stable Homes for Foster Youth Act," aims to improve the well-being of children in Tennessee's foster care system by establishing stricter guidelines for their housing and placement. It prohibits housing foster children in vehicles, state offices, or hotels for more than 24 hours in emergency situations, and instead mandates placements in kinship care (with relatives), licensed foster families, or small group homes with a maximum of ten children per unit. The bill also limits placement changes to no more than twice a year unless there are safety concerns or reunification efforts, requiring written explanations and supervisory approval for any changes beyond the initial placement. Furthermore, it mandates the Department of Children's Services (DCS) to implement a real-time tracking system to monitor foster children's locations for safety and requires DCS to produce an annual report detailing placement statistics, prohibited placement instances, and recommendations for improvement, including the effectiveness of the new tracking system.