Bill > HB1726

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 placing foster children in vehicles, state or agency offices, or hotels/motels for more than 24 hours in emergency situations, and mandates that children be placed in kinship care, 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 per year unless there are safety concerns or reunification efforts, requiring written explanations and supervisory approval for any changes beyond the initial placement. Furthermore, the Department of Children's Services (DCS) will be required to implement a real-time location tracking system for foster children to ensure their safety and whereabouts, while also producing an annual report detailing placement statistics, prohibited placement instances, and recommendations for improvement, including the effectiveness of the new tracking system.

Justice

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1726&ga=114