SB 6555.E - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

     Provides that the secretary shall, by region, report to the legislature on the following using aggregate data every six months beginning December 31, 2000:  (1) The number of children evaluated during the first thirty days of placement;

     (2) the tool or tools used to evaluate children, including the content of the tool and the method by which the tool was validated;

     (3) the findings from the evaluation regarding the children's needs;

     (4) how the department used the results of the evaluation to provide services to the foster child to meet his or her needs; and

     (5) whether and how the evaluation results assisted the department in providing appropriate services to the child, matching the child with an appropriate care provider early on in the child's placement and achieving the child's permanency plan in a timely fashion.

     Requires each region of the department to make the appropriate number of referrals to the foster care assessment program to ensure that the services offered by the program are used to the extent funded pursuant to the department's contract with the program.  The department shall report to the legislature by November 30, 2000, on the number of referrals, by region, to the foster care assessment program.  If the regions are not referring an adequate number of cases to the program, the department shall include in its report an explanation of what action it is or has taken to ensure that the referrals are adequate.

     Directs the department to report to the legislature by December 15, 2000, on how it will use the foster care assessment program model to assess children as they enter out-of-home care.

     Declares that the department is to accomplish the tasks listed in this act within existing resources.