HB 3001-S - DIGEST

(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 2/14/04)

Declares an intent to assist children in the care of kin to access appropriate medical services. Children being raised by kin have faced barriers to medical care because their kinship caregivers have not been able to verify that they are the identified primary caregivers of these children. Such barriers pose an especially significant challenge to kinship caregivers in dealing with health professionals when children are left in their care with no warning.

Provides that, to assist kinship caregivers in executing adequate and appropriate decisions regarding the medical needs of a child in their care, a mechanism is hereby created to authorize kinship caregivers to consent to medical care for those children in their care.