§ 62A-4a-401. Legislative purpose -- Report and study items.

(1) It is the purpose of this part to protect the best interests of children, offer protective services to prevent harm to children, stabilize the home environment, preserve family life whenever possible, and encourage cooperation among the states in dealing with the problem of abuse or neglect.

(2) The division shall, during the 2013 interim, report to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee on:

(a) the division's efforts to use existing staff and funds while shifting resources away from foster care and to in-home services;

(b) a proposal to:

(i) keep sibling groups together, as much as possible; and

(ii) provide necessary services to available structured foster families to avoid sending foster children to proctor homes;

(c) the disparity between foster care payments and adoption subsidies, and whether an adjustment to those rates could result in savings to the state; and

(d) the utilization of guardianship, in the event an appropriate adoptive placement is not available after a termination of parental rights.

(3) The Health and Human Services Interim Committee shall, during the 2013 interim, study whether statewide practice standards should be implemented to assist the Child Welfare Parental Defense Program with its mission to provide legal services to indigent parents whose children are in the custody of the division.

Amended by Chapter 171, 2013 General Session