HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4491

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 5, 2020.

The committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 133) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others  for an investigation by the Department of Children and Families of launching a foster parent recruitment campaign, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4491) ought to pass.

For the committee,

KAY KHAN.

        FILED ON: 2/4/2020

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4491

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act relative to foster care recruitment.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, annually,      not later than      October 31, the department of children and families shall      submit a special report on its foster care campaign to recruit new foster parents to the child advocate, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities. The report shall be made available to the public electronically in accordance with section 19 of chapter 66 of the General Laws. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the: (i) number of new foster care parents as a result of the foster care campaign; (ii) the costs associated with such a recruitment effort; (iii) difficulties impeding DCF’s ability to recruit additional foster parents; and (ii) methods in which the department is recruiting foster care parents. The department may satisfy the reporting requirements of this section by providing the requested information in an annual report filed.

SECTION 2. Section 1 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. Section 2 shall take effect on December 31, 2022.