Senate File 2298 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2141)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to family foster care home licensing
2 requirements.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 5846SV 81
5 jp/sh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 237.5, Code 2005, is amended by adding
1 2 the following new subsection:
1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. If exceptional circumstances exist,
1 4 the department may waive a family foster care home licensing
1 5 requirement for an individual person who is willing to accept
1 6 placement of a child. The exceptional circumstances providing
1 7 the basis for the waiver shall be documented in the family
1 8 foster care home licensing record and the home study report
1 9 must indicate that the license approval is applicable only in
1 10 regard to the specific child. A waiver shall not be granted
1 11 for a requirement that would jeopardize the safety,
1 12 sanitation, or civil rights of the child placed in the family
1 13 foster care home, regardless of the exceptional circumstances
1 14 involving that child.
1 15 Sec. 2. Section 237.5A, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2005,
1 16 is amended to read as follows:
1 17 As a condition for initial licensure, each individual
1 18 licensee shall complete thirty hours of foster parent training
1 19 offered or approved by the department. However, if the
1 20 licensee has completed relevant training or has a combination
1 21 of completed relevant training and experience, and the
1 22 department deems such training or combination to be an
1 23 acceptable equivalent to all or a portion of the initial
1 24 licensure training requirement, or based upon the
1 25 circumstances of the child and the licensee the department
1 26 finds there is other good cause, the department may waive all
1 27 or a portion of the training requirement. Prior to annual
1 28 renewal of licensure, each individual licensee shall also
1 29 complete six hours of foster parent training. The training
1 30 shall include but is not limited to physical care, education,
1 31 learning disabilities, referral to and receipt of necessary
1 32 professional services, behavioral assessment and modification,
1 33 self=assessment, self=living skills, and biological parent
1 34 contact. An individual licensee may complete the training as
1 35 part of an approved training program offered by a public or
2 1 private agency with expertise in the provision of child foster
2 2 care or in related subject areas. The department shall adopt
2 3 rules to implement and enforce this training requirement.
2 4 EXPLANATION
2 5 This bill relates to family foster care home licensing
2 6 requirements.
2 7 Code section 237.5, relating to overall foster care
2 8 licensing requirements, is amended to authorize the department
2 9 of human services to waive requirements if exceptional
2 10 circumstances exist for placement of a child with an
2 11 individual person. The exceptional circumstances are required
2 12 to be documented in the licensing record and the home study
2 13 report is required to indicate that the license approval is
2 14 applicable only in regard to the specific child. The waiver
2 15 cannot be granted for a requirement that would jeopardize the
2 16 safety, sanitation, or civil rights of the child.
2 17 The bill revises the initial 30=hour training requirement
2 18 for foster parent licensees in Code section 237.5A to allow
2 19 the department of human services (DHS) to waive the
2 20 requirement. In order for the department to grant a waiver,
2 21 the licensee must have completed relevant training or have a
2 22 combination of completed relevant training and experience, and
2 23 the department must deem the training or combination to be an
2 24 acceptable equivalent to all or a portion of the initial
2 25 licensure training requirement, or the department must find
2 26 there is other good cause based upon the individual
2 27 circumstances of the child and the licensee to grant the
2 28 waiver.
2 29 LSB 5846SV 81
2 30 jp:nh/sh/8