House File 2309 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2309 BY RUNNING-MARQUARDT A BILL FOR An Act relating to the period for renewal of a foster care 1 license. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5644HH (6) 84 ad/nh

H.F. 2309 Section 1. Section 237.5, subsection 1, Code 2011, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. An individual or an agency shall apply for a license 3 by completing an application to the administrator upon forms 4 furnished by the administrator. The administrator shall issue 5 or reissue a license if the administrator determines that the 6 applicant or licensee is or upon commencing operation will 7 provide child foster care in compliance with this chapter . A 8 An initial license for an individual is valid for one year from 9 the date of issuance. After the first two years of licensure, 10 a license for an individual is valid for two years from the 11 most recent date of issuance except that the administrator, 12 within the administrator’s discretion and based upon the 13 performance of the licensee, may require annual renewal of 14 the license or may issue a provisional license pursuant to 15 subsection 3. A license for an agency is valid for up to three 16 years from the date of issuance for the period determined by 17 the administrator in accordance with administrative rules 18 providing criteria for making the determination. The license 19 shall state on its face the name of the licensee, the type of 20 facility, the particular premises for which the license is 21 issued, and the number of children who may be cared for by 22 the facility on the premises at one time. The license shall 23 be posted in a conspicuous place in the physical plant of the 24 facility, except that if the facility is in a single-family 25 home the license may be kept where it is readily available for 26 examination upon request. 27 Sec. 2. Section 237.5A, Code 2011, is amended to read as 28 follows: 29 237.5A Foster parent training. 30 1. As a condition for initial licensure, each individual 31 licensee shall complete thirty hours of foster parent 32 training offered or approved by the department. However, 33 if the licensee has completed relevant training or has a 34 combination of completed relevant training and experience, 35 -1- LSB 5644HH (6) 84 ad/nh 1/ 3

H.F. 2309 and the department deems such training or combination to be 1 an acceptable equivalent to all or a portion of the initial 2 licensure training requirement, or based upon the circumstances 3 of the child and the licensee the department finds there is 4 other good cause, the department may waive all or a portion 5 of the training requirement. Prior to annual renewal of 6 licensure, each individual licensee shall also annually 7 complete six hours of foster parent training. The training 8 shall include but is not limited to physical care, education, 9 learning disabilities, referral to and receipt of necessary 10 professional services, behavioral assessment and modification, 11 self-assessment, self-living skills, and biological parent 12 contact. An individual licensee may complete the training as 13 part of an approved training program offered by a public or 14 private agency with expertise in the provision of child foster 15 care or in related subject areas. The department shall adopt 16 rules to implement and enforce this training requirement. 17 2. A licensee who is unable to complete six hours of foster 18 parent training annually prior to annual licensure renewal 19 because the licensee is engaged in active duty in the military 20 service shall be considered to be in compliance with the 21 training requirement for annual licensure renewal. 22 Sec. 3. RULES. The department of human services shall adopt 23 rules to implement the provisions of this Act. 24 EXPLANATION 25 This bill relates to the renewal period for foster care 26 licensing. The bill amends Code section 237.5 to increase 27 the time period a license for an individual is valid from one 28 to two years after the individual has been licensed for an 29 initial two-year period. However, the bill provides that an 30 administrator of the department of human services as defined by 31 Code chapter 237 may require annual renewal of the individual 32 license or may issue a provisional license even after this 33 initial two-year period of licensure within the administrator’s 34 discretion based upon the performance of the licensee. The 35 -2- LSB 5644HH (6) 84 ad/nh 2/ 3

H.F. 2309 bill also states that an individual licensee shall annually 1 complete six hours of foster parent training prior to licensure 2 renewal rather than completing six hours of training prior to 3 the annual licensure renewal. 4 The bill requires the department of human services to adopt 5 rules to implement the Act. 6 -3- LSB 5644HH (6) 84 ad/nh 3/ 3