Senate Study Bill 3080 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON RAGAN) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the renewal period for foster care 1 licensing. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5680XC (2) 84 ad/nh

S.F. _____ 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 6 the applicant or licensee is or upon commencing operation 7 will provide child foster care in compliance with this 8 chapter . A license for an individual is valid for one year 9 two years from the date of issuance. A license for an agency 10 is valid for up to three years from the date of issuance 11 for the period determined by the administrator in accordance 12 with administrative rules providing criteria for making the 13 determination. The license shall state on its face the name of 14 the licensee, the type of facility, the particular premises for 15 which the license is issued, and the number of children who may 16 be cared for by the facility on the premises at one time. The 17 license shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the physical 18 plant of the facility, except that if the facility is in a 19 single-family home the license may be kept where it is readily 20 available for examination upon request. 21 Sec. 2. Section 237.5A, Code 2011, is amended to read as 22 follows: 23 237.5A Foster parent training. 24 1. As a condition for initial licensure, each individual 25 licensee shall complete thirty hours of foster parent 26 training offered or approved by the department. However, 27 if the licensee has completed relevant training or has a 28 combination of completed relevant training and experience, 29 and the department deems such training or combination to 30 be an acceptable equivalent to all or a portion of the 31 initial licensure training requirement, or based upon the 32 circumstances of the child and the licensee the department 33 finds there is other good cause, the department may waive all 34 or a portion of the training requirement. Prior to annual 35 -1- LSB 5680XC (2) 84 ad/nh 1/ 2

S.F. _____ renewal of licensure, each individual licensee shall also 1 complete six hours of foster parent training. The training 2 shall include but is not limited to physical care, education, 3 learning disabilities, referral to and receipt of necessary 4 professional services, behavioral assessment and modification, 5 self-assessment, self-living skills, and biological parent 6 contact. An individual licensee may complete the training as 7 part of an approved training program offered by a public or 8 private agency with expertise in the provision of child foster 9 care or in related subject areas. The department shall adopt 10 rules to implement and enforce this training requirement. 11 2. A licensee who is unable to complete six hours of foster 12 parent training prior to annual licensure renewal because the 13 licensee is engaged in active duty in the military service 14 shall be considered to be in compliance with the training 15 requirement for annual licensure renewal. 16 EXPLANATION 17 This bill relates to the renewal period for foster care 18 licensing. The bill amends Code section 237.5 to increase 19 the time period a foster care license for an individual is 20 valid from one year to two years. The bill provides that an 21 individual licensee shall complete six hours of foster parent 22 training prior to licensure renewal rather than completing six 23 hours of training prior to the annual licensure renewal. 24 -2- LSB 5680XC (2) 84 ad/nh 2/ 2