House Study Bill 505 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON HARRIS) A BILL FOR An Act relating to training requirements for the licensure of 1 individual child foster care providers. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5334YC (5) 91 dg/ko

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 237.5A, Code 2026, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 237.5A Foster parent training. 3 1. a. As a condition for initial licensure, each proposed 4 individual licensee shall complete thirty hours of foster 5 parent training offered or approved by the department. 6 However, if When determining the appropriate foster parent 7 training for a proposed individual licensee, the department 8 shall consider the proposed individual licensee has completed 9 relevant training or has a combination of completed licensee’s 10 relevant training and experience , and the department deems such 11 training or combination to be an acceptable equivalent to all 12 or a portion of the initial licensure training requirement, or 13 based upon the . In addition, the department shall consider the 14 circumstances of the child who will receive child foster care 15 from the proposed individual licensee and the circumstances of 16 the proposed individual licensee the department finds there is 17 other good cause, the department may waive all or a portion of 18 the training requirement . 19 b. Prior to renewal of licensure, each individual licensee 20 shall annually complete six hours of foster parent training 21 as determined appropriate for the individual licensee by the 22 department . The training 23 2. Training required under this section shall include but is 24 not limited to physical care, education, learning disabilities, 25 referral to and receipt of necessary professional services, 26 behavioral assessment and modification, self-assessment, 27 self-living skills, and biological parent contact. An 28 individual licensee not be limited to all of the following: 29 a. An overview of child welfare. 30 b. Biological parent contact and supporting a child’s family 31 of origin. 32 c. Behavior management. 33 d. Trauma and the effect on child development. 34 e. Attachment, grief, and loss. 35 -1- LSB 5334YC (5) 91 dg/ko 1/ 3

H.F. _____ 3. A person may complete the training required under this 1 section as part of an approved training program offered by a 2 public or private agency with expertise in the provision of 3 child foster care or in related subject areas. The department 4 shall adopt rules to implement and enforce this training 5 requirement. 6 2. An individual licensee who is unable to complete six 7 hours of foster parent training annually prior to licensure 8 renewal because the individual licensee is engaged in active 9 duty in the military service shall be considered to be in 10 compliance with the training requirement for licensure renewal. 11 3. 4. The department or the department’s agent shall 12 notify an individual licensee within a reasonable amount of 13 time of any training the department believes would benefit the 14 individual licensee in the provision of child foster care. 15 5. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 16 to implement and enforce this section. 17 EXPLANATION 18 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 19 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 20 This bill relates to training requirements for the licensure 21 of individual child foster care (foster care) providers. 22 Under current law, an individual must complete 30 hours of 23 foster care training offered or approved by the department 24 of health and human services (HHS) to obtain a foster care 25 license. HHS may waive all or a portion of an individual’s 26 training requirements based on the individual’s relevant 27 training and experience. HHS may also waive all or a portion 28 of the training based on the individual’s circumstances and the 29 circumstances of the prospective foster child. An individual 30 licensee is also required to receive six hours of foster care 31 training annually prior to renewal of the individual’s foster 32 care license. An individual licensee who cannot receive annual 33 training because of active duty military service is considered 34 to be in compliance for foster care license training purposes. 35 -2- LSB 5334YC (5) 91 dg/ko 2/ 3

H.F. _____ The bill eliminates current hourly requirements for foster 1 care training for initial foster care licensure and renewals 2 of licenses. Instead, the bill allows HHS to determine 3 appropriate training requirements for individuals based on the 4 relevant experience of the individual, and the circumstances of 5 both the prospective foster child and the individual. The bill 6 details the topics that must be included in annual training for 7 individual licensees. 8 -3- LSB 5334YC (5) 91 dg/ko 3/ 3