HB0118

Official summary

Summary for LSO115 Bill No.: HB0118 Effective : 3/4/2016 LSO No.: 16LSO-0341 Enrolled Act No.: HEA No. 0041 Chapter No.: 95 Prime Sponsor: Throne Catch Title: Foster care and permanency-additional requirements. Subject: Additional requirements concerning foster care and permanency plan reviews Summary/Major Elements: T his act establishes the reason able and prudent parent (RPP) standard and related provisions regarding foster care decision-making . The RPP standard means careful and sensible parental decisions that maintain the child's health, safety, well-being and best interests while encouraging the child's emotional and developmental growth. This act : Provides definitions ; Specifies the role of caregiver s ; Seeks to ensure that a child placed in foster care has the opportunity to participate in age appropriate or developmentally appropriate activities and experiences ; Limits the liability of caregivers who follow the RPP standard in deciding whether to allow foster children to participate in age appropriate or developmentally appropriate activities ; Requires caregivers, under the RPP standard, to consider the parent or custodian's wishes; the child's age, maturity, development, wishes and best interests; the importance of encouraging the child's emotional and developmental growth and providing the child with a family-like living experience; and any special needs or accommodations that the child requires; Requires the D epartment of F amily S ervices ( DFS ) to establish standards for, and training on, the RPP standard ; and Imposes additional requirements on DFS and the court during permanency plan reviews. The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent. While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill .