AN ACT relating to child welfare.

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AN ACT relating to child welfare. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 620.180 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) The cabinet may promulgate administrative regulations to implement the provisions 4
of this chapter. The cabinet may also promulgate administrative regulations 5
pursuant to the requirements of Public Law 96 -272 as to the maximum number of 6
children who at any time during a fiscal year, will remain in foster care after having 7
been in such care for a period in excess of twenty -four (24) months, together with 8
the steps to be taken to achieve such goal. 9
(2) The cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations to provide the following: 10
(a) The method used to periodically review the status of children placed in foster 11
family homes which shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 12
1. Within ten (10) calendar days of the temporary removal hearing 13
provided for in this chapter, a case conference shall be held on all 14
children placed with the cabinet for the purpose of establishing a 15
specific treatment plan which may include preventive and reunification 16
services for the child and his or her parent or other person exercising 17
custodial control or supervision. Additional case conferences and 18
reviews shall be held as appropriate, but shall be held at least every six 19
(6) months. The parent or oth er person exercising custodial control or 20
supervision and his or her counsel, if any, shall have the right to be 21
present at and participate in such conferences. The child; the child's 22
attorney, if any; the parent or other person exercising custodial contro l 23
or supervision and his or her attorney of record, if any; and the county 24
attorney shall be notified of, and may be present at and participate in 25
such conferences; 26
2. On-going case work and supportive services shall be provided as 27
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indicated to best meet the needs of the child as established by the review 1
and planning process; and 2
3. There may be procedures for providing for appropriate visitation 3
between the parents and the child based on the needs of the child; 4
(b) The procedures for reporting to a commit ting court the status and plans for 5
children committed to the cabinet as dependent, neglected or abused and 6
placed in foster family homes; 7
(c) By January 1, 2019, the establishment and implementation of the processes, 8
procedures, and requirements to ensure that children committed to the cabinet 9
as dependent, neglected, or abused and placed in foster family homes are 10
timely reunified with their biological family or identified for and placed in a 11
new permanent home. These processes, procedures, and requiremen ts shall 12
include but not be limited to the following: 13
1. A case review and recommendation submitted to the committing court 14
related to whether the best interest of the child is reunification or 15
termination of parental rights after the child has been commit ted to the 16
cabinet a total of six (6) cumulative months; 17
2. An additional case review and recommendation submitted to the 18
committing court every three (3) cumulative months after the initial six 19
(6) months if a child is still in the custody of the cabinet; 20
3. A petition to the court of appropriate jurisdiction seeking the termination 21
of parental rights and authority to place the child for adoption in 22
accordance with this chapter and KRS Chapter 625 no later than after a 23
child has been committed to the cabin et for a total of fifteen (15) 24
cumulative months out of forty-eight (48) months; and 25
4. A plan to ensure, no longer than thirty (30) working days after a court 26
enters a judgment of termination of parental rights to a child that is 27
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committed to the cabinet, that the cabinet shall complete and submit to 1
the court all necessary paperwork to facilitate the child's permanency 2
plan, including but not limited to the presentation summary and 3
identification of an adoptive home if determined; and 4
(d) By October 1, 20 19, the establishment and implementation of the processes, 5
procedures, and requirements to ensure that children committed to the cabinet 6
as dependent, neglected, or abused and placed in qualified residential 7
treatment facilities are subject to case reviews within sixty (60) days of the 8
start of each placement in accordance with 42 U.S.C. sec. 675a(c)(2). 9