Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act

Bill: 114-s-2687
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2016-03-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Child health
Child safety and welfare
Domestic violence and child abuse
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Family services
Government information and archives
Mental health
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-15
text: 

Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act

 
This bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require a grant-receiving state plan for a child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment program to include policies and procedures requiring systems to monitor the plan of safe care for an infant born affected by illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, in order to:
 
 
ensure the safety and well-being of children;
 
address the health, including mental health, needs of the child and family involved; and
 
determine whether local entities are capable of providing referrals to and delivery of appropriate services for the child and family.
 
 
Each grant-receiving state shall work annually with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to produce a report including the number of infants for whom a plan of safe care was developed.
 
HHS shall: (1) monitor states to ensure that each one is meeting requirements to improve outcomes among children most at risk for child abuse and neglect, and (2) issue guidance to states regarding the requirements and best practices for the development and implementation of plans of safe care.

action_date: 2016-03-15
text: 

Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require a grant-receiving state plan for a child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment program to include policies and procedures requiring systems to monitor the multidisciplinary plan of safe care for an infant born affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in order to:
 
 
ensure the safety and well-being of children; 
address the health, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, needs of the child, and of the family or affected caregiver, involved; and 
determine whether and to what extent local entities are capable of providing referrals to and delivery of appropriate services for the child and family. 
 
 
(Sec. 3) Each grant-receiving state shall work annually with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to produce a report including the total number of infants identified and the number of infants for whom a plan of safe care was developed.
 
(Sec. 4) HHS shall: (1) monitor states to ensure that each one's policies and procedures meet requirements to improve outcomes among infants born and identified as being affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and (2) issue guidance to states regarding the requirements and best practices for the development and implementation of plans of safe care.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 411.
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-04-04
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-03-16
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2016-03-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2016-03-15
text: Introduced in Senate