[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6104176,"mediaKeyId","2792247-d1d8015fee4ec12c6052df66bcf7a9e2","parentId",2792247,"title","Subcommittee approves multiple DSS regulation updates; childcare licensing draft carried to full committee","audioSeconds",1691,"startMs",799000,"endMs",2490000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2792247-d1d8015fee4ec12c6052df66bcf7a9e2&start=799&end=2490","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2792247-d1d8015fee4ec12c6052df66bcf7a9e2/thumbnail_799000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6104176/South-Carolina/Subcommittee-approves-multiple-DSS-regulation-updates-childcare-licensing-draft-carried-to-full-committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104176-0a1a79205560306535a8a3f2695a90c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183806&Signature=BK8Q0RJwx3zU92sjGW5r1h-H-wHzqhyCpzzyH24C7DGAG09BmljfVzz9id2ady5lyaf9qt4Sp0-HXsqO-xHBwIEEGaxZWo1CsE7yaPpMmH5J0SAZ8hfaNFXn6YX9sq24c7WFI7whaZwsAHRROLuVCGXJXB3m21geQtQmoAPG-S~uQzElP8X7wbeaVooZiSJ-QJEw3x6f7n6n4vygY3CoDfMv9ygljvy5DBBoeQF3qDiKydi73Kt4ohWvZHnNdnzPePnGGmg5QvffR5Y2xcOgRkRktD1fc56HKXQxRuZTU9s0~~n4a9WFFb~IZLZXbSiHnnkwq2PPM9oktFvjdIPBQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Carolina Legislature","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Health and Health Care Industry Subcommittee considered several Department of Social Services regulations on licensing, certification and adoption. After presentations and questions from members, the subcommittee voted to adopt multiple items and to refer one item to full committee with a recommendation for revision.

Certification standards for adoption investigators (document 5303) were updated to modernize citations and add minimum education and supervision requirements for certain certified adoption investigators, including an option requiring an associate degree plus agency supervision or a bachelor’s/master’s/doctoral degree in a human-services field. The regulation also adds mandatory background checks including checks of the South Carolina central registry for child abuse and neglect. The committee approved document 5303 by voice vote.

Child placing agency regulations (document 5308) were revised to streamline and consolidate regulatory requirements that previously differed across foster homes, group-care providers and child-placing agencies. The department said the update mirrors foster care and group home regulations and clarifies FBI fingerprint background-check requirements. The committee approved document 5308 by voice vote.

Foster care and adoption rule updates (document 5313) were adopted; among other changes, the regulation raises the threshold for when a foster parent may appeal the removal of a child from 120 days to 12 months and clarifies administrative fair-hearing rights in a number of circumstances. The committee approved document 5313 by voice vote.

Supplemental benefits for adoption and medical assistance (document 5315) were updated to align statutory citations and to preserve certain definitions tied to federal tax rules and subsidies used for adoptive assistance. The committee approved document 5315 by voice vote.

By contrast, regulations for licensing of child care centers (document 5314) generated requests from committee members and outside stakeholders. The agency noted that these rules must also be approved by the governor's committee that reviews licensed childcare center regulations and that the draft contains more than 20 citation updates tied to Act 216 of 2024 and other statutory changes. The subcommittee voted to send 5314 to the full committee with a recommendation that DSS withdraw and resubmit a version that includes only the conforming statutory changes, so stakeholders have additional time to comment.

Several members emphasized the agency’s multi-year review effort: presenters noted some regulations had not been updated since the 1990s and that the typical promulgation process takes about 10 months. The committee adopted the items presented by DSS (documents 5303, 5308, 5313, 5315) by voice votes; the childcare licensing regulation (5314) was referred to full committee with instructions to withdraw and resubmit limited, statutory-conforming changes.

All votes recorded in the hearing were voice votes; no roll-call tallies were listed in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Regulations, Admin. Proc., AI and Cybersecurity Committee -- Health and Healthcare Industries Subcommittee Tuesday, March 25, 2025 11:00 am ","oneSentenceSummary","The Health and Health Care Industry Subcommittee advanced a package of Department of Social Services regulations (documents 5303, 5308, 5313, 5315 and others) and referred childcare licensing regulations (5314) to the full committee with instructions to withdraw and resubmit limited statutory-conforming changes.","taxTitle","Regulations and Administrative Procedures, Standing, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina","taxId",17535,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6104181,"Subcommittee adopts rule to license kin caregivers, enabling federal funds for board payments",703,79000,782000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2792247-d1d8015fee4ec12c6052df66bcf7a9e2&start=79&end=782","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2792247-d1d8015fee4ec12c6052df66bcf7a9e2/thumbnail_79000.jpg","/articles/6104181/South-Carolina/Subcommittee-adopts-rule-to-license-kin-caregivers-enabling-federal-funds-for-board-payments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6104181-a356fa0c3b23ef0be61a802c25be3149/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183806&Signature=fGi7nxzAmT2fCLxoFr2U8nmOhvJ-G5OMvSzaNleKAYEdY6XZmo1QosAgJEko~gEyXM5nV9-MeWmUOnHFv-vkdxl9ckbTyKe9~u2xZb92j2MmoDsI5G~UmWNo4DUS75g3d3UVuMPSBh~GZxkin0gRNufGY7~aJtJwVsRTu62cDVDCKTFlt4~3bHgrQrGvP-5yORN5cGi6pCQ3xlDHWtmiei4Pu2LqsGLkjpJ9bsbHIK~DrBLFvE82aKO4qOLh7rLIdN7gynvN4bTuIJeJYMCFRcSGFemET98-iu4lD4PWckovELQsDzFYeGqXt3X522E2qDK0xiQ1vbomzbO4o4URMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Connolly Ann Ragley, chief external affairs director at the South Carolina Department of Social Services, told the Health and Health Care Industry Subcommittee that regulation 5296 would update state rules to match a federal rule change from September 2023 and create a separate pathway to license kinship caregivers for children in foster care.

The measure, “Approval of Kinship Family Foster Homes and Kinship Adoptive Homes,” would allow relatives and others with an established relationship to a child — including grandparents, aunts, uncles or “fictive kin” such as teachers or coaches — to obtain licensure so they could receive monthly board payments. Ragley said the change would let the state draw down additional federal funds to help pay caregivers. “This regulation is looking to update based on the changes that were made at the federal government in September of 20 23 … to make less burdensome regulation on kinship placements for children that are in the foster care system,” Ragley said.

The department estimated an implementation cost in the regulatory-fiscal analysis of about $3,900,000 based on roughly 520 children currently placed in unlicensed kinship homes. Ragley explained the estimate assumes all eligible children participate and noted the state would need to invest some dollars to draw down federal funds at about a 2-to-1 match rate. She said board payments are set by the General Assembly via proviso and vary by age band; a back-of-envelope example discussed in the hearing put a likely net payment to caregivers of roughly $600–$700 per month in the example used by members.

Representative Reese pressed the department on the adequacy of the payment for caregivers on fixed incomes, saying, “It seems to me if it's only $700 that's still not enough money for for someone on a fixed income and your example of 83 to raise a kid for $700.” Ragley replied that federal funds would offset some administrative costs and that the General Assembly sets the actual monthly board rate annually via proviso.

Ragley emphasized that kinship placements would still require the licensing steps: FBI fingerprint background checks, home inspections and licensing administered by the DSS licensing unit. “We're still going to be licensing them … it's essentially creating a separate pathway for licensure,” she said, responding to a committee member’s concern that the program might become uncontrolled.

Committee members also asked about retroactivity and timing. Ragley said the new payments would not be retroactive except in limited judicial-ordered circumstances: if a judge’s order dated earlier than placement were later entered, payments could be adjusted back to the court-ordered date, but otherwise payments begin once licensing and placement are completed. She also said that once the payment process is established, payments can start quickly, with DSS using random moment-in-time studies and regular checks to initiate payments as placements occur.

After questions from several members, a motion to adopt document 5296 passed by voice vote. The chair called for the ayes and declared, “The ayes have it and so is ordered.”

The regulation corresponds with pending legislation (S.415) noted by the presenter and with federal guidance; Ragley said South Carolina is among the first group of states to move on this federal change and one of the earlier southern states to do so.

Votes at the hearing on this item were voice votes; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The committee adopted 5296 and ordered it as described; the department indicated implementation will require state appropriation action to provide the matching funds and to fund any additional staffing for licensing and administration.

","The Health and Health Care Industry Subcommittee approved regulation 5296 to create a kinship licensure pathway so relatives or other caregivers with an established relationship to a child in foster care can receive state-regulated board payments and allow South Carolina to draw down federal funds after a September 2023 federal rule change.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Subcommittee approves multiple DSS regulation updates; childcare licensing draft carried to full committee

Subcommittee adopts rule to license kin caregivers, enabling federal funds for board payments