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Committee approves foster-care oversight subcommittee to maintain attention on foster-parent concerns
Summary
Lawmakers advanced HB 478 to create a foster-care oversight subcommittee within the Oversight Commission on Children's Services; the measure passed the Children and Family Law Committee by voice and roll call and will be referred to oversight for continued work.
Representative Katrina (prime sponsor) told the committee HB 478 would establish a permanent foster-care oversight subcommittee within the existing Oversight Commission on Children's Services after a summer study that collected foster-parent and provider testimony. "After a lot of work...it was recommended that we put forth this bill so that we can continue to hear the needs of foster parents and also to maintain oversight over DCYF in this regard," she said.
Cassandra Sanchez and Lisa Masio from the Office of the Child Advocate described the foster-parent study and said foster parents reported feeling isolated and unsupported; OCA backed the subcommittee as a space to surface recurring, operational problems and retention issues. DCYF Deputy Director Jennifer Ross and General Counsel Susan Larrabee told the committee they did not oppose the measure and said the agency welcomed a community oversight forum to collaborate on recruitment and retention.
Representative Petrino moved that the committee pass HB 478; Representative Pearson seconded and the committee adopted the measure on a roll call (15-0) with one absence. The committee placed the bill on consent to be reported out with a favorable recommendation to the House.
Ending: HB 478 passed the Children and Family Law Committee and will proceed to the Oversight Commission on Children's Services for implementation details and ongoing reporting.
Sections: lede: bill would create foster-care oversight subcommittee; nut graf: OCA and DCYF supported the forum for foster-parent feedback; body: motion to pass and roll-call vote 15-0 with one absence; ending: bill to be reported out on consent.
