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Committee approves rules to broaden disclosure of child-welfare information to caregivers; lawmakers seek scope clarifications
Summary
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved rule language intended to allow greater sharing of departmental records with foster families and child-serving partners, while asking officials how the changes affect schools, health providers and confidentiality protections.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a rule docket on department records and information sharing intended to allow the Department of Health and Welfare to provide foster parents and other caregivers more information about children in their care.
Jared Larson said the rule reverses the department's prior posture from "unless allowed by law" toward a position of sharing "to the maximum extent possible without violating law or rule." He said the change is intended to ensure foster parents have the information they need to support placements; the department's presentation cited an example raised in a House committee earlier the same day involving incomplete sharing about a child who had been a victim of abuse.
Senators asked whether expanded disclosure could extend to schools, health providers or other community partners. Larson said the change gives the department discretion to release information as needed "as long as it complies with the law," and acknowledged some information remains restricted under statute.
The committee also approved a full-chapter repeal and roll-in docket that the department said had been better considered with other child-welfare rule work done previously; the repeal aligns rules adopted earlier and removes now-duplicative material. Larson said the foster-care-licensing final rule adopted the previous day had been incorporated into related chapters and that the repeal simply reflects that consolidation.
Juliette Sharon, deputy director, and other department staff answered committee questions about coverage and confidentiality. Senator Wintrow and others commented that the rule appears intended to balance confidentiality with the practical needs of caregivers, including training expectations that caregivers safeguard private information.
Action: The committee approved the records-disclosure docket (docket 160512401) and related foster-care licensing and chapter-repeal dockets by voice vote. Senators moved and seconded the motions on the record.
Ending: The department said the changes are intended to help foster placements succeed by giving caregivers necessary information while continuing to comply with statutory confidentiality rules; the committee approved the dockets and moved on.
