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Committee advances updated permanency-plan rules for Department of Children's Services
Summary
The Department of Children's Services updated rules to require permanency plans within 30 days of foster placement, specify responsibilities for parents and caseworkers, and require trauma-informed education for parents in custody six months or longer; the committee advanced the changes.
The Department of Children's Services (DCS) presented rule updates that require permanency plans to be developed within 30 days of a child's foster-care placement, specify responsibilities for parents, the department and case managers, and mandate that any parent whose child has been in state custody six months or longer due to abuse or neglect complete a trauma-informed education class before the child is returned to the parent.
Jim Layman, legislative director for DCS, said the changes implement updates to Tennessee Code Annotated 37-2-403 and that the department held a rulemaking hearing on Dec. 3, 2024, with no public comments. Layman described the permanency plan as a road map that identifies goals such as return to parent, placement with relatives, or adoption and lists services families must complete. Committee members sought clarification on how the rules apply to children who are undocumented or whose parents are outside the United States. DCS said it works with federal counterparts when immigration status or cross-border placement issues arise and that courts retain authority in disposition decisions.
The committee advanced the rule with a positive recommendation; the Senate recorded five ayes and one no on the vote and the House gave a positive recommendation.
