SB582: (New Title) authorizing an assessment to determine appropriate caseload and workload standards for the division for children, youth and families; establishing additional child protection services positions in the division for children, youth and families; relative to foster care and adoption programs and services; and making appropriations therefor.

SB 582-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

03/14/2018 0990s

03/22/2018 1154s

2018 SESSION

18-2894

05/10

SENATE BILL 582-FN

AN ACT authorizing an assessment to determine appropriate caseload and workload standards for the division for children, youth and families; establishing additional child protection services positions in the division for children, youth and families; relative to foster care and adoption programs and services; and making appropriations therefor.

SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Rep. M. McCarthy, Hills. 29; Rep. Morrison, Rock. 9; Rep. Bove, Rock. 5; Rep. Guthrie, Rock. 13; Rep. Rosenwald, Hills. 30

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Directs the department of health and human services to conduct an assessment to determine appropriate caseload and workload standards for child protection staff and makes an appropriation for such purpose.

II. Makes appropriations to the department of health and human services for additional child protection staff, and for foster care and adoption programs, rate increases, and services.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/14/2018 0990s

03/22/2018 1154s 18-2894

05/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen

AN ACT authorizing an assessment to determine appropriate caseload and workload standards for the division for children, youth and families; establishing additional child protection services positions in the division for children, youth and families; relative to foster care and adoption programs and services; and making appropriations therefor.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Department of Health and Human Services; Division for Children, Youth and Families; Assessment to Determine Appropriate Caseload and Workload Standards for Child Protection Staff. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall conduct an assessment to determine appropriate caseload and/or workload standards for the department’s division for children, youth and families’ child protection staff that are consistent with the goals of the agency’s practice model and that will enable the agency to fulfill its statutory mission to protect children from abuse and neglect. In conducting the assessment, the department may solicit information from experts, community stakeholders, and national leaders, and shall consider caseload trends and the impact of caseloads and workloads on recruitment and retention and the supervision and training of department staff. On or before January 1, 2019, the department shall report the findings of its assessment, along with the department’s recommendations for establishing and maintaining appropriate caseload and/or workload standards and the department’s estimate of the cost to implement those recommendations, to the house health, human services and elderly affairs committee and senate health and human services committee and the house and senate finance committees.

2 Department of Health and Human Services; Appropriation; Assessment. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, the sum of $100,000 is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of conducting the assessment under section 1 of this act. This appropriation is in addition to any other funds appropriated to the department. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

3 Department of Health and Human Services; Division for Children Youth and Families; Classified Positions Established. The following classified positions are hereby established in the department of health and human services, division for children, youth and families:

I. Thirteen child protection social worker I positions, at labor grade 18.

II. Two supervisor IV positions, at labor grade 25.

4 Department of Health and Human Services; Appropriation; Positions. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, the sum of $1,100,000 is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of funding the positions established in section 3 of this act. This appropriation is in addition to any other funds appropriated to the department. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

5 Department of Health and Human Services; Appropriation; Foster Care and Adoption Programs and Services. The sum of $1,100,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of funding foster care and adoption programs, rate increases, and services pursuant to RSA 170-G:3. This appropriation is in addition to any other funds appropriated to the department. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

LBAO

18-2894

Amended 3/20/18

SB 582-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2018-0990s)

AN ACT authorizing an assessment to determine appropriate caseload and workload standards for the division for children, youth and families; establishing additional child protection services positions in the division for children, youth and families; relative to foster care and adoption programs and services; and making appropriations therefor.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

Appropriation

$2,300,000

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$3,136,000

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Federal Funds

METHODOLOGY:

This bill:

Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct an assessment to determine appropriate caseload/workload standards for the Division for Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and appropriates $100,000 in FY19 for this purpose;

Establishes 13 child protective social worker positions and two supervisor positions within DCYF, and appropriates $1,100,000 for this purpose in FY19;

Appropriates $1,100,000 in FY19 for the purpose of funding foster care and adoption programs and services; and

Authorizes the transfer of $429,000 in existing general fund appropriations for the purpose of funding foster care rate increases in FY19.

The Department states that the total costs of bullets 2 and 3 above will be $3,036,000 in FY19, but that federal matching funds of $836,000 will supplement the general fund appropriation to cover costs. The Department does not project ongoing costs beyond FY19, but total costs will likely exceed $3,000,000 per year if the positions and foster care services are continued beyond the current FY18/19 budget.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services