SB107: relative to extended foster care under the child protection act.

SB 107-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2019 SESSION

19-0929

05/01

SENATE BILL 107-FN

AN ACT relative to extended foster care under the child protection act.

SPONSORS: Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Morgan, Dist 23; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. Rice, Hills. 37; Rep. Berrien, Rock. 18

COMMITTEE: Education and Workforce Development

ANALYSIS

This bill provides that voluntary services under the child protection act may include the extension of foster care to individuals under 21 years of age who meet certain criteria regarding education and/or employment.

The bill is a request of the department of health and human services.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0929

05/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

AN ACT relative to extended foster care under the child protection act.

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

1 Child Protection Act; Duties of the Department of Health and Human Services; Extention of Foster Care Services. Amend RSA 169-C:34, V-a to read as follows:

V-a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the department may offer voluntary services to any child who prior to his or her eighteenth birthday was found to be neglected or abused, who was in legal custody of the department as of his or her eighteenth birthday, and who is less than 21 years of age. Voluntary services provided by the department under this paragraph may include extended foster care for youth under 21 years of age, provided that the youth is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential, enrolled in an institution which provides postsecondary or vocational education, participating in a program or activity designed to promote or remove barriers to employment, employed for at least 80 hours per month, or incapable of doing any of the above due to a medical condition. The costs of voluntary services provided by the department under this paragraph shall not be eligible for reimbursement under RSA 169-C:27.

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

LBAO

19-0929

Revised 3/7/19

SB 107-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to extended foster care under the child protection act.

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

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$122,000

$244,000

$366,000

$366,000

Funding Source:

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

METHODOLOGY:

This bill amends RSA 169-C:34,V by extending voluntary services from the Department of Health and Human Services to include foster care for persons 18 to 21 provided that those individuals are in an educational program, vocational program, program promoting employment or removing barriers to employment, or are employed at least 80 hours per month. Individuals 18 to 21 incapable of participating in specified programs due to medical conditions would also be eligible.

The Department assumes there would be 12 individuals turning 18 years old in FY 2020 who would benefit from the bill. Beginning in FY 2021, an additional 12 individuals (24 total for FY 2021) would become eligible and each year thereafter with the first set of individuals beginning to age out in FY 2023 resulting in 36 total individuals ages 18 to 21 remaining eligible. The Department estimates it would consistently provide voluntary services to 36 eligible individuals on an annual basis beginning in FY 2022.

Department-provided rates per day for these services are $27.86 resulting in $10,169 annually per person. Based on the rates provided and the Department's assumptions, expenditures would increase by approximately $122,000 in FY 2020, $244,000 in SFY 2021, and $366,000 in each FY 2022 and FY 2023. Estimated expenditures would be a mix of 50 percent general funds and 50 percent federal funds.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services