2015 -- S 0553

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE SECRETARY OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE RHODE ISLAND

FAMILY COURT CONVENE A TASK FORCE WITH THE GOAL OF FOCUSING ON

IMPROVING COURT SCHEDULING, PLACEMENT DECISION-MAKING, AND

INFORMATION SHARING FOR CHILDREN IN STATE CARE

     

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Goldin, Ottiano, and Miller

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

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     WHEREAS, Responsibility for the well-being of the state’s most vulnerable children is

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shared across multiple state agencies in Rhode Island, including the Department of Children,

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Youth, and Families (DCYF); the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental

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Disabilities, and Hospitals (BHDDH); the Department of Education; and the Family Court; and

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     WHEREAS, Coordinating the care of children served by the state’s child welfare system

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can be challenging. Children’s needs vary, different information may be required for decision-

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making, and communication systems and timelines can fluctuate. When unaddressed, these

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differences can get in the way of children receiving the support they need in their most desperate

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hour; and

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     WHEREAS, The Senate Task Force on DCYF and the Family Care Networks Contracts

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included in its January 2015 final report a recommendation that a task force be established

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specifically to focus on the interrelationship among DCYF, the Family Court, and provider

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agencies, including health care and education; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human

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Services and the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Family Court convene a task force whose goal

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focuses on improving court scheduling, placement decision-making, and information sharing for

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children in state care; and be it further

 

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests that the task force includes

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representatives from BHDDH, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary

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Education, the Office of the Child Advocate, and provider organizations; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests that the task force identifies

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policies, processes, and practices that stand in the way of the effective and efficient use of time in

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placement and care decisions for children in state care; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests that the Secretary of the

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Executive Office of Health and Human Services submits a report from said task force to the

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Rhode Island General Assembly on or before January 7, 2016, that details the actions that will be

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taken by DCYF and each organization represented on the task force to improve the effective and

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efficient use of time in placement and care decisions for children in state care; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor, the Secretary of the Executive

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Office of Health and Human Services, the Chief Judge of the Family Court, the Acting Director

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of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Director of the Department of

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Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals, the Commissioner of

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Education, and the Child Advocate.

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