AZ HB2442

Amends Arizona law to prohibit considering a parent as having abused or neglected a child solely for seeking inpatient treatment, out-of-home placement, or bringing a child with behavioral health needs into the home if those needs pose a risk to family safety.

Requires regional behavioral health authorities to dispatch assessment teams within 72 hours (or 2 hours for urgent needs) when out-of-home placements or adoptive parents identify urgent behavioral health service needs, with initial evaluation within 7 calendar days and initial appointments within 21 calendar days.

Allows out-of-home placements or adoptive parents to access behavioral health services directly from any registered Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System provider if services are not received within 21 days, with non-contracted providers receiving payment at 130% of the system's negotiated rate.

Prohibits the Department of Child Safety from removing a foster child based solely on the foster parent's request to disrupt placement or adoption dissolution when the parent was unable to receive statutorily entitled services or the child threatened family safety.

Requires the Department of Child Safety to notify all previous foster homes when a child is removed from home again and to preferentially place the child in a prior foster home unless placement is not in the child's best interests or the prior home declines.