SB 2490 Summary

• Renames the Department of Children and Family Services to the Department of Children and Families and reorganizes its structure around judicial circuits and regions headed by circuit administrators and regional directors

• Establishes nine program offices (Adult Protection, Child Care, Domestic Violence, Economic Self-Sufficiency, Family Safety, Homelessness, Mental Health, Refugee Services, and Substance Abuse) each headed by a program director appointed by the secretary

• Creates a Secretary of Children and Families position appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation, along with a Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary for Substance Abuse and Mental Health

• Requires the department to establish community alliances and partnerships in each judicial circuit composed of stakeholders, community leaders, and service consumers to participate in planning and governance of community-based services

• Eliminates the requirement for the Governor to appoint an executive director to the State Office on Homelessness and removes the Council on Homelessness's duty to evaluate the director's performance