CS/CS/HB 1079 - Child Welfare Bill Summary

• Establishes a new Guardianship Assistance Program providing monthly payments (up to $4,000 annually) and nonrecurring payments (up to $2,000) to relatives and fictive kin who serve as permanent guardians for dependent children, with eligibility requirements including prior foster care placement and Medicaid coverage extending to age 21 under certain conditions.

• Creates definitions for "fictive kin" (emotionally significant relationships without biological connection) and "guardian" to expand kinship caregiver options, and requires the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to evaluate program implementation and report findings by January 1, 2021.

• Requires level 1 screening for household members exempted from fingerprinting due to physical, developmental, or cognitive disabilities, and prohibits child placement with individuals convicted of specific felonies including child abuse, domestic violence, child pornography, and homicide.

• Modifies court procedures by requiring courts to determine case plan compliance during permanency and judicial review hearings, and establish that parents must maintain proactive contact with case managers at least every 14 calendar days.

• Increases foster care room and board rates effective July 1, 2018, and revises training requirements for foster parents, eliminating preservice training requirements for emergency shelter parents while maintaining inservice training requirements by licensure level.