SB0378 Summary

• Department of Children and Family Services must be capable of receiving child abuse and neglect reports 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and must notify school district superintendents when reports allege a child is truant.

• Department may implement a "differential response program" that uses family assessments for reports not involving substantial child endangerment, rather than full investigations, while still conducting investigations for serious abuse cases.

• Cases receiving family assessments are not reported to the central register of abuse and neglect, and the Department must document reasons for terminating investigations and notify law enforcement if conducting joint investigations.

• Department must arrange for independent evaluation of any differential response program for at least 3 years and submit implementation progress report to General Assembly by January 15, 2018.

• School employees accused of abuse or neglect have enhanced due process rights including right to representation, copy of investigation summary, review of allegations, and administrator teleconference before final findings are entered.