Senate Bill 90 Summary

• Requires coordination between counties for foster children nearing age 18 to ensure continuity of care, including educational plans, employment plans, and health service access within 90 days of the child's seventeenth birthday.

• Directs Department of Health and Human Services to develop permanency plans for youth no later than 15 days before age 18 and to study whether the foster care transition age should be changed.

• Establishes seven regions for regional supervision of child welfare and social services with full implementation by March 1, 2024, and appropriates $914,790 for 11 new regional staff positions in fiscal year 2021-2022.

• Reduces Guardianship Assistance Program eligibility age to 12 and directs the Department to increase utilization of guardianship and kinship care programs statewide.

• Requires study of confidentiality laws affecting social services to improve intercounty collaboration and information sharing between child welfare, child support, juvenile justice, and education systems by June 1, 2022.

• Repeals oversight committee for Permanency Innovation Initiative and mandates annual school social worker notification of compulsory attendance requirements for children under age seven.