S.B. No. 240 Summary

• Establishes children's crisis care facilities certified by the director of job and family services to provide temporary residential care to preteens (children under 13) in crisis situations, with maximum stays of 120 days per year and 60-90 consecutive days depending on placement type.

• Requires certified facilities to employ licensed social workers or counselors, comply with child safety standards, maintain medical facilities if providing pediatric services, and adhere to specific staffing ratios and training requirements.

• Creates two specialized facility types: family preservation centers (focusing on foster care diversion through evidence-based family services) and residential infant care centers (providing care and medical assistance to drug-exposed infants).

• Extends residency restrictions for sexually oriented and child-victim oriented offenders to include children's crisis care facility premises within 1,000 feet, similar to existing restrictions for schools and daycare centers.

• Authorizes children's crisis care facilities that maintain schedule II controlled substances to keep firearms on premises and permit armed security personnel, and requires agencies placing children in these facilities to record placements in the statewide child welfare information system.