FOSTER CARE REVIEW BOARDS - S.B. 517 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 517 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor: Senator George A. McManus, Jr.

Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services

CONTENT

The bill would amend the foster care review board Act to do the following:

-- Require a local board to evaluate the placement of a child in a foster home that would cause the home to be out of compliance with any licensing rules or statutes; and to recommend to the Department of Consumer and Industry Services that the rules or statutes be waived if that placement would be in the child's best interests and would not jeopardize the children in the home.

-- Require a local board to perform an administrative review of random cases in which a child had not been adopted within six months after termination of parental rights, every six months until a permanent placement was achieved.

-- Require a local board to hear an appeal of a proposed change in foster care placement.

-- Delete the requirement that a foster care review board be established in a county that has 100 to 500 children in foster care; require, instead, that there be a review board in each county or multiple counties; and provide for the creation of a county local board or boards composed of one or more counties, at the direction of the State Court Administrative office.

MCL 722.134 et al. - Legislative Analyst: S. Margules

FISCAL IMPACT

The fiscal impact is indeterminate. Assuming that there are no multicounty boards, the provisions of the bill would require at least an additional 68 boards. This would mean an additional 340 volunteer members on the local boards and the necessary staff support by the Foster Care Review Board. Currently there are two field representatives in the State Court Administrative Office-Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) who provide the necessary support to 19 local boards in 15 counties. The additional local boards would require additional staff support and resources by the FCRB.

Based on recommendations of the Children's Commission, local foster care review boards would be expanding their duties. As such, the Judiciary in its FY 1997-98 budget recommendation has requested additional funds of approximately $296,000 in order to expand the 19 boards to 33 boards. The 33 boards would provide service to all counties. The Senate has provided additional Federal funds totaling $118,400 to the Judiciary's budget, the House subcommittee is expected to provide the total amount requested by the Judiciary.

Provided that the Legislature approves the total funding requested in the FY 1997-98 Judiciary budget, the fiscal impact of the bill should be minimal.

Date Completed: 5-28-97 - Fiscal Analyst: M. Ortiz

S9798\S517SA

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.