HB-5183, As Passed House, October 30, 2003

SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 5183

                                                                             A bill to amend 1939 PA 280, entitled                                             

"The social welfare act,"                                                   

(MCL 400.1 to 400.119b) by adding section 18e.                              

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1   Sec. 18e.  (1) The family independence agency shall                         

2   establish and administer a state plan for foster care according             

3   to the provisions of part E of title IV of the social security              

4   act, 42 USC 670 to 679b.  The state plan shall include programs             

5   and services that promote, implement, and support foster care               

6   focus groups.  When developing programs and services established            

7   within the state plans to carry out foster care policy and                  

8   services, the family independence agency shall utilize input from           

9   locally-based foster care focus groups.                                     

10  (2) Foster care focus groups shall be composed of youth in                  

11  foster care or independent living programs, youth previously in             

1   foster care, and foster parents or relatives caring for youth in            

2   foster care.  The majority of the focus group consists of youth             

3   in foster care or independent living programs.                              

4       (3) In order to inform the legislature, the executive office,               

5   the judiciary, and the public of the needs and interests of youth           

6   in foster care, foster parents, and relatives caring for youth in           

7   foster care, the foster care focus groups are encouraged to be              

8   established in both of the following:                                       

9       (a) Licensed child placing agencies with which the family                   

10  independence agency contracts for youth foster care services that           

11  have an annual average daily foster care caseload of 150 or more            

12  cases or that derives more than 50% of its operating budget from            

13  contracts with the family independence agency for youth foster              

14  care services.                                                              

15      (b) Counties in which the family independence agency has an                 

16  annual average daily foster care caseload of 150 or more cases.             

17      (4) State and federal funds appropriated to implement state                 

18  plans in compliance with part E of title IV of the social                   

19  security act, 42 USC 670 to 679b and state laws may be used to              

20  meet the provisions of this section.