SENATE BILL No. 973

 

 

June 10, 2014, Introduced by Senator CASWELL and referred to the Committee on Families, Seniors and Human Services.

 

 

 

     A bill to create the child welfare partnership council; and to

 

prescribe the powers and duties of the council and certain state

 

departments and agencies.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "child

 

welfare partnership council act".

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Child placing agency" means that term as defined in

 

section 1 of 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111.

 

     (b) "Council" means the child welfare partnership council

 

created in section 3.

 

     (c) "Department" means the department of human services.

 

     (d) "Director" means the director of the department.


 

     Sec. 3. (1) The department shall establish and operate a child

 

welfare partnership council.

 

     (2) The council shall consist of 24 members as follows,

 

appointed by the governor:

 

     (a) Six members representing the department, including the

 

director or his or her designee.

 

     (b) The director of the department of community health or his

 

or her designee.

 

     (c) The director of the department of education or his or her

 

designee.

 

     (d) The chair of the senate appropriations subcommittee

 

dealing with human services matters or his or her designee.

 

     (e) The chair of the house of representatives appropriations

 

subcommittee dealing with human services matters or his or her

 

designee.

 

     (f) Six members representing private child welfare agencies.

 

     (g) One judge designated by the Michigan probate judges

 

association.

 

     (h) One member representing the state court administrative

 

office.

 

     (i) Four county administrators as follows:

 

     (i) Two county commissioners or administrators designated by

 

the Michigan association of counties.

 

     (ii) One county commissioner or administrator from the first

 

pilot county.

 

     (iii) One county commissioner or administrator from the second

 

pilot county.


 

     (j) Two court administrators, 1 designated by the Michigan

 

association for family court administration.

 

     (3) The director or his or her designee and 1 council member

 

who represents a private child welfare agency shall serve as co-

 

chairs of the council.

 

     (4) Members of the committee shall serve for terms of 4 years

 

or until a successor is appointed, whichever is later, except that

 

of the members first appointed 6 shall serve for 1 year, 6 shall

 

serve for 2 years, 6 shall serve for 3 years, and 7 shall serve for

 

4 years.

 

     (5) If a vacancy occurs on the committee, the governor shall

 

make an appointment for the unexpired term in the same manner as

 

the original appointment.

 

     (6) The governor may reject any name submitted for appointment

 

under subsection (2)(f) to (j). If the governor rejects a name

 

submitted for appointment, a new name shall be submitted to the

 

governor for the appointment in the same manner as described in

 

subsection (2)(f) to (j).

 

     Sec. 4. The council shall do, at a minimum, both of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Guide the ongoing planning and procurement processes and

 

continuous quality improvement throughout and after the full

 

implementation of performance-based funding in the state-

 

administered child welfare program.

 

     (b) Consist of representative and relevant stakeholders who

 

are involved in the operation and funding of the state's child

 

welfare system.


 

     Sec. 5. Not later than December 1, 2015, and annually after

 

that, the council and the department shall provide a report to the

 

legislature that describes the progress made toward implementation

 

of child welfare performance-based funding, any issues that require

 

statutory changes, and any resources needed for the performance of

 

public and private child welfare agencies and the courts in

 

accomplishing system goals and measurable outcomes.