House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.
Amends proposed GS 7B-300.1 to additionally prohibit county departments of social services from supplementing child protective services intake screening criteria with county policy that is more lenient than State policy (previously, only prohibited county policy more stringent or in addition to State policy).
Regarding the directive for the Department of Health and Human Services to implement a rapid consultation system for counties to make child safety decisions, now requires the system to consist of a phone line that a county Director or their designee (was, county worker or supervisor) can access at any time when the county has concerns (was, when the county worker or supervisor has concerns) relating to the correct screening decision, assessment track, or applicable response time frame for a specific case.
Now requires the Division of Social Services (DSS) to require retraining for all child welfare workers every three years, including supervisors and other workers who occasionally screen child maltreatment reports (previously, authorized the Division to require training when necessary). Adds a new mandate of DSS to require all child welfare supervisors to pass a competency pass/fail test prior to providing screening decisions or On Call duties. Makes conforming changes to no longer direct DSS to increase the frequency of intake training, develop an intermediate intake screening course, and require county workers and supervisors to complete intake screening training at least every three years. Maintains the requirements for DSS to implement the assessment and training requirements by December 31, 2020, and submit a report on its use of the requirements to the specified NCGA committee by June 30, 2021.
Changes the act's long title.
Bill Summaries: H1048 CPS INTAKE SCREENING/PED RECOMMENDATIONS.
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Bill H 1048 (2019-2020)Summary date: Jun 4 2020 - View Summary
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Bill H 1048 (2019-2020)Summary date: Apr 29 2020 - View Summary
Enacts GS 7B-300.1 to prohibit county departments of social services from supplementing child protective services intake screening criteria with additional or more stringent county policy than State policy.
Mandates the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Social Services (DSS) to implement a rapid consultation system with counties in making decisions regarding the safety of children, including a devoted telephone line for county workers or supervisors to request DSS consultation. Requires at least two DSS staffers to consult with the county department within 24 hours of receipt of a request. Directs DSS to implement the rapid consultation system by June 30, 2021, and submit a report on its implementation to the specified NCGA committee by December 31, 2021.
Additionally, directs DSS to periodically assess county departments of social services’ workers and supervisors’ comprehension and correct implementation of State policy and their training needs regarding screening of reports of alleged child maltreatment. Specifies assessment techniques to be used and directs DSS to require retraining when necessary. Further directs DSS to increase the frequency of intake training, develop an intermediate intake screening course, and require county workers and supervisors to complete intake screening training at least every three years. Requires DSS to implement the assessment and training requirements by December 31, 2020, and submit a report on its use of the requirements to the specified NCGA committee by June 30, 2021.
Directs DSS to revise the child protective services structured intake form that is used by county departments of social services to screen reports of alleged child maltreatment. In consultation with the Children’s Research Center or a similar organization, requires DSS to revise the form to ensure it continues to meet federal and State requirements and provides consistency for use statewide. Requires DSS to recertify the structured form every five years, continue to consult with the Children’s Research Center or a similar organization when State policy changes require modifications to the structured intake form. Establishes biennial reporting requirements, beginning July 30, 2020, for DSS to report to the specified NCGA committee on its revision process until revisions are complete.
Mandates that DSS implement statistically valid program monitoring for county intake screening procedures and establish measurable performance benchmarks that can be applied to all counties. Requires DSS to perform county data reviews for intake screening at least annually beginning no later than December 31, 2024. Provides parameters for performance review sampling and monitoring. Establishes an annual reporting requirement, beginning June 30, 2021, and ending December 31, 2024, for DSS to report to the specified NCGA committee its progress toward improved monitoring and continuous quality improvement.