CHILD ABUSE REPORT BY DHS S.B. 1254: FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 1254 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Bill Hardiman
Committee: Families and Human Services
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Child Protection Law to require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to report to the Legislature after fiscal years 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07 the number of certain child abuse or neglect cases that were closed during fiscal year, the reasons for the case closures, and other information about those cases.
The Law requires the DHS, upon investigating an allegation of child abuse or neglect, to rank the case according to five categories, with Category I being cases requiring a court petition, and Category V being cases in with there is no evidence of abuse or neglect. Category III cases are those in which the DHS determines there is a preponderance of evidence of child abuse or neglect, and an indication of low to moderate risk of future harm to the child.
Under the bill, within four months after the 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07 fiscal years, the DHS would have to report to the appropriate legislative standing committees and to the Appropriations subcommittees for the DHS the total number of families classified in Category III and the number of Category III cases closed during the fiscal year for each of the following reasons:
-- Transfer to foster care.
-- Risk of further child abuse or neglect had been reduced to an acceptable level.
-- The perpetrator no longer had access to the child victim.
-- Unsatisfactory family response; referral to court was not feasible.
-- Child protective services not needed; family was receiving services from another program.
-- Client unavailable for services; location of client unknown.
-- Other.
The report also would have to include the number for which the DHS entered more than one determination that there was evidence of child abuse or neglect; and the number the DHS reclassified from Category III to Category II (which requires protective services).
MCL 722.628d Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 9-13-06 Fiscal Analyst: Constance Cole
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. sb1254/0506