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SB
88: Improving Outcomes for Children in Foster Care
It’s
an unfortunate truth that sometimes, despite everyone’s best efforts,
children must be removed from their parents’ care. When that happens,
the State has a responsibility to minimize further harm and provide
the most stable placement possible for the child’s wellbeing. I
introduced Senate Bill 88 Child Placement; Diligent Search to
ensure the best possible outcome for children in the State’s care.
One
of the biggest issues children face in foster care is being moved
from one placement to another. Research shows that each move a child
in foster care experiences can negatively affect their well-being,
with especially serious impacts on children under age six. Sometimes
these moves are because a family member who is able to care for the
child has been found. These moves are especially difficult if the
child has spent a year or more with a foster family and has bonded
with them.
SB
88 addresses this by requiring the Office of Children’s Services
(OCS) to conduct a diligent search for family placements within 30
days, helping children connect with relatives more quickly and
reducing unnecessary moves. The bill also gives OCS and judges
greater flexibility to make placement decisions based on a child’s
best interests, rather than rigid constraints that could result in
more negative impacts for the child. This legislation reflects a
practical, evidence-based step toward better outcomes for Alaska’s
foster children.
It’s
important to note that this bill doesn’t change the placement
requirements for Alaska Native children in foster care. The Indian
Child Welfare Act is federal law and provides clear direction that
children must always be placed with a family member, fellow tribal
member, or with an Alaska Native caregiver if they are available. SB
88 would not change this preference. However, the provisions in the
bill that require a timely search for family members would apply to
and benefit all children in the State’s care.
SB
88 was heard in the Senate Health Social Services Committee last
year, where experts from Alaska and across the country spoke to the
proven harm of placement instability and the importance of the
remedies offered by the bill. The bill is now in the Senate Finance
Committee, where I look forward to a speedy hearing and passage.
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