RHB/4/17
Sponsored by Will Nyman, Theo Smith, Clarissa Rohling of Loretto High School
This legislation was filed in the Human Resources category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section 1 : Terms in this act are defined as follows: |
| 4 | a.) Foster Care- A system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home, or private |
| 5 | home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a foster parent, or with a family member |
| 6 | approved by the state. |
| 7 | b) Foster Parent- A person temporarily serving as a parent for a child who has lost or been |
| 8 | removed from a parent's care and who is not the person's own biological child |
| 9 | c) Foster Child- A child raised by someone who is not their natural or adoptive parent |
| 10 | d) Caseworker- An investigator, especially of a social agency, who aids disadvantaged individuals |
| 11 | or families chiefly by analysis of their problems and through personal counseling |
| 12 | e) Child Neglect - The act, or failure to act, by any parent or caretaker that results in the death, |
| 13 | serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation of a child under the age of 18. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Section 2 : All persons who are wanting to become a foster parent will need a rigorous background |
| 16 | check, alongside a mandatory physique evaluation and completion of the necessary courses’ |
| 17 | needed before obtaining temporary custody of any child of any age range. If the household has |
| 18 | children before fostering the children must be included within the family’s decision on fostering |
| 19 | and or adoption. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Section 3 : Foster parents must be financially able to support and provide a child with what they |
| 22 | require before taking in any children. This includes substantial meals, clothing, water, and bathing |
| 23 | facilities. In certain circumstances banking statements may be required before or during fostering. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | Section 4 : Six (6) qualified enforcement personnel will be hired initially by the Department of |
| 26 | Human Resources. This number is subject to increase based upon the need in the following years. |
| 27 | This is a full time position. They will additionally have an estimated salary of $37,983 per year. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | Section 5 : These individuals are responsible for determining if the said foster parents are |
| 30 | engaging in any misconduct, negligent or cruel behaviors towards any children within the home. |
| 31 | For each act in violation of this law outlined above, all children including non-fostered children will |
| 32 | be removed from the home and the foster license will be revoked along with a criminal charge of |
| 33 | child neglect and or misconduct when caring for one or more children. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | Section 6 : In order to obtain a license, an initial license fee of $250 is required. Then, new foster |
| 36 | parents must agree to an initial inspection, criminal background check, any and all of DCS’s |
| 37 | registry checks, and agree to be subject to spontaneous bi-weekly inspections by an enforcement |
| 38 | officer, and must be able to provide any necessary banking statements if and when asked. |
| 39 | |
| 40 | Section 7: This act will cost the state $15,000,000 and it will be funded through the Tennessee |
| 41 | Department of Child Services. $300,000 of it goes towards annual salaries. This pricing is based on |
| 42 | six (6) representatives in the new branch. The remaining $14,700,000 will go towards creating |
| 43 | and maintaining the new branch along with a new building if or when one is needed. |
| 44 | |
| 45 | Section 8: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this are hereby repealed. |
| 46 | |
| 47 | Section 9: This act shall take effect immediately, the public welfare requiring it. |
| 48 |