Alaska HB 27

See the bill here: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/29/Bills/HB0027E.PDF.

“On the first day of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a bill aimed at better managing the Alaska foster care system, HB27, passed the Alaska House of Representatives unanimously Friday.

“There are 700 kids waiting for a permanent home in Alaska,” Rep. Les Gara (D-Anchorage), sponsor of the bill and former foster care youth, told colleagues on the House floor.

Gara says that figure is the second highest in the nation, and the highest number Alaska has ever had.

The bill includes provisions formally requiring the Alaska Deptartment Of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to actively recruit more foster parents, and to seek placement for a child with an adult family member or family friend when in the child’s best interest.

It also includes language to facilitate the transition from foster youth to independent living as adults by allowing DHSS to authorize transitional living arrangements, including student dorms, and by increasing the age in which the department stops looking for a permanent guardian from 18 to 21.

Gara says 35 percent of Alaska youth coming out of foster care system end up homeless, 24 percent end up in jail.

“We can do better,” said Gara.

The bill also requires DHSS demonstrate to the courts at status hearings that it is taking reasonable efforts to find a permanent home for each child.”

Bill aimed at improving Alaska’s overwhelmed foster care system clears the House [KTVA 4/1/16 by Liz Raines]

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