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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
child placement; relative search;
notice
(NOW: external evaluation and recommendations; child safety services; report; delayed repeal)
Purpose
Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to engage an independent advanced analytics consultant to identify associations between hotline allegation data within DCS reports and the need for protective service response. Outlines requirements of the evaluation and prescribes reporting requirements.
Background
The centralized intake hotline is the DCS system established to protect children by receiving, at all times, communications concerning suspected abuse or neglect. The hotline is the first step in the safety assessment and investigation process and must be operated to: 1) record communications concerning suspected abuse or neglect; 2) immediately take steps necessary to identify and locate prior communications and DCS reports related to the current communication using DCS's data system and the central registry system of Arizona; 3) quickly and efficiently provide information to a law enforcement agency or prepare a DCS report as required; and 4) determine the proper initial priority level of investigation based on the report screening assessment and direct the report to the appropriate division of DCS. If a communication provides reason to believe that a criminal offense has been committed but the communication does not meet criteria triggering a DCS report, the hotline worker must immediately provide the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. If the identity or current location of the child victim, victim's family or the suspected abuser is known and outlined criteria apply, a hotline worker must prepare a DCS report (A.R.S. § 8-455).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions:
1. Requires DCS to engage an independent consultant with advanced analytics expertise to identify statistically significant associations between hotline allegation data within DCS reports and the need for protective service response.
2. Requires hotline data to include the subcategories of abuse and neglect recorded by the DCS hotline on receipt of a DCS hotline report.
3. Requires the independent evaluation to provide identification of the specific types of:
a) abuse and neglect by number and percentage of allegations contained within DCS reports;
b) abuse and neglect and other DCS report characteristics that were associated with an investigation assessment that resulted in the removal of a child from the home; and
c) abuse and neglect and other DCS report characteristics that were associated with an investigation assessment that determined whether a child was safe or required protective intervention.
4. Requires, by July 1, 2023, the independent consultant to submit a report of its work to the:
a) Governor;
b) President of the Senate;
c) Speaker of the House of Representatives;
d) Co-Chairpersons of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on DCS; and
e) Secretary of State.
5. Repeals the evaluation and reporting requirements on January 1, 2024.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
· Adopted the strike-everything amendment.
Senate Action
HHS 2/9/22 DPA/SE 8-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 16, 2022
MM/CC/sr