A N A C T
RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 42-72 of the General Laws entitled "Children, Youth, and Families Department" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
42-72-29.1. Annual increases for children's residential programs. -- (a) There shall be a five percent (5%) annual funding increase to provide quality residential programming and treatment for children in out-of-home care to all department of children, youth and families contracted residential providers which will be effective for fiscal years 2001 and 2002. These annualized increases shall be utilized for direct care staff for the purpose of achieving skill development and improving staff retention reates through measures including pay increases.
(b) These annualized increases shall not prohibit contracted residential providers from seeking, from the department, increases for other costs as may be required, either individually or collectively, in the future due to clinical, environmental, economic or other factors.
(c) These annualized increases shall not apply to nonresidential programs nor to those programs that do not contract with the state. The department shall report to the general assembly and the chairpersons of the house and senate finance committees not later than April 30, 2001 and April 30, 2002 as to the methods whereby such increased funding was allocated to residential service providers and the extent to which such funding has contributed to positive outcomes for children. In the 2002 report, the department shall have in place and shall describe a performance measure system which shall include incentives to residential programs for positive outcomes.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
