Chapter 134

2010 -- S 2346

Enacted 06/25/10

A N A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES

Introduced By: Senators Lanzi, DiPalma, and Jabour

Date Introduced: February 11, 2010

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 42-72 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Children,

Youth, and Families" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

42-72-5.3. Accreditation. – (a) The standards set by the Council on Accreditation (COA)

are nationally recognized as best practices for protecting and providing services to abused and

neglected children.

(b) Achieving and maintaining these standards requires a solid commitment from the

legislative, executive and judicial branches of government;

(c) It is the intent of the general assembly to provide the resources for the department of

children, youth, and families to meet, achieve and sustain accreditation by the Council on

Accreditation;

(d) Upon the appropriation of sufficient funds and resources by the general assembly, the

department of children, youth, and families shall initiate the process for seeking COA

accreditation no later than July 1, 2011 and shall submit an accreditation plan to the governor, the

speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the chairperson of the house

committee on health, education and welfare, the chairperson of the senate committee on health

and human services, the chairpersons of the finance committees of the house and senate, and to

the chairpersons of the judiciary committees of the house and senate no later than July 1, 2012.

Said plan shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1) Inputs, including updated staffing requirements, a timetable for achieving those

requirements, and any additional costs associated with achieving accreditation;

(2) Outcomes, including an assessment based on statistical and other evidence, of the

impact of accreditation on the number of abused and neglected children, the nature of their abuse,

and the relationships between such children and their families.

(e) The general assembly shall appropriate sufficient funds for expenses associated with

achieving initial COA accreditation and subsequent re-accreditation with said funds being placed

in a restricted receipt account to be used solely for this purpose.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00652

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