Senate File 564 - Introduced SENATE FILE 564 BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (SUCCESSOR TO SF 251) A BILL FOR An Act creating the positions of an ombudsman assistant for 1 child foster care and a foster care advocate. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2558SV (2) 91 dg/ko
S.F. 564 Section 1. Section 2C.6, Code 2025, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 2C.6 Deputy assistant for penal agencies assistants . 3 1. The ombudsman shall designate one of the members of 4 the staff as the deputy ombudsman, with authority to act as 5 ombudsman when the ombudsman is absent from the state or 6 becomes disabled. The ombudsman may delegate to members of the 7 staff any of the authority or duties of the office except the 8 duty of formally making recommendations to agencies or reports 9 to the governor or the general assembly. 10 2. The ombudsman shall appoint an assistant who shall be 11 primarily responsible for investigating complaints relating to 12 penal or correctional agencies. 13 3. The ombudsman shall appoint an assistant who shall be 14 primarily responsible for investigating complaints relating to 15 child foster care under chapter 237. 16 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 237.14B State foster care advocate and 17 ombudsman assistant information. 18 All materials relating to child foster care that are made 19 available by the department, or an agent of the department, to 20 the public shall contain information about the state foster 21 care advocate, and the ombudsman assistant described in section 22 2C.6, subsection 3. The information shall include the name, 23 telephone number, and internet site of the state foster care 24 advocate, and the telephone number and internet site for the 25 state office of ombudsman. 26 Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STATE 27 FOSTER CARE ADVOCATE. 28 1. For purposes of this section: 29 a. Child foster care means the same as defined in section 30 237.1. 31 b. Department means the department of health and human 32 services. 33 c. Individual means the same as defined in section 237.1. 34 d. Licensee means the same as defined in section 237.1. 35 -1- LSB 2558SV (2) 91 dg/ko 1/ 3
S.F. 564 2. a. The department shall designate a person to serve as 1 the state foster care advocate. 2 b. The state foster care advocate shall serve within the 3 departments compliance division, and remain separate from the 4 departments family well-being and protection division. 5 c. The state foster care advocate shall act as a resource to 6 individual licensees by doing the following: 7 (1) Improving department administrative and operational 8 functions related to child foster care. 9 (2) Engaging in department policy discussions as an 10 advocate for individual licensees. 11 (3) Making policy recommendations that consider the health 12 and safety of children receiving child foster care. 13 (4) Engaging with public and private entities related to 14 child foster care. 15 (5) Receiving complaints about the provision of child 16 foster care services by the department or an agent of the 17 department. 18 (6) Engaging with individual licensees relating to 19 resources and services available to the individual licensee. 20 (7) Other duties related to child foster care advocacy as 21 assigned by the department. 22 3. At the time a person obtains a license to provide child 23 foster care, the department shall provide the person with 24 the state foster care advocates name, telephone number, and 25 internet site, and a brief description of the services the 26 state foster care advocate provides. 27 4. On or before December 1, 2025, the department shall 28 submit proposed legislation to the general assembly that 29 codifies and defines the state foster care advocate within 30 the department, including the state foster care advocates 31 duties as outlined in subsection 2, paragraph c. Prior to 32 submitting the proposed legislation, the department shall 33 solicit public input regarding the proposed legislation, 34 specifically from persons involved in child foster care. 35 -2- LSB 2558SV (2) 91 dg/ko 2/ 3
S.F. 564 EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill relates to the creation of the positions 4 of ombudsman assistant for child foster care (ombudsman 5 assistant), and foster care advocate (advocate). 6 The bill requires the state ombudsman to appoint an 7 ombudsman assistant for investigating complaints relating to 8 child foster care. 9 The bill creates the advocates position within the 10 department of health and human services (HHS) compliance 11 division, and separate from HHSs family well-being and 12 protection division. The bill requires the advocate to act 13 as a resource to foster parents and lists several duties the 14 advocate must perform to fulfill the purpose of the position. 15 When a person obtains a license to provide child foster 16 care, the bill requires HHS to provide the person with the 17 advocates name, telephone number, and internet site, and 18 a brief description of the services the advocate provides. 19 The bill requires HHS to submit proposed legislation to the 20 general assembly on or before December 1, 2025, that codifies 21 and defines the advocate position within HHS. HHS must 22 solicit public input about the proposed legislation prior to 23 submission. 24 The bill requires all materials relating to child foster 25 care that are made available by HHS, or an agent of HHS, to 26 the public to contain information about the advocate and the 27 ombudsman assistant. The information must include the name, 28 telephone number, and internet site of the advocate, and the 29 telephone number and internet site for the state office of 30 ombudsman. 31 -3- LSB 2558SV (2) 91 dg/ko 3/ 3