S.B. 183
- *SB183*
SENATE BILL NO. 183–SENATOR SCHEIBLE
PREFILED FEBRUARY 3, 2025
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Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to caseworkers of
agencies which provide child welfare services.
(BDR 38-710)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact.
Effect on the State: Yes.
CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§ 1)
(NOT REQUESTED BY AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT)
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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to child welfare; limiting the number of cases that
may be assigned to certain caseworkers of an agency
which provides child welfare services; and providing
other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law requires an agency which provides child welfare services to 1
provide maintenance and special services to: (1) unmarried mothers and children 2
awaiting adoptive placement; and (2) children who are placed in the custody of the 3
agency, foster homes, homes of relatives other than parents or other facilities or 4
institutions. (NRS 432.020) This bill prohibits an agency which provides child 5
welfare services from assigning more than 30 cases of children who are in the 6
custody of the agency to a caseworker who provides permanency services. 7
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 432.020 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1
432.020 1. An agency which provides child welfare services 2
shall: 3
[1.] (a) Provide, to the extent that support is not otherwise 4
required by court order or pursuant to specific statute, maintenance 5
and special services to: 6
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[(a)] (1) Unmarried mothers and children awaiting adoptive 1
placement. 2
[(b)] (2) Children who are placed in the custody of the agency 3
which provides child welfare services, and who are placed in foster 4
homes, homes of relatives other than parents or other facilities or 5
institutions. Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, if any 6
child is to be placed in the custody of the agency which provides 7
child welfare services, pursuant to any order of a court or request 8
made by a person or agency other than the agency which provides 9
child welfare services, this order or request may be issued or made 10
only after an opportunity for a hearing has been given to the agency 11
which provides child welfare services after 3 days’ notice, or upon 12
request of the agency which provides child welfare services. 13
[2.] (b) Except as otherwise provided by court order or specific 14
statute, return a child to his or her natural home or the home of a 15
competent relative for a probationary period any time after the 16
expiration of 60 days after the placement of the child in the custody 17
of the agency which provides child welfare services, with 18
notification to but without formal application to a court, but the 19
agency which provides child welfare services retains the right to 20
custody of the child during the probationary period, until a court of 21
competent jurisdiction determines proper custody of the child. 22
2. An agency which provides child welfare services shall not 23
assign more than 30 cases of children who are in the custody of 24
the agency which provides child welfare services to a caseworker 25
who provides permanency services. 26
3. As used in this section, “permanency services” means 27
efforts made to ensure the safety and well-being of a child who is 28
in the custody of the agency which provides child welfare services. 29
The term includes, without limitation: 30
(a) Assessing and responding to the medical, mental health, 31
developmental and educational needs of the child; 32
(b) Conducting an assessment of family functioning and the 33
safety of the child within the family; and 34
(c) Establishing and working toward achieving a permanent 35
placement for the child. 36
Sec. 2. The provisions of NRS 354.599 do not apply to any 37
additional expenses of a local government that are related to the 38
provisions of this act. 39
Sec. 3. 1. This section becomes effective upon passage and 40
approval. 41
2. Sections 1 and 2 of this act become effective: 42
(a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any 43
regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative 44
tasks that are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; and 45
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(b) On January 1, 2026, for all other purposes. 1
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