S.B. 281
- *SB281*
SENATE BILL NO. 281–SENATOR NGUYEN
MARCH 5, 2025
____________
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to foster care.
(BDR 38-144)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: No.
~
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to foster care; authorizing an agency which
provides child welfare services to take certain actions
relating to payments made as part of an extended youth
support services plan with the consent of the participant;
and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law requires the Division of Child and Family Services of the 1
Department of Health and Human Services to establish and administer the 2
Extended Young Adult Support Services Program to provide extended support 3
services to certain young adults. (NRS 432B.5919) Existing law further requires the 4
agency which provides child welfare services to, upon the request of a young adult 5
who is eligible to participate in the Program, develop a written extended youth 6
support services plan to assist the young adult in transitioning to self-sufficiency. 7
Existing law: (1) authorizes such a plan to provide for the agency which provides 8
child welfare services to make direct payments to certain persons or entities; and 9
(2) based on the needs of a participant, authorizes the agency which provides child 10
welfare services to, at any time, after consulting with the participant, revise the 11
persons or entities to whom such a payment is made and the manner in which 12
payments are allocated between such persons or entities. (NRS 432B.595) This bill 13
instead authorizes an agency which provides child welfare services to make such 14
revisions with the consent of the participant. 15
– 2 –
- *SB281*
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 432B.595 is hereby amended to read as 1
follows: 2
432B.595 1. Upon the request of a young adult who satisfies 3
the requirements of subsection 1 of NRS 432B.594 to participate in 4
the Program, the agency which provides child welfare services shall 5
develop a written extended youth support services plan to assist the 6
young adult in transitioning to self-sufficiency. Such a plan must 7
include, without limitation: 8
(a) The persons or entities that will receive payments from the 9
agency which provides child welfare services and the manner in 10
which such payments will be allocated. The agency which provides 11
child welfare services may make payments to more than one person 12
or entity authorized to receive payments pursuant to subsection 2. 13
(b) The goals set forth in subsection 3. 14
2. The plan developed pursuant to subsection 1 may provide 15
for the agency which provides child welfare services to make direct 16
payments to: 17
(a) A foster home. 18
(b) A qualified residential treatment program. 19
(c) A child care institution. 20
(d) A person or entity, including, without limitation, a relative or 21
fictive kin, who provides a supervised arrangement for independent 22
living where the participant resides. 23
(e) A landlord, property manager or other entity that collects 24
rental payments for housing. 25
(f) A participant. 26
(g) Any combination of the persons or entities listed in 27
paragraphs (a) to (f), inclusive. 28
3. The plan developed pursuant to subsection 1 must include, 29
without limitation, the following goals: 30
(a) That the young adult save enough money to pay for his or 31
her monthly expenses for at least 3 months; 32
(b) If the young adult has not graduated from high school or 33
obtained a general equivalency diploma or an equivalent document, 34
that the young adult obtain a high school diploma or general 35
equivalency diploma; 36
(c) If the young adult has graduated from high school or 37
obtained a general equivalency diploma or an equivalent document, 38
that the young adult: 39
(1) Complete a program of postsecondary or vocational 40
education; 41
– 3 –
- *SB281*
(2) Complete a program or activity designed to promote 1
employment or remove obstacles to employment; or 2
(3) Be employed at least 80 hours per month; 3
(d) That the young adult secure housing; 4
(e) That the young adult have adequate income to meet his or 5
her monthly expenses; 6
(f) That the young adult identify an adult who will be available 7
to provide support to the young adult; and 8
(g) If applicable, that the young adult have established 9
appropriate supportive services to address any mental health or 10
developmental needs of the young adult. 11
4. If a young adult is not capable of achieving one or more of 12
the goals set forth in paragraphs (a) to (g), inclusive, of subsection 3, 13
the young adult must have goals which are appropriate for the young 14
adult based upon the needs of the young adult. 15
5. Based upon the needs of a participant, the agency which 16
provides child welfare services may, at any time, [after consulting] 17
with the consent of the participant, revise: 18
(a) The persons or entities to whom a payment is made pursuant 19
to subsection 2. 20
(b) The manner in which payments are allocated between 21
persons or entities to whom payments are made pursuant to 22
subsection 2. 23
6. The plan developed pursuant to subsection 1 must be 24
annually reviewed and mutually agreed upon by the young adult and 25
the agency which provides child welfare services at the hearing 26
required by NRS 432B.601. 27
7. The agency which provides child welfare services shall: 28
(a) Monitor the plan developed pursuant to subsection 1 and 29
adjust the plan as necessary; 30
(b) Contact the young adult by telephone at least once each 31
month and in person at least quarterly; 32
(c) Ensure that the young adult meets with a person who will 33
provide guidance to the young adult and make the young adult 34
aware of the services which will be available to the young adult; and 35
(d) Conduct a meeting with the young adult at least 30 days, but 36
not more than 45 days, before he or she reaches the age of 21 years 37
to determine whether the young adult requires any additional 38
guidance. 39
8. As used in this section: 40
(a) “Child care institution” has the meaning ascribed to it in 41
NRS 432A.0245. 42
(b) “Foster home” has the meaning ascribed to it in 43
NRS 424.014. 44
– 4 –
- *SB281*
Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on the earlier of July 1, 1
2025, or the date on which the Division of Child and Family 2
Services of the Department of Health and Human Services notifies 3
the Governor and the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau 4
that there is sufficient money available to carry out the amendatory 5
provisions of sections 1 to 34, inclusive of chapter 419, Statutes of 6
Nevada 2021, at page 2713, and an agency which provides child 7
welfare services, as defined in NRS 432B.030, is prepared to 8
participate in the Extended Young Adult Support Services Program 9
established pursuant to NRS 432B.5919. 10
H