2025 -- H 5995
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LC001982
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUM AN
SERVICES
Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Stewart, Felix, Tanzi, Handy, Cruz, Potter, and
Casimiro
Date Introduced: February 28, 2025
Referred To: House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 42-12-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-12 entitled "Department 1
of Human Services" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
42-12-1. Department of human services. 3
(1) There is hereby established within the executive branch of state government a 4
department which shall be known as the department of human services. The department shall be 5
headed by a director of human services who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and 6
consent of the senate and who shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. 7
(2) The director shall carry out all of the provisions of all of the general and public laws 8
heretofore carried out by the department of education and the director of social welfare with relation 9
to: 10
(a) Vocational rehabilitation; 11
(b) Division of correctional services; and 12
(c) Division of community services, whose several functions are by this chapter transferred 13
to the department of human services. 14
(3) The director shall carry out all department recruitment efforts and job training to attract 15
qualified candidates eligible for the following positions: 16
(a) Eligibility technician; 17
(b) Child service enforcement agent; 18
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(c) Social case worker I & II; 1
(d) Employment career advisor; 2
(e) The director shall promulgate rules concerning the eligibility of persons for the job 3
training program; the granting of a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend from available funds, for 4
eligible applicants who have successfully completed the job training program and the department’s 5
probationary period. 6
SECTION 2. Section 42-72-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-72 entitled "Department 7
of Children, Youth and Families" is hereby amended to read as follows: 8
42-72-4. Qualifications and duties of director. 9
(a) The director shall meet the following minimum qualifications: 10
(1) Hold a master’s degree in social work or a closely related field, and have demonstrated 11
experience in child welfare and/or children’s mental health, and/or juvenile justice; and 12
(2) Have at least five (5) years of increasing responsibility in administering programs for 13
children. 14
(b) The director’s duties include, but are not limited to: 15
(1) Administration and direction of the operation of the department; 16
(2) Examination of programs, services, and plans for children for the purpose of identifying 17
duplications, inefficiencies, effectiveness of programs, resources and unmet needs; 18
(3) Securing and analysis of departmental plans and budget requests affecting children’s 19
programs and services; 20
(4) Review of federal funds utilized and available to the state for children’s programs and 21
services; 22
(5) Collation of items in the governor’s budget related to programs and services for children 23
and issuance of impact statements; 24
(6) Formulation of recommendations to the governor and other appropriate department 25
heads on planning and expenditures for children’s programs and services; 26
(7) Liaison with community child advocacy groups, including parents, to receive advice on 27
resources, needs, and priorities in the different localities; 28
(8) Provide effective public information on children’s services in Rhode Island; 29
(9) Advise the legislature on the needs of children and their families; 30
(10) Establish a central registry for the purpose of reporting, collating, receiving, and 31
administering reports involving children; 32
(11) Liaison with other state departments, agencies, local governments, and private 33
providers of services to coordinate services and maximize resources in developing programs; 34
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(12) Formulation of rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this 1
chapter; 2
(13) Preparation of an annual report and state plan to be sent to the governor and the general 3
assembly; 4
(14) Provision or arrangement for the provision of suitable treatment, rehabilitation, and 5
care for each child under the director’s supervision by pursuing the least restrictive placement and, 6
wherever feasible, by effectuating community placements in Rhode Island; 7
(15) The director shall provide for a case management information system that includes 8
data regarding, but not limited to, client entry, screening, client’s needs assessment, development 9
of a client service plan, services provision, evaluation, review and monitoring of client progress, 10
and client exit from the system. In addition, the director shall establish a centralized case 11
management unit to receive all service plans and using any additional expertise as may be required, 12
will review, monitor, evaluate, endorse, and/or modify as may be appropriate, each client service 13
plan; 14
(16) Administer in a coordinated and integrated manner all institutions and facilities that 15
are or may come under the jurisdiction of the department; and 16
(17) Develop a comprehensive program for the prevention of problems of children and 17
provide a flexible, innovative, and effective program for the placement, care, and treatment of 18
children committed by any court to the department, transferred to the department by other 19
departments, or voluntarily admitted to the department. 20
(18) The director shall carry out all department recruitment efforts and job training to attract 21
qualified candidates eligible for the following positions: 22
(i) Social case worker I; 23
(ii) Child protective investigator; 24
(iii) The director shall promulgate rules concerning the eligibility of persons for the job 25
training program; the granting of a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend from available funds, for 26
eligible applicants who have successfully completed the job training program and the department’s 27
probationary period. 28
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 29
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
SERVICES
***
This act would provide a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend to a qualified applicant 1
who successfully completes the job training program of the department of human services or 2
department of children, youth and families. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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