Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0866 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- S 0866
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7	7	LC002558
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUM AN
16	16	SERVICES
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Britto, McKenney, Raptakis, Appollonio, Vargas, and Tikoian
18	18	Date Introduced: March 21, 2025
19	19	Referred To: Senate Finance
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 42-12-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-12 entitled "Department 1
24	24	of Human Services" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	42-12-1. Department of human services. 3
26	26	(1) There is hereby established within the executive branch of state government a 4
27	27	department which shall be known as the department of human services. The department shall be 5
28	28	headed by a director of human services who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and 6
29	29	consent of the senate and who shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. 7
30	30	(2) The director shall carry out all of the provisions of all of the general and public laws 8
31	31	heretofore carried out by the department of education and the director of social welfare with relation 9
32	32	to: 10
33	33	(a) Vocational rehabilitation; 11
34	34	(b) Division of correctional services; and 12
35	35	(c) Division of community services, whose several functions are by this chapter transferred 13
36	36	to the department of human services. 14
37	37	(3) The director shall carry out all department recruitment efforts and job training to attract 15
38	38	qualified candidates eligible for the following positions: 16
39	39	(a) Eligibility technician; 17
40	40	(b) Child service enforcement agent; 18
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44	44	(c) Social case worker I & II; 1
45	45	(d) Employment career advisor; 2
46	46	(e) The director shall promulgate rules concerning the eligibility of persons for the job 3
47	47	training program; the granting of a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend from available funds, for 4
48	48	eligible applicants who have successfully completed the job training program and the department’s 5
49	49	probationary period. 6
50	50	SECTION 2. Section 42-72-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-72 entitled "Department 7
51	51	of Children, Youth and Families" is hereby amended to read as follows: 8
52	52	42-72-4. Qualifications and duties of director. 9
53	53	(a) The director shall meet the following minimum qualifications: 10
54	54	(1) Hold a master’s degree in social work or a closely related field, and have demonstrated 11
55	55	experience in child welfare and/or children’s mental health, and/or juvenile justice; and 12
56	56	(2) Have at least five (5) years of increasing responsibility in administering programs for 13
57	57	children. 14
58	58	(b) The director’s duties include, but are not limited to: 15
59	59	(1) Administration and direction of the operation of the department; 16
60	60	(2) Examination of programs, services, and plans for children for the purpose of identifying 17
61	61	duplications, inefficiencies, effectiveness of programs, resources and unmet needs; 18
62	62	(3) Securing and analysis of departmental plans and budget requests affecting children’s 19
63	63	programs and services; 20
64	64	(4) Review of federal funds utilized and available to the state for children’s programs and 21
65	65	services; 22
66	66	(5) Collation of items in the governor’s budget related to programs and services for children 23
67	67	and issuance of impact statements; 24
68	68	(6) Formulation of recommendations to the governor and other appropriate department 25
69	69	heads on planning and expenditures for children’s programs and services; 26
70	70	(7) Liaison with community child advocacy groups, including parents, to receive advice on 27
71	71	resources, needs, and priorities in the different localities; 28
72	72	(8) Provide effective public information on children’s services in Rhode Island; 29
73	73	(9) Advise the legislature on the needs of children and their families; 30
74	74	(10) Establish a central registry for the purpose of reporting, collating, receiving, and 31
75	75	administering reports involving children; 32
76	76	(11) Liaison with other state departments, agencies, local governments, and private 33
77	77	providers of services to coordinate services and maximize resources in developing programs; 34
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81	81	(12) Formulation of rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this 1
82	82	chapter; 2
83	83	(13) Preparation of an annual report and state plan to be sent to the governor and the general 3
84	84	assembly; 4
85	85	(14) Provision or arrangement for the provision of suitable treatment, rehabilitation, and 5
86	86	care for each child under the director’s supervision by pursuing the least restrictive placement and, 6
87	87	wherever feasible, by effectuating community placements in Rhode Island; 7
88	88	(15) The director shall provide for a case management information system that includes 8
89	89	data regarding, but not limited to, client entry, screening, client’s needs assessment, development 9
90	90	of a client service plan, services provision, evaluation, review and monitoring of client progress, 10
91	91	and client exit from the system. In addition, the director shall establish a centralized case 11
92	92	management unit to receive all service plans and using any additional expertise as may be required, 12
93	93	will review, monitor, evaluate, endorse, and/or modify as may be appropriate, each client service 13
94	94	plan; 14
95	95	(16) Administer in a coordinated and integrated manner all institutions and facilities that 15
96	96	are or may come under the jurisdiction of the department; and 16
97	97	(17) Develop a comprehensive program for the prevention of problems of children and 17
98	98	provide a flexible, innovative, and effective program for the placement, care, and treatment of 18
99	99	children committed by any court to the department, transferred to the department by other 19
100	100	departments, or voluntarily admitted to the department. 20
101	101	(18) The director shall carry out all department recruitment efforts and job training to attract 21
102	102	qualified candidates eligible for the following positions: 22
103	103	(i) Social case worker I; 23
104	104	(ii) Child protective investigator; 24
105	105	(iii) The director shall promulgate rules concerning the eligibility of persons for the job 25
106	106	training program; the granting of a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend from available funds, for 26
107	107	eligible applicants who have successfully completed the job training program and the department’s 27
108	108	probationary period. 28
109	109	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 29
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116	116	EXPLANATION
117	117	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
118	118	OF
119	119	A N A C T
120	120	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
121	121	SERVICES
122	122	***
123	123	This act would provide a three thousand dollar ($3,000) stipend to a qualified applicant 1
124	124	who successfully completes the job training program of the department of human services or 2
125	125	department of children, youth and families. 3
126	126	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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