attaining 18 years of age; specifying criteria for extended foster care; providing that the permanency goal for a young adult who chooses to remain in care is transition from care to independent living; specifying dates for eligibility for a young adult to remain in extended foster care; providing for supervised living arrangements in extended foster care; authorizing a young adult to return to foster care under certain circumstances; specifying services that must be provided to the young adult; directing the court to retain jurisdiction and hold review hearings; amending s. 39.701, F.S.; revising judicial review of foster care cases; making technical changes; providing criteria for review hearings for children younger than 18 years of age; providing criteria for review hearings for children 17 years of age; requiring the department to verify that the child has certain documents; requiring the department to update the case plan; providing for review hearings for young adults in foster care; amending s. 409.145, F.S.; requiring the department to develop and implement a system of care for children in foster care; specifying the goals of the foster care system; requiring the department to assist foster care caregivers to achieve quality parenting; specifying the roles and responsibilities of caregivers, the department, and others; providing for transition from a caregiver; requiring information sharing; providing for the adoption and use of a “reasonable and prudent parent” standard; defining terms; providing for the application for the standard of care; providing for limiting liability of caregivers; specifying foster care room and board rates; authorizing community-based care service providers to pay a supplemental monthly room and board payment to foster parents for providing certain services; directing the department to adopt rules; deleting obsolete provisions; amending s. 409.1451, F.S.; providing for the Road to Independence program; providing legislative findings and intent; providing for postsecondary services and supports; specifying aftercare services; providing for appeals of a determination of eligibility; providing for portability of services across county lines and between lead agencies; providing for accountability; creating the Independent Living Services Advisory Council; providing for membership and specifying the duties and functions of the council; requiring reports and recommendations; directing the department to adopt rules; amending s. 409.175; allowing for young adults remaining in care to be considered in total number of children placed in a foster home; directing the Department of Children and Families to work in collaboration with the Board of Governors, the Florida College System, and the Department of Education to help address the need for a comprehensive support structure in the academic arena to assist young adults who have been or remain in the foster care system; providing for an annual report; directing the Department of Children and Families in collaboration with the Florida Foster and Adoptive Parent Association and the
Quality Parenting Initiative to develop design training for caregivers; providing effective dates. An excerpt from Florida Statute 39.013(2) (Florida Senate, 2021), which outlines procedures and jurisdiction and right to counsel in proceedings related to children, gives an idea of the power of the circuit court in making determinations concerning youths nearing the age at which they may be leaving foster care: When the [circuit] court obtains jurisdiction of any child who has been found to be dependent, the court shall retain jurisdiction, unless relinquished by its order, until the child reaches 21 years of age, or 22 years of age if the child has a disability, with the following exceptions: (a) If a young adult chooses to leave foster care upon reaching 18 years of age. (b) If a young adult does not meet the eligibility requirements to remain in foster care under s. 39.6251 or chooses to leave care under that section. (c) If a young adult petitions the court at any time before his or her 19th birthday requesting the court’s continued jurisdiction, the juvenile court may retain jurisdiction under this chapter for a period not to exceed 1 year following the young adult’s 18th birthday for the purpose of determining whether appropriate services that were required to be provided to the young adult before reaching 18 years of age have been provided. (d) If a petition for special immigrant juvenile status and an application for adjustment of status have been filed on behalf of a foster child and the petition and application have not been granted by the time the child reaches 18 years of age, the court may retain jurisdiction over the dependency case solely for the purpose of allowing the continued consideration of the petition and application by federal authorities. Review hearings for the child shall be set solely for the purpose of determining the status of the petition and application. The court’s jurisdiction terminates upon the final decision of the federal authorities. Retention of jurisdiction in this instance does not affect the services available to a young adult under s. 409.1451. The court may not retain jurisdiction of the case after the immigrant child’s 22nd birthday. A Florida law enacted in 2013 that applied to social work with dependent children and youth was the Quality Parenting Initiative. The Department of Children and Families in collaboration with the Florida Foster and Adoptive Parent Association and the Quality Parenting Initiative were to design and disseminate training for caregivers on skill-building on the life skills necessary for youth in the foster care system. This act took effect on January 1, 2014, as approved by the governor on June 14, 2013.
Excerpt from Title XXX, Section 409.1415 (Florida Senate, 2021) (2) PARENTING PARTNERSHIPS. — (a) In order to ensure that children in out-of-home care achieve legal permanency as soon as
1. Facilitating telephone communication
between the caregiver and the birth or legal parent as soon as possible after the child is placed in the home of the caregiver.
possible, to reduce the likelihood that they will reenter care or that other children in the family are abused or neglected or enter out-of-home care, and to ensure that families are fully prepared to resume custody of their children, the department and community-based care lead agencies shall develop and support relationships between caregivers and birth or legal parents of children in out-of-home care, to the extent that it is safe and in the child’s best interest, by:
2. Facilitating and attending an in-person meeting between the caregiver and the birth or legal parent as soon as possible after the child is placed in the home of the caregiver. 3. Developing and supporting a plan for the birth or legal parent to participate in medical appointments, educational and extracurricular activities, and other events involving the child.
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Book Code: SWFL1825
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