Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act
This bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to require a grant-receiving state plan for a child abuse or neglect prevention and treatment program to include policies and procedures requiring systems to monitor the plan of safe care for an infant born affected by illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, in order to:
- ensure the safety and well-being of children;
- address the health, including mental health, needs of the child and family involved; and
- determine whether local entities are capable of providing referrals to and delivery of appropriate services for the child and family.
Each grant-receiving state shall work annually with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to produce a report including the number of infants for whom a plan of safe care was developed.
HHS shall: (1) monitor states to ensure that each one is meeting requirements to improve outcomes among children most at risk for child abuse and neglect, and (2) issue guidance to states regarding the requirements and best practices for the development and implementation of plans of safe care.