HB 154 -- Placement of Grandchildren

Sponsor:  Ruestman

If emergency placement of a child in a private home is deemed
necessary, this bill requires the Children's Division within the
Department of Social Services to make diligent efforts to contact
and place the child with a grandparent unless the division
determines that the placement is not in the best interest of the
child.  Prior to contacting the grandparent, the division must
care for any physical health needs of the child; and the
grandparent must comply with the emergency background check
requirements.  If contact with a grandparent cannot be made
within three hours of the division determining an emergency
placement is necessary, the child may be placed in a foster home;
and during that three-hour period, the child can be placed in
foster care.  If placed in a foster home, the division must
continue to attempt to contact the child's grandparents during
the initial 24-hour period after an emergency placement was
deemed necessary.

When a court determines that a child must be placed in a foster
home, the division must make diligent efforts to locate the
grandparents of the child and determine if they wish to be
considered for placement of the child.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am