HCS HB 2508 -- PLACEMENT OF GRANDCHILDREN

SPONSOR:  Franz (Ruestman)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Family Services by a vote of 9 to 0.

This substitute requires the Children's Division within the
Department of Social Services to make a good faith attempt to
contact and place a child with a grandparent if the division
deems the placement is in the best interest of the child when a
child must be removed from his or her primary caretaker's home in
the case of an emergency placement.  Prior to contacting the
grandparent, the division must care for any physical health needs
of the child.  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.  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 a good faith attempt to contact the
grandparents of the child to determine if they wish to be
considered and given first consideration for foster home
placement of the child.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of Unknown
but Greater than $450,481 in FY 2009, Unknown but Greater than
$471,259 in FY 2010, and Unknown but Greater than $485,397 in
FY 2011.  No impact on Other State Funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill provides statutory
authority for procedures and practices that are currently
practiced by the Children's Division in regards to providing
preferential placement of children with grandparents in the case
of emergency or temporary placements.  Grandparents would just be
given the option to be considered as a placement for the child.
The provisions of the bill were developed on the principle of
acting in the best interest of the child.  When there is a
grandparent who is willing and able to care for their grandchild,
the child does not need to be taken into protective custody by
the division.  The grandparents are made to feel that they are
interfering with the process of foster care by the Children's
Division; and therefore, are not currently being given a priority
for placement when both parents are not able to care for a child.
The provisions are long overdue and necessary to help correct
problems within the foster care system.  The bill only applies to
emergency placement situations where both parents are unable to
care for the child so the grandparents would not be competing
with parents.  The bill does not supersede any other sections of
law that would disqualify a grandparent for placement; therefore,
it does not give rights to grandparents if they would be
otherwise disqualified.  The division will have more than enough
flexibility and will not have any additional conditions.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Ruestman and Emery;
Jean Campbell; and Missouri Family Network.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say kinship care is very
important to good outcomes for children.  Research shows that
kinship care is the best for children because there is already a
loving connection.  Obstacles do exist for grandparents to care
for their grandchildren, and the Grandparents as Foster Parents
Program needs to be reinstated.

Testifying on the bill was Partnership for Children.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm