H2175B3305A05232 AJB:JSL 06/26/24 #90 A05232
AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 2175
Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE KRUPA
Printer's No. 3305
Amend Bill, page 1, line 4, by inserting after "Advocate"
and the Child Advocate Advisory Board
Amend Bill, page 1, by inserting between lines 15 and 16
"Advisory board." The Child Advocate Advisory Board
established under section 702-A.
Amend Bill, page 2, lines 1 through 19, by striking out all
of said lines and inserting
"Child serving program." A program, entity or organization
operating within this Commonwealth that receives State funding
to provide services to children or families.
Amend Bill, page 3, lines 1 and 2, by striking out all of
said lines
Amend Bill, page 3, lines 11 through 13, by striking out all
of lines 11 and 12 and "IMPARTIALLY ADVOCATE FOR AND ADVANCE" in
line 13 and inserting
( a) Establishment.--
(1) The Office of Child Advocate is established within
the department to analyze issues brought before the office
for the purpose of advocating and advancing
Amend Bill, page 3, by inserting between lines 17 and 18
(2) The Child Advocate Advisory Board is established
within the office to provide advice and counsel to the office
and the Child Advocate. The advisory board shall be comprised
of the following members:
(i) The Child Advocate, who shall act as chair of
the advisory board.
(ii) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Children,
Youth and Families.
(iii) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Medical
Assistance Programs.
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(iv) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of
Developmental Programs.
(v) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Child
Development and Early Learning.
(vi) A representative of the Office of Victim
Advocate.
(vii) A representative of the Department of Health.
(viii) A member of the designated disability rights
advocacy entity for this Commonwealth.
(ix) A county commissioner appointed by the County
Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
(x) A representative of the Pennsylvania Children
and Youth Administrators.
(xi) A representative of the Pennsylvania of
Children, Youth and Family Services.
(xii) A representative of an organization that
provides mental health treatment services for youth
appointed by the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth
and Family Services.
(xiii) A representative of the Pennsylvania District
Attorneys Association.
(xiv) A representative from an organization engaged
in child advocacy.
(xv) An attorney who regularly acts as a guardian ad
litem in dependency proceedings appointed by the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court.
(xvi) At least two members of the community with
lived experience relative to child welfare, juvenile
delinquency or the mental health treatment of children.
(xvii) A juvenile court or family court judge
appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
(xviii) A representative of the Office of Children
and Families in the Courts.
(xix) A representative of the Juvenile Court Judges'
Commission.
Amend Bill, page 6, line 2, by inserting after "duties"
of Child Advocate and advisory board
Amend Bill, page 6, line 3, by inserting before "The"
(a) Duties of Child Advocate.--
Amend Bill, page 6, line 3, by striking out "OFFICE" and
inserting
Child Advocate
Amend Bill, page 6, lines 5 through 30; page 7, lines 1
through 30; page 8, lines 1 through 6; by striking out all of
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said lines on said pages and inserting
(1) Study and evaluate the following:
(i) Access to services for youth in child serving
programs.
(ii) Availability of services for youth in need of
services.
(iii) Duplication of services for youth accessing
programs.
(iv) Funding of services available for youth in
child serving programs.
(v) Barriers to service for youth in need of child
serving programs.
(vi) Communication and cooperation by agencies
concerning youth in child serving programs.
(vii) Implementation of State programs or laws
concerning vulnerable youth.
(viii) Data from executive agencies relevant to
evaluating progress, targeting efforts and demonstrating
outcomes.
(2) Prepare agendas, deadlines and meeting schedules for
the advisory board, convene and attend all meetings of the
advisory board and assist the advisory board with
implementing the advisory board's duties.
(3) Serve as a resource to connect children and families
with child serving programs.
(4) Consult with executive agencies, county agencies and
individuals with lived experience on child serving programs.
(5) Promote information sharing concerning child serving
programs across this Commonwealth.
(6) Identify and promote best practices, policies and
programs for child serving programs.
(7) Cooperate with other child-focused commissions, the
unified judicial system, executive agencies, stakeholders and
members of the community for the purposes of this article.
(8) Coordinate educational, informational and other
programs for public awareness and education concerning child
maltreatment and the role of the community in supporting and
strengthening families and keeping children safe.
(9) Promote and advocate for the health, safety and
well-being of children before the General Assembly.
(10) Receive and review complaints from the public,
including receiving complaints from a child, regarding the
processes or procedures of child serving programs. The Child
Advocate shall ensure that referrals are made to the
appropriate executive agencies and county agencies regarding
complaints received by the office. The Child Advocate shall
observe trends or themes regarding complaints and address the
trends or themes with the advisory board.
Amend Bill, page 8, line 7, by striking out "(10)" and
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inserting
(11)
Amend Bill, page 8, lines 14 through 21, by striking out all
of lines 14 through 20 and "(13)" in line 21 and inserting
(12)
Amend Bill, page 8, lines 21 and 22, by striking out "AND
OTHER EXECUTIVE AGENCY AND COUNTY AGENCY OFFICIALS "
Amend Bill, page 8, line 22, by inserting after "and" where
it occurs the second time
the advisory board to
Amend Bill, page 8, line 24, by striking out "with" and
inserting
and suggest
Amend Bill, page 8, lines 25 through 30, by striking out all
of lines 25 through 29 and "(15)" in line 30 and inserting
(13)
Amend Bill, page 9, line 1, by striking out the comma after
"agencies" and inserting
and
Amend Bill, page 9, line 2, by striking out "HEALTH, SAFETY
AND WELL-BEING" and inserting
serving
Amend Bill, page 9, line 4, by striking out "health, safety
and well-being" and inserting
serving
Amend Bill, page 9, lines 6 through 11, by striking out all
of lines 6 through 10 and "(17)" in line 11 and inserting
(14)
Amend Bill, page 9, lines 15 and 16, by striking out "health,
safety and well- being programs in the Commonwealth " and
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inserting
serving programs
Amend Bill, page 9, lines 17 through 28, by striking out all
of said lines and inserting
(15) Consult with executive agencies and provide
recommendations on regulations, licensure, financing or any
other responsibilities of the executive agencies to improve
the safety of and promote better outcomes for children and
families receiving services in child serving programs in this
Commonwealth.
(16) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, serve
as a voting member of the Children's Trust Fund Board.
(17) Collaborate with executive agencies and local
government, including the Office of Victim Advocate,
regarding the coordination of services to children who are
victims of abuse.
Amend Bill, page 9, line 29, by striking out "(20)" and
inserting
(18)
Amend Bill, page 9, line 29, by striking out ", 2024, and
June 30 each year thereafter" and inserting
of each year
Amend Bill, page 10, line 13, by striking out "type of
matters handled" and inserting
trends and challenges identified
Amend Bill, page 10, lines 17 and 18, by striking out
"services in child health, safety and well-being programs " and
inserting
or in need of services from child serving programs
Amend Bill, page 10, lines 19 through 23, by striking out all
of said lines and inserting
(iii) Recommendations regarding regulatory or
procedural improvements that could be made to improve the
services of child serving programs.
(iv) A summary of the agendas and discussion of
advisory board meetings, action plans identified and
goals of the advisory board.
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(v) Topics of agreement and disagreements between
the advisory board and the Child Advocate.
Amend Bill, page 10, line 24, by striking out "(iv)" and
inserting
(vi)
Amend Bill, page 10, by inserting between lines 25 and 26
(b) Duties of advisory board.--The advisory board shall
convene no less than four times per year to review trends and
themes identified by the Child Advocate and discuss action plans
for addressing identified needs. The attendance of three-fourths
of the members of the advisory board shall be required to vote.
Members of the advisory board shall vote in person and not by
proxy. Before the completion of an annual report of the Child
Advocate under subsection (a)(18), the advisory board shall
discuss the proposed conclusions or recommendations in the
report and detail the advisory board's concurrence or
disagreement with the conclusions or recommendations. If there
is a disagreement within the advisory board, the Child Advocate
shall specify the disagreement in the report, including an
explanation for the disagreement. For each meeting of the
advisory board, the Child Advocate shall keep a record of
attendance of the members.
Amend Bill, page 10, line 29, by striking out "703-A" and
inserting
703-A(a)
Amend Bill, page 11, lines 6 and 7, by striking out "under a
child health, safety and welfare program" and inserting
regarding a child serving program
Amend Bill, page 11, line 8, by striking out "as follows" and
inserting
in accordance with the following
Amend Bill, page 11, line 10, by striking out "furnish" and
inserting
make available for review
Amend Bill, page 11, line 24, by striking out "furnished" and
inserting
made available for review
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Amend Bill, page 11, by inserting between lines 29 and 30
(4) The Child Advocate shall comply with the expunction
of a child welfare record to the extent the Office of
Children, Youth and Families is required to comply with the
expunction in accordance with the laws of this Commonwealth.
The Office of Children, Youth and Families shall notify the
office when a child welfare record has been expunged.
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