CHILD PROTECTION CATEGORIES - S.B. 603 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 603 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor: Senator Glenn D. Steil

Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Child Protection Law (CPL) to establish five categories and departmental responses for the Family Independence Agency's (FIA's) determination concerning a report of child abuse or neglect made under the CPL that was the subject of a field investigation. (The categories and responses would be determined according to the FIA's "structured decision-making tool", which would mean the FIA document labeled "DSS-4752 (P3) (3-95)" or a revision of that document that better measured the risk of future harm to a child.)

The bill would require that the FIA enter each report of child abuse or neglect made under the CPL, that was the subject of a field investigation, into the child protective services information (CPSI) system (an internal data system within the FIA). After completing a field investigation, and based on its results, the FIA would have to determine in which single category, prescribed by the bill, to classify the allegation of child abuse or neglect. A report would have to be maintained in the CPSI system until the child was 18 or until 10 years after the investigation began, whichever was later. A report in the CPSI system would be confidential and not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Category V would mean that services were not needed. Category IV would mean that community services were recommended. Category III would mean that community services were needed. Category II would mean that child protective services were required. Category I would mean that a court petition was required.

In addition, the CPL requires that a school or other institution cooperate with the FIA during an investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect and specifies that cooperation includes allowing access to the child, without parental consent, if access is necessary to complete the investigation or to prevent further abuse or neglect. Under the bill, it would be up to the FIA to determine whether that access was necessary.

MCL 722.622 et al. - Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed: 5-19-98 - Fiscal Analyst: C. ColeFLOOR\SB603 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.