(1) There is created in the state department the delivery of child welfare services task force, referred to in this section as the "task force". The state department, in collaboration with counties, shall convene the task force at least once per quarter, beginning July 1, 2018. The purpose of the task force is to:
Analyze laws and rules related to the delivery of child welfare services to ensurealignment with the federal "Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018", as defined in section 26-5-101 (4.5);
Develop a method through which to incentivize counties for the provision of servicesand placements that are based on the needs of the child or youth, as determined by the assessment and review process required by the federal "Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018", as defined in section 26-5-101 (4.5), and determine the level to which the state department shall reimburse the counties for certain out-of-home placements that do not meet the criteria of the federal "Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018";
Establish performance and outcome measures and the process by which to evaluatethe measures associated with the delivery of child welfare services, including but not limited to residential out-of-home placements; foster care; adoption; and services to children and youth in their own homes, including prevention and intervention services, and determine how the measures and evaluation will be used to inform the funding model described in section 26-5-
103.5 (7)(a) and the allocation of funds pursuant to section 26-5-104 (3);
Investigate collaborative prevention and intervention models throughout the countryand determine modifications that can be made to the collaborative management and integrated care management programs in order to guarantee ongoing cross-systems collaboration, improved outcomes for children and families, integration of multi-system services, and expansion of system-of-care principles, while maintaining the integrity and capacity of the child welfare system and its associated funding;
Evaluate and select one or more statewide level-of-care tools to ensure compliancewith the federal "Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018", as defined in section 26-5-101 (4.5);
Evaluate the process through which the state accesses federal funding and determinemethods through which the state will maximize federal funding for the delivery of prevention and intervention services, out-of-home placement services, and any other federally funded programs or services;
Evaluate medicaid rates and the eligibility determination process and timeline specifically related to individuals involved in the child welfare system and develop a process through which counties can maximize medicaid utilization; and
Make recommendations to the general assembly, the governor, the state department,and the child welfare allocations committee concerning the task force's responsibilities and findings.
(2) The task force members must be appointed by August 1, 2018, and must include, but are not limited to, the following members:
The executive director of the state department, or his or her designee;
The executive director of the department of health care policy and financing, or hisor her designee;
The state court administrator, or his or her designee;
One person from a behavioral health services provider, appointed by the state department;
Three persons who represent the provider community, appointed by the state department as follows:
One person who represents prevention and intervention providers;
One person who represents out-of-home placement providers; and
One person who represents providers with expertise in promising, supported, orwell-supported practices or programming; and
(f) Three persons who represent the counties, appointed by the state department.
Except as provided for in section 2-2-326, members of the task force shall serve on avoluntary basis without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
The task force shall develop a plan to implement its recommendations and provide aquarterly update, beginning October 15, 2018, on the task force's progress to the joint budget committee, the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives, and the health and human services committee of the senate, or any successor committees.
This section is repealed, effective June 30, 2022.
Source: L. 2018: Entire section added, (SB 18-254), ch. 216, p. 1384, § 8, effective May 18.