HB 1966

This bill requires the commissioner of children's services ("commissioner"") to develop a statewide, county-level quality assurance program (""program"") and implement it no later than July 1, 2027. The purpose of the program is to ensure quality control t hrough monitoring, evaluation, and feedback on the performance of the best practices in the service delivery system, and utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data in outcomes-based approaches at the county level. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM When developing the program, this bill requires the commissioner to do all of the following:  Ensure that county quality assurance systems in each county in this state, which must include a designated quality assurance coordinator and a county quality assurance committee, are incorporated into the program.  Ensure that an office of quality assurance within the state department is incorporated into the program.  Ensure that a state quality assurance committee is incorporated into the program.  Prioritize long-term trends, quality of services and outcomes, systemic issues, county improvement plans, and county feedback loops when designing reporting and review systems of county service delivery systems. This bill requires the commissioner to also consider, as quality assurance goals, (i) providing a permanent structure for independent, objective evaluations of the quality of services and outcomes for children and families, (ii) increasing the capacity o f the department to deliver improved services, (iii) improving the outcomes for children and families served by the department, and (iv) providing a point-in-time assessment of each county system. This bill requires the commissioner to also consider implementing as approaches in order to facilitate the realization of such program goals (i) reviewing outcomes experienced by children and families, particularly the outcome areas of safety, permanency, and child well-being; (ii) reviewing the adequacy of major systemic factors that affect the capacity to deliver services that will lead to improved outcomes for children and families; (iii) reviewing programs for consistency with applicable federal, sta te, and departmental policies; (iv) reviewing the strengths of the service delivery system and the barriers to more effective performance; (v) providing information on system and outcome areas needing improvement and identifying barriers to improve service delivery; and (vi) involving communities as partners with the department in evaluating best case practices. GRADING SYSTEM As part of the program, this bill requires the commissioner to post on the department's public website a grading system that reflects a grade for each county department's quality assurance performance and improvements, as reported to the state office of quality assurance within the department and reviewed by the state quality assurance committee. The commissioner must update the grade for each county no less often than every six months. REPORTS Beginning with the fiscal year quarter ending September 30, 2026, and within 30 days of the end of each fiscal year quarter until the program is fully implemented, this bill requires the commissioner to send a report detailing the department's progress in implementing the program during the previous fiscal year quarter to the chief clerk of the senate, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, and the legislative librarian. The report may be published and transmitted by electronic means. ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1622, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:  Removes that the program is at the county level and provides, instead, that the program is at the regional level.  Removes that the program must be implemented by July 1, 2027.  Removes that the office of quality assurance is created within the state department .  Removes the commissioner to consider, as quality assurance goals, (i) increasing the capacity of the department to deliver improved services ; (ii) improving the outcomes for children and families served by the department ; and (i ii ) providing a point-in-time assessment of each county system.  Requires the program to r eview programs for consistency with applicable federal, state, and departmental policy .  Removes that the commissioner must consider implementing, as approaches in order to facilitate the realization of such program goals, (i) reviewing the adequacy of major systemic factors that affect the capacity to deliver services that will lead to improved outcomes for children and families; (ii) reviewing programs for consistency with applicable federal, state, and departmental policies; (i ii ) reviewing the strengths of the service delivery system and the barriers to more effective performance; and ( i v) involving communities as partners with the department in evaluating best case practices.  Removes that the commissioner must post on the department's public website a grading system that reflects a grade for each county department's quality assurance performance and improvements .  Removes the reporting requirement.  Requires the program to e ngage existing regional or county level advisory entities to provide feedback, when appropriate, on departmental practices.  A uthorizes the program to create and engage new regional or county level advisory entities in order to provide feedback, when appropriate, on departmental practices.  Changes the effective date of the bill from upon becoming a law to July 1, 2026."