8-451. Department; purpose A. The department of child safety is established. B. The primary purpose of the department is to protect children. To achieve this purpose, the department shall do and focus equally on the following: 1. Investigate reports of abuse and neglect. 2. Assess, promote and support the safety of a child in a […]
8-452. Director; appointment; qualifications; compensation A. The governor shall appoint the director of the department pursuant to section 38-211. The director serves at the pleasure of the governor. B. At a minimum, the director shall have: 1. Administrative experience in the protection of children from maltreatment and in family support services. 2. Qualifications and training […]
8-453. Powers and duties A. The director shall: 1. Carry out the purposes of the department prescribed in section 8-451. 2. Provide transparency by being open and accountable to the public for the actions of the department. 3. Develop a data system that enables persons and entities that are charged with a responsibility relating to […]
8-454. Department organization A. The director shall organize the department to best implement the following functions: 1. Receiving, analyzing and efficiently responding to reports of possible abuse or neglect as provided in section 8-455. 2. Appropriately investigating the reports whether or not they involve criminal conduct allegations as provided in section 8-456. 3. Coordinating services […]
8-455. Centralized intake hotline; purposes; report of possible crime; DCS report; risk assessment tools; access to information; public awareness; definitions A. The department shall operate and maintain a centralized intake hotline to protect children by receiving at all times communications concerning suspected abuse or neglect. If a person communicates suspected abuse or neglect to a […]
8-456. Investigative function; training; voice stress analysis; recordings; criminal offenses; definitions A. The department shall train all investigators in forensic interviewing and processes and the protocols established pursuant to section 8-817. The training must include: 1. An evidence-informed safety assessment model to assess the safety of a child. 2. The duty to protect the legal […]
8-457. Service coordination function A. The department may arrange, provide and coordinate programs and services that protect children and may provide programs and services that achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family and provide prevention, intervention and treatment for abused and neglected children. B. If a child and the child’s […]
8-458. Inspections bureau; monitoring and evaluation; quality assurance process A. The director shall establish an inspections bureau to do both of the following: 1. Ensure that department policies and procedures are being followed by all staff in accordance with federal and state law. 2. Promptly notify the director of department actions that constitute a significant […]
8-459. Community advisory committee; duties; membership A. The community advisory committee is established to provide a community forum: 1. To inform the department, analyze current law and policy and make recommendations to improve the ability of the department to increase the safety of children, respond to child maltreatment and ensure the well-being of and timely […]
8-460. Acquisition of lands and buildings; lease-purchase agreements; lease or sublease of lands or buildings A. The director may acquire for and in the name of this state by gift, grant, lease, lease-purchase agreement or otherwise lands or buildings for the purpose of providing office space for the department at places the director finds necessary […]
8-461. Child safety collections; fund; definition A. If a recipient of public assistance has a person who is legally responsible for that person’s support and who is presently able to reimburse the department for public assistance provided, the department, through the attorney general or county attorney, shall proceed in the following order against: 1. The […]
8-462. Housing assistance A. Notwithstanding any other provision in this title, the department may provide special housing assistance in the form of vendor payments to achieve permanency for children who are involved in open child safety services cases. The child’s family may qualify for this special housing assistance only if the lack of adequate housing […]
8-463. Department of child safety employees; employees of contractors; fingerprint requirement A. Each employee of the department who has contact with children or who is employed in an information technology position shall have a valid fingerprint clearance card issued pursuant to section 41-1758.07 or provide to the department documentation of the person’s application for a […]
8-464. Electronic communication by department A. Notwithstanding any other law, if the department is required to provide an administrative order, a notice or a letter to an applicant, a recipient or a client, the department may send the administrative order, notice or letter by electronic means if the party being served or notified consents. B. […]
8-465. Auditor general; department audit team; duties A. The auditor general shall establish an audit team to be located in the department of child safety to provide ongoing performance reviews and analyses. B. Pursuant to an audit plan adopted after review by the joint legislative audit committee, the audit team may: 1. Determine the validity […]
8-466. Child and family advocacy center; requirements for funding; immunity; definition A. To be considered for funding from the child and family advocacy center fund established by section 41-191.11, a child and family advocacy center must be a private, nonprofit incorporated agency or a governmental entity that either: 1. Is accredited by a national organization […]
8-467. Child welfare licensing fees; fund; uses; trust; definition A. The department may establish and collect fees from noncontracting licensees for the purpose of licensing and supervising noncontracting licensees. The department shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, all monies collected under this subsection in the child welfare licensing fee fund. B. The child […]
