Chapter 707 Oregon Laws 2009

AN ACT

SB 630

Relating to disproportionality in child welfare foster care; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Task Force on Disproportionality in Child Welfare Foster Care. The purposes of the task force are to study the reasons for the percentage difference between the number of children of certain racial or ethnic backgrounds in the child welfare foster care system compared to the number of those children in the general population, and to address the disproportionality.

          (2) The task force consists of 21 members and includes a majority of members from minority populations, including but not limited to minorities listed in ORS 430.347. The members shall be appointed as follows:

          (a) The President of the Senate shall appoint one member from among members of the Senate.

          (b) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member from among members of the House of Representatives.

          (c) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall appoint one member from the Judicial Department.

          (d) The Director of Human Services shall appoint 18 members as follows:

          (A) One representative of the State Commission on Children and Families;

          (B) One representative of the education community;

          (C) One representative of the Oregon Youth Authority from a list of persons submitted by the Director of the Oregon Youth Authority;

          (D) One representative of the Refugee Child Welfare Advisory Committee;

          (E) One representative of a community mental health program or an alcohol or drug treatment program;

          (F) Three representatives of the general public, at least one of whom is African-American and one of whom is Native American;

          (G) One representative of the Oregon University System;

          (H) Three representatives of child advocacy groups from a list of persons submitted by child advocacy groups;

          (I) Two representatives of a minority population, each of whom is or has been a foster parent of a child in the child welfare foster care system;

          (J) One representative of the Public Defense Services Commission or of attorneys who represent parents or children in juvenile dependency proceedings;

          (K) One representative of a federally recognized Oregon Tribal Child Welfare program;

          (L) One representative of a law enforcement agency; and

          (M) One representative of the advisory committee on child welfare services created under ORS 418.005.

          (3) The task force shall study the reasons for, and develop a plan to reduce, the disproportionality of minorities in the child welfare foster care system.

          (4) The task force may:

          (a) Set specific goals to reduce the disproportionality of minorities in the child welfare foster care system;

          (b) Study, assess and recommend strategies to enhance recruitment and retention efforts at the state and local levels to increase minority representation among foster parents, caseworkers, supervisors and managers in the child welfare foster care system;

          (c) Collect and analyze data to better assess the current and future concerns regarding the disproportionality of minorities in the child welfare foster care system;

          (d) Assess and make recommendations concerning the reduction of the disproportionality of minorities in the child welfare foster care system;

          (e) Assess and make recommendations concerning staff and community partner training to reduce the disproportionality of minorities in the child welfare foster care system; and

          (f) Assess and make recommendations that will assist in preventing the disproportionality of minorities in the child welfare foster care system.

          (5) The task force shall elect one of its members to serve as chairperson.

          (6) If there is a vacancy for any cause, the appointing authority shall make an appointment to become immediately effective.

          (7) The task force shall meet at times and places specified by the call of the chairperson or of a majority of the members of the task force.

          (8) The task force may adopt rules necessary for the operation of the task force.

          (9) Notwithstanding ORS 171.072, members of the task force who are members of the Legislative Assembly are not entitled to mileage expenses or a per diem and serve as volunteers on the task force. Other members of the task force are not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for expenses and serve as volunteers on the task force.

          (10) The task force shall submit a report that may include recommendations for legislation to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to human services no later than October 1, 2010.

          (11) The Department of Human Services shall provide staff support to the task force.

          (12) All agencies of state government, as defined in ORS 174.111, are directed to assist the task force in the performance of its duties and, to the extent permitted by laws relating to confidentiality, to furnish such information and advice as the members of the task force consider necessary to perform their duties.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of this 2009 Act is repealed on the date of the convening of the next regular biennial legislative session.

SECTION 3. This 2009 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2009 Act takes effect on its passage.

Approved by the Governor July 14, 2009

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 14, 2009

Effective date July 14, 2009

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