SENATE, No. 1684

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 18, 1996

 

 

By Senators LIPMAN and Codey

 

 

An Act establishing a "Fost-Adopt Demonstration Program for Boarder Babies and Children" and making an appropriation.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

    a. New Jersey is experiencing a serious problem regarding infants and young children living in hospitals beyond medical necessity, or "boarder babies" and "boarder children," many of whom are at risk of physiological, developmental and emotional problems because of prenatal exposure to drugs, alcohol or the HIV virus.

    b. According to data from the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Human Services, during the period from November 1, 1994 through December 31, 1995: a cumulative total of 795 boarder babies and children were medically cleared for discharge from hospitals and referred to the division; an average of 54 boarder babies and children were in hospital boarding status monthly; and approximately 60% of boarder babies and children who left the hospital went home, 30% were placed in foster care, while the remaining 10% were placed in other arrangements including group homes, adoptive homes and long-term pediatric facilities. The average hospital stay for boarder babies and children in the State is 29 days; those who went home stayed an average of 13 days, and those who were placed in foster care stayed an average of almost 60 days. Approximately 83% were under three months of age and slightly less than five percent were over one year of age.

    c. There is, therefore, a need to immediately address this serious problem and ensure that the "boarder babies" and "boarder children" in our State's hospitals are appropriately placed in homes as quickly as possible so that they can receive the care and nurturing that all infants and young children need for sound development and growth.

 

    2. There is established a "Fost-Adopt Demonstration Program for Boarder Babies and Children" in the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Human Services. This program shall: create more placement options for boarder babies and boarder children; enhance permanency services for those infants and children who are not likely to return home or be placed with a relative; reduce the need for interim placements by creating more stable placement options; and with the provision of intensive services to ensure a permanent plan for a boarder baby or boarder child, reduce the length of time in temporary foster care. The program shall be established in one county in the State with a significant number of boarder babies and boarder children awaiting placement out of the hospital.

 

    3. The Director of the Division of Youth and Family Services shall develop the demonstration program which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

    a. Development of fost-adopt families from already approved foster or adoptive homes or recruited specifically for this program;

    b. Commitment by a fost-adopt family to accept an infant or child on a foster care basis but agree to adopt the infant or child if the infant or child becomes available for adoption;

    c. Establishment of criteria to determine which infants and children can be placed in fost-adopt homes;

    d. Provision of intensified services to the biological parent to effect family reunification;

    e. Provision of intensive services to the adoptive parents; and

    f. Development of concurrence within the legal community, including family court judges, law guardians and deputy attorney generals regarding aggressive, time-limited permanency planning which would lead to guardianship litigation and adoption finalization.

 

    4. Within six months of the expiration of this act, the Commissioner of Human Services shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of the program and present recommendations for expanding the program Statewide, as appropriate.

 

    5. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

    6. There is appropriated $90,000 to the Department of Human Services from the General Fund to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

    7. This act shall take effect immediately and expire two years after enactment.


STATEMENT

 

    This bill establishes a two-year "Fost-Adopt Demonstration Program for Boarder Babies and Children" in the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Human Services. This program shall: create more placement options for boarder babies and boarder children; enhance permanency services for infants and children who are not likely to return home or be placed with a relative; reduce the need for interim placements by creating more stable placement options; and given intensive services to ensure a permanent plan for a boarder baby or child, reduce the length of time in temporary foster care.

    The Director of the Division of Youth and Family Services is authorized to develop the demonstration program which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

    a. Development of fost-adopt families from already approved foster or adoptive homes or recruited specifically for this program;

    b. Commitment by a fost-adopt family to accept an infant or child on a foster care basis but agree to adopt the infant or child if the infant or child becomes available for adoption;

    c. Establishment of criteria to determine which infants and children can be placed in fost-adopt homes;

    d. Provision of intensified services to the biological parent to effect family reunification;

    e. Provision of intensive services to the adoptive parents; and

    f. Development of concurrence within the legal community, including family court judges, law guardians and deputy attorney generals regarding aggressive, time-limited permanency planning which would lead to guardianship litigation and adoption finalization.

    Within six months of the expiration of this bill, the Commissioner of Human Services is required to report to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of the program and present recommendations for expanding the program Statewide, as appropriate.

    This bill includes a $90,000 appropriation to the department from the General Fund.

 

 

                             

 

Establishes "Fost-Adopt Demonstration Program for Boarder Babies and Children" in DYFS; appropriates $90,000