30:4C-1.1 Findings, declarations relative to child protective services.

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. New Jersey must improve the ability of its child welfare system to protect children from abuse and neglect, and to provide services to at-risk children and families in order to prevent harm to their children;

b. Recent data and assessments of the child welfare system in this State demonstrate the need for a new approach to delivering services to this vulnerable population, and the system must therefore be reformed;

c. Because the safety of children must always be paramount, allegations of child abuse and neglect must be investigated quickly and thoroughly and protective actions must be taken immediately if necessary;

d. Concerns about the safety, permanency and well-being of children require significant changes in: the organization of the child welfare system, the ability to implement best practices within the system; the development of effective services to meet the needs of children and families; and the elimination of impediments to the quick and efficient management of abuse and neglect cases;

e. Children need safe, stable and positive relationships with caring adults in order to thrive; and, if their parents are incapable of providing such a caring relationship, the State must look to other families to provide this kind of relationship;

f. To ensure the best outcomes for children and their families, these substitute families must be viewed and treated as "resource families" and provided with appropriate support, training and responsibilities, which will include: expedited licensure for this purpose, equalized payment rates for care among the various types of resource families, and enhanced access to necessary support services tailored to their respective needs;

g. Youths must be provided with supports and services in their communities that will enable them to grow into healthy and productive adults; and those youths who previously received child welfare services must continue to receive those services beyond the age of 18, up to age 21, as appropriate; and

h. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2006, c.47).

i. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2006, c.47).

j. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2006, c.47).

k. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2006, c.47).

l. This act will otherwise enhance the quality of the child welfare system in New Jersey by facilitating the transition to other needed long-term systemic changes with regard to out-of-home placements and permanency options for children who cannot live with their birth families.

L.2004, c.130, s.1; amended 2006, c.47, s.112.