S1191

An Act concerning foster care children and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

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

1. As used in this act:

“Child” mean any person 21 years of age or under who has been placed in resource family care by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families.

“Luggage” means a new or slightly used, durable suitcase, duffle bag, backpack, or similar portable case that is designed to hold a person’s clothing and personal articles.

2. a. The Department of Children and Families shall establish a luggage donation program to which a person may donate luggage for the purpose of providing such luggage to a child in resource family care to transport the child’s personal belongings when the child:

(1) enters resource family care;

(2) is removed from one resource family home and placed into another;

(3) moves to attend college; or

(4) ages out of resource family care.

b. The department shall contract with community-based, faith-based, and non-profit organizations providing services to children in, or aging out of, resource family care to accept, store, and distribute luggage deemed necessary for a child in resource family care, pursuant to the provisions of subsection a. of this section.

c. The contract entered into between the department and the community-based, faith-based, or non-profit organizations shall require the organizations to delineate the policies and procedures that will be used to accept, store, and distribute the luggage donated to the program.

d. The community-based, faith-based, and non-profit organizations contracted with the department may apply for and accept any grant of money from the State or federal government or other sources, which may be available for programs related to foster children.

e. Donated luggage accepted by community-based, faith-based, and non-profit organizations pursuant to subsection a. of this section, may be stored and distributed to a child in resource family care provided that the luggage is clean, is in good condition, and all the personal items of the donor are removed from the luggage prior to donation.

3. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency shall submit an annual report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the effectiveness of providing luggage to children in resource family care through the luggage donation program established pursuant to section 2 of this act. The report shall include, but not be limited to, information on:

a. the total number of children in resource family care who were provided luggage through the luggage donation program;

b. the policies and procedures used by community-based, faith-based, and non-profit organizations to accept, store, and distribute the luggage donated for children in resource family care pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of this act, and the cost to store and distribute such luggage; and

c. any recommendations for legislative or administrative action necessary to improve the distribution of luggage to children in resource family care through the luggage donation program.

4. The Department of Children and Families shall promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to establish a luggage donation program to which a person can donate luggage in order for a child in resource family care to transport the child’s personal belongings when the child: (1) enters resource family care; (2) is removed from one resource family home and placed into another; (3) moves to attend college; or (4) ages out of resource family care.

As defined in the bill, “child” mean any person 21 years of age or under who has been placed in resource family care by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, and “luggage” means a new or slightly used, durable suitcase, duffle bag, backpack, or similar portable case that is designed to hold a person’s clothing and personal articles.

The DCF is to contract with community-based, faith-based, and non-profit organizations providing services to children in, or aging out of, resource family care to accept, store, and distribute luggage deemed necessary for a child in resource family care, pursuant to the provisions of the bill, and the contract is to delineate the policies and procedures that will be used to accept, store, and distribute the luggage donated to the program.

The luggage accepted, stored, and distributed by the program to children in resource family care is to be clean, in good condition, and the personal belongings of the person donating the luggage must be removed prior to donation.

The DCF is to submit an annual report to the Governor and to the Legislature on the effectiveness of providing luggage to children in resource family care through the luggage donation program.