Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 54 First Substitute (2023GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Harper, W.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/20/2023

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• amends provisions related to the qualifications required for an individual providing services, under the Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program, to a parent involved in a child welfare case; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

INTERDISCIPLINARY PARENTAL REPRESENTATION
PILOT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
House Sponsor: 
 Christine F. Watkins
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to the Interdisciplinary Parental Representation
Pilot Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ amends provisions related to the qualifications required for an individual providing
services, under the Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program, to a
parent involved in a child welfare case; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
78B-22-805
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 188
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
78B-22-805
 is amended to read:
78B-22-805.
Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Parental representation liaison" means an individual who has a bachelor's or
graduate degree in social work, sociology, psychology, human services, or a closely related
field.
[
(a)
] 
(b)
 "Program" means the Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program
created in this section.
[
(b) "Social worker" means an individual who is licensed as:
]
[
(i) a clinical social worker;
]
[
(ii) a certified social worker;
]
[
(iii) a marriage and family therapist; or
]
[
(iv) a clinical mental health counselor.
]
(2) (a) There is created within the commission the Interdisciplinary Parental
Representation Pilot Program.
(b) The purpose of the program is to enhance the legal representation of a parent in a
child welfare case by including a [
social worker
] 
parental representation liaison
 as a member of
the parent's interdisciplinary legal team.
(3) (a) A county may submit a proposal to the commission for a grant to develop a
[
social worker
] 
parental representation liaison
 position to provide services to parents involved
in a child welfare case in the county.
(b) A proposal described in Subsection (3)(a) shall include details regarding:
(i) how the county plans to use the grant award to fulfill the purpose described in
Subsection (2);
(ii) any plan to use funding sources in addition to a grant awarded under this section for
the proposal; and
(iii) other information the commission determines necessary to evaluate the proposal
for a grant award under this section.
(c) In evaluating a proposal for a grant award under this section, the commission shall
consider:
(i) the extent to which the proposal will fulfill the purpose described in Subsection (2);
(ii) the cost of the proposal;
(iii) the extent to which other funding sources identified in the proposal are likely to
benefit the proposal;
(iv) the sustainability of the proposal;
(v) the need for [
social worker
] 
parental representation liaison
 engagement in child
welfare cases in the county that submitted the proposal; and
(vi) whether the proposal will support improvements in indigent defense services in
accordance with the commission core principles described in Section 
78B-22-404
.
(4) Before October 1, 2023, the commission shall provide a written report to the Health
and Human Services Interim Committee regarding the program that includes information on:
(a) the number of grants awarded under the program; and
(b) whether the program had any impact on child welfare case outcomes.