Assigned to JUD                                                                                                           AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1219

 

domestic violence prevention; procedures; protocols

 

Purpose

 

            Requires the Department of Economic Security (DES) to establish written procedures for screening domestic violence within families, referring families for domestic violence services and training child welfare, law enforcement and other professionals.

 

Background

 

            Services Resources is a subcommittee of an unofficial Child Protective Services (CPS) ad hoc committee that was devoted this past interim to studying the overlap between child welfare and domestic violence.  The subcommittee notes the frequency with which CPS intervenes in households afflicted by both domestic violence and child maltreatment, as documented by several national studies.

 

In order to address the needs of all family members coping with abuse, the subcommittee recommends that CPS screen for domestic violence during the initial stage of child welfare investigation and refer families to local domestic violence services when applicable.  Written procedures will assist DES in reconciling various statutes relating to CPS and domestic violence providers when sharing information between CPS, domestic violence programs and the courts.  Furthermore, by assigning DES the task of developing interagency procedures for appropriate agencies and organizations to educate professionals, proponents hope the bill will increase the levels of awareness and sensitivity to domestic violence issues for those who focus on child abuse.

 

The potential impact on the state general fund is undetermined at this time.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Sets a deadline of March 31, 2003, on or before which DES must consult with domestic violence advocates, law enforcement, behavioral health professionals and others and develop procedures for screening for domestic violence within families who have come to the attention of CPS, referring families for available domestic violence services and communicating confidential information.

 

2.      Requires DES to create written procedures for the local training of child welfare, domestic violence, law enforcement and other professionals.

 

 

 

3.      Requires DES to revise the procedures as necessary.

 

4.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee

 

·        Removes "persons who are required by statute to report child abuse" from the list of persons for whom DPS must develop training protocols.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

 

1.      Inserts the word "procedures" for "protocols" throughout the bill.

 

2.      Specifies that training will be about child welfare and domestic violence issues.

 

Senate Action

 

JUD          3/12/02     DPA      5-0-3-0

3rd Read    3/27/02                 30-0-0-0

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

March 28, 2002