Title 47 — Welfare, Social Services, and Institutions

The department may (1) purchase, lease, or construct buildings or other facilities for the care, detention, rehabilitation, and education of children in need of aid or delinquent minors; (2) adopt plans for construction of juvenile detention facilities, juvenile treatment facilit…

The department shall (1) accept all minors committed to the custody of the department and all minors who are involved in a written agreement under AS 47.14.100(c), and provide for the welfare, control, care, custody, and placement of these minors in accordance with this chapter; …

The provisions of AS 47.14.010 — 47.14.050 apply to a person who is 18 years of age or older and who is subject to the jurisdiction of AS 47.12 due solely to AS 47.12.020(b). To implement this section, the term “minor” as used in AS 47.14.010 — 47.14.050 includes a person describ…

For the purpose of collecting statistics, the department shall establish and require state and local agencies that operate a jail or other detention facility to use a standardized form to keep a record and report the admission of a minor. The record shall be limited to the name o…

(a) A municipality or entity may maintain and operate a temporary secure juvenile holding area, and a municipality or a nonprofit corporation may maintain and operate a juvenile detention facility or juvenile treatment facility. (b) The municipality or nonprofit corporation may r…

Article 2. Care of Children. (a) The department shall adopt standards and regulations for the operation of juvenile detention facilities and juvenile treatment facilities in the state. (b) The department may enter into contracts with municipalities and other governmental agencies…

(a) Subject to (e), (f), and (i) — (m) of this section, the department shall arrange for the care of every child committed to its custody by placing the child in a foster home or in the care of an agency or institution providing care for children inside or outside the state. The …

(a) A representative of the department shall visit, as often as is considered necessary, every foster home or institution in which a child is placed, and, if not satisfied as to the care given, may remove the child from the foster home or institution and place the child elsewhere…

(a) The department shall implement workload standards and a training program for employees who supervise the care of children committed to the supervision or custody of the department under AS 47.10, work with families to prevent the removal of a child from the child's home under…

(a) If the department has placed a child in a foster home, the department shall, no less often than once quarterly, make available training that will assist the foster parent or parents in providing care that will meet the needs of the child placed in the home and the requirement…

The department shall establish standards of care and adopt regulations desirable for the welfare of every child under its care.

Article 3. Citizen Review Panel. The department shall pay the proper and necessary costs of the court and witnesses and other expenses necessarily incurred in the enforcement of AS 47.14.100 — 47.14.130.

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) There is established within the department a Citizen Review Panel. The panel shall be composed of volunteer members who are broadly representative of the state, including members who have expertise in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. (b) The panel shal…

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) The state panel shall evaluate the extent to which the department is effectively discharging its child protection responsibilities under (1) the state plan submitted to the United States Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. 5106a(b); (2) child protection st…

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) The department shall provide the panel access to information on child abuse or neglect cases that is necessary for the panel to carry out its duties under AS 47.14.215. (b) The department shall serve as staff to the state panel as requested by the panel members.

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) A person attending a meeting of the state panel or a member or staff of the state panel may not make any disclosure related to information obtained during a review by the state panel unless authorized under AS 47.10.092 or 47.10.093. (b) Meetings of the state panel are subjec…

[Repealed or reserved.]

The state panel shall conduct public outreach and gather public comment on current department procedures and practices involving children and family services.

[Repealed or reserved.]

(a) The state panel shall prepare and make available to the governor, the legislature, and the public an annual report containing a summary of the activities of the panel conducted under AS 47.14.205 — 47.14.295 and recommendations for the improvement of child protection services…

[Repealed or reserved.]

A violation under AS 47.14.235 is subject to a civil penalty of up to $2,500 for each violation.

[Repealed or reserved.]

A member of the state panel and a person who furnishes services to or advises the state panel is not liable for damages or other relief in an action involving the performance or failure to perform a duty or other activity of the state panel.

[Repealed or reserved.]

In AS 47.14.205 — 47.14.295, (1) “near fatality” has the meaning given in AS 47.10.990; (2) “state panel” means the Citizen Review Panel established under AS 47.14.205.

Article 4. Multidisciplinary Child Protection Teams.

Article 5. Alaska Education Savings Program for Children. (a) The department, a state or municipal agency with expertise in child abuse or neglect, or a tribe recognized by the United States Secretary of the Interior to exist as an Indian tribe under 25 U.S.C. 5131 (Federally Rec…

Article 6. General Provisions. (a) The department shall administer a program to encourage investment by a person or entity in the education of eligible children in the state. The program must include (1) a central office, dedicated to faith-based and community services, for devel…

The department may accept grants-in-aid from the federal government or private foundations and may accept other gifts consistent with the purposes of this chapter.

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, (1) “care” or “caring” under AS 47.14.100(c) means to provide for the physical, emotional, mental, and social needs of the child; (2) “child in need of aid” means a child found to be within the jurisdiction of the court unde…