Title 4, Public Care Systems.

(a) Within 90 days of April 23, 2013, the Agency shall develop an implementation plan for the dissemination of the Statements of Rights and Responsibilities and a mechanism for receiving and handling complaints or concerns made by youth or on behalf of youth and provide a mechani…

For the purposes of this part, the term: (1) "Foster parent" means an individual licensed by a District-licensed child-placing agency, as defined under § 4-1402, who provides 24-hour substitute care to a youth placed away from his or her parent or guardian. (2) "Youth" shall have…

(a) Within 180 days after the February 18, 2017, the Mayor, pursuant to § 4-1303.85, shall amend existing rules governing foster parents to: (1) Incorporate existing rights and responsibilities for foster parents provided by local law, federal law, local regulations, agency admin…

(a) When a foster parent is licensed by the Agency, the Agency shall inform the foster parent of the foster parent's rights and responsibilities and disseminate to the foster parent and the appropriate child-placing agency the Statements of Rights and Responsibilities for Foster …

(a) Within 180 days after February 18, 2017, the Agency shall establish: (1) A plan for the dissemination of the Statements of Rights and Responsibilities for Foster Parents to foster parents and the appropriate child-placing agency; and (2) A process for receiving, investigating…

The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, shall issue rules to implement the provisions of this part. The proposed rules shall be submitted to the Council for a 45-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. I…

For the purposes of this part: (1) “Adult” means an individual who is at least 18 years of age. (1A) “Agency” means the Child and Family Services Agency established by § 4-1303.01a. (2) “Applicant” means a person applying for a criminal records check under this part. (3) “Convict…

The following individuals shall apply for a criminal records check under this part: (1) An individual who seeks to be approved or licensed as an adoptive parent by the Agency or by any licensed child-placing agency; (2) An individual who seeks to be approved or licensed as a fost…

(a) Within the time stated in subsection (b) of this section, an applicant shall apply for a criminal records check by submitting to the Agency, licensed child-placing agency, or the police: (1) A complete set of legible fingerprints taken on standard fingerprint cards by the Age…

(a) A person who is required to have a criminal records check under this part shall pay for: (1) The mandatory processing fee required by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for conducting the national criminal records check; (2) Reasonable administrative costs to the police for …

(a) The Agency or licensed child-placing agency shall forward complete sets of legible fingerprints taken on standard fingerprints cards by the Agency or licensed child-placing agency to the police or state law enforcement agency. (b) The police shall: (1) Access the District cri…

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply to an individual who seeks to be: (1) Approved or licensed as an adoptive or foster parent, a legal guardian, or a kinship caregiver; (2) Permitted to become an adoptive parent under Chapter 3 of Title 16; or (3) Permitted to have a …

(a) If an individual described in § 4-1305.02(1), (2), or (3), or any adult residing in the home of an individual described in § 4-1305.02(1), (2), or (3), fails to request a criminal records check as required by this part, the Agency may deny approval or licensure. (b) If an ind…

(a) Information obtained pursuant to a criminal records check shall be confidential. It shall be disseminated only to: (1) The individual who is the subject of the criminal records check; (2) The Agency for the purpose of receiving and screening the results of a criminal records …

(a) An individual who discloses confidential information in violation of § 4-1305.08 shall be guilty of a criminal offense and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or a term of incarceration of not more than 180 days, or both. (b) An individual who…

(a) The Mayor may, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, issue rules to implement the provisions of this subchapter within 90 days of June 27, 2000. The proposed rules shall be submitted to the Council for a 45-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal…

It is the purpose of this subchapter to require a report of a suspected neglected child in order to identify neglected children; to assure that protective services will be made available to a neglected child to protect the child and his or her siblings and to prevent further abus…

(a) For the purposes of this section, the term "mandatory reporter" means any of the following: (1) An employee, agent, or contractor of the Child and Family Services Agency; (2) A physician; (3) A psychologist; (4) A medical examiner; (5) A dentist; (6) A chiropractor; (7) A reg…

(a) Each person required to make a report of a known or suspected neglected child shall: (1) Immediately make an oral report of the case to the Child and Family Services Agency or the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia; and (2) Make a written report of the…

Any person, hospital, or institution participating in good faith in the making of a report pursuant to this subchapter shall have immunity from liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the making of the report. Any such participati…

Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 14-306 and 14-307, neither the spouse or domestic partner privilege nor the physician-patient privilege shall be grounds for excluding evidence in any proceeding in the Family Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia concerni…

Any person required to make a report under this subchapter who willfully fails to make such a report shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both. Violations of this subchapter shall be prosecuted by the Attorney Ge…

(a) By December 31, 2023, the Office of the Attorney General ("OAG") shall, in consultation with the Child and Family Services Agency ("CFSA"), develop and approve a training curriculum explaining the reporting requirements of this subchapter, which shall include: (1) The purpose…

(a) The Child and Family Services Agency shall file a missing person report with the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) for any child in the custody of the Child and Family Services Agency immediately after discovering that the child is missing from the child’s home or out-of…

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Child” means a person under 18 years of age. (2) “Child abuse” means harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare by a person responsible for the child’s health or welfare, which occurs through the intentional inflicti…

(a) There is established in the District of Columbia a private nonprofit corporation which shall be known as the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Children’s Trust Fund (“Trust Fund”). The sole purpose of the Trust Fund is to encourage child abuse and child neglect prevention pr…

(a) A self-perpetuating Board of Directors is established to manage the affairs of the Trust Fund. The Board of Directors shall have 15 members. The D.C. Treasurer and the Director of the Department of Human Services shall serve as members of the Board of Directors. The remaining…

(a) The Board of Directors shall: (1) Administer the Trust Fund; (2) File such papers as may be required by the Recorder of Deeds of the District of Columbia; (3) Have the power to adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws for operation of the Trust Fund; (4) Remove a member by a 2/3rd vote…

The Trust Fund shall maintain a designated agent to accept service of process for the Trust Fund. Notice to or service upon the agent is notice or service upon the Trust Fund.

The Trust Fund may exercise those powers conferred upon a nonprofit corporation pursuant to Chapters 1 and 4 of Title 29.

Except as otherwise provided in a contract or legacy transferring or loaning property to the Trust Fund, upon dissolution of the Trust Fund as a corporation, all remaining assets shall be transferred to the Mayor of the District of Columbia. The Mayor shall make every effort to u…

The Trust Fund may engage in such activities that make it eligible for treatment as an organization described in § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) ) which may be exempt from federal taxation under § 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S…

The District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency (referred to as “CFSA”) shall maintain an accurate database listing and tracking any child found by the Family Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court to be abused or neglected and who is in the custody of the …

Not later than September 30, 1999, CFSA shall enter into contracts with private service providers to perform some of the adoption recruitment and placement functions of CFSA, which may include recruitment, homestudy, and placement services. Any contract entered into pursuant to s…

This subchapter may be cited as the “Child Fatality Review Committee Establishment Act of 2001”.

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Child” means an individual who is 18 years of age or younger, or up to 21 years of age if the child is a committed ward of the child welfare, intellectual and developmental disabilities, or juvenile systems of the District of Co…

(a) There is established a Child Fatality Review Committee. Facilities and other administrative support shall be provided by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. (b) The Committee shall: (1) Identify and characterize the scope and nature of all child deaths in the District, …

(a) The Mayor shall appoint a minimum of one representative from appropriate programs providing services to children within the following public agencies: (1) Department of Human Services; (2) Department of Health; (3) Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; (4) Child and Family Se…

(a) The Committee shall be responsible for reviewing all deaths of children who were residents of the District of Columbia, and with particular attention, such children who, or whose families, at the time of death: (1) Or at any point during the 2 years prior to the child’s death…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, immediately upon the request of the Committee and as necessary to carry out the Committee’s purpose and duties, the Committee shall be provided, without cost and without authorization of the persons to whom the information or record…

(a) When necessary for the discharge of its duties, the Committee shall have the authority to issue subpoenas to compel witnesses to appear and testify and to produce books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, documents, or other relevant records. (b) Except as provided in subsect…

(a) Proceedings of the Committee shall be closed to the public and shall not be subject to § 1-207.42, when the Committee is discussing cases of individual child deaths or where the identity of any person, other than a person who has consented to be identified, can be ascertained…

(a) All information and records generated by the Committee, including statistical compilations and reports, and all information and records acquired by, and in the possession of, the Committee are confidential. (b) Except as permitted by this section, information and records of t…

Any health-care provider or any other person or institution providing information to the Committee pursuant to this subchapter shall have immunity from administrative, civil, or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the disclosure of the i…

Whoever discloses, receives, makes use of, or knowingly permits the use of information concerning a deceased child or other person in violation of this subchapter shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000. Violations of this subchapter shall be prosecuted by the Attorney…

(a) Notwithstanding, but in addition to, the provisions of any law, including § 14-307 and Chapter 12 of Title 7, any person or official specified in subsection (b) of this section who has knowledge of the death of a child who died in the District of Columbia, or a ward of the Di…