Title 4, Public Care Systems.

(a) Upon receipt of a report that a child (1) is born addicted or dependent on a controlled substance or has a significant presence of a controlled substance in his or her system at birth; (2) has a controlled substance in his or her body as a direct and foreseeable consequence o…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the Agency’s request, a person who is required to report suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect under § 4-1321.02 shall immediately provide the Agency copies of all records in the possession of the person or the person’s…

(a) In cases in which a child is alleged to be a neglected, but not an abused, child the Agency shall determine whether the child should be removed from the home or can be protected by the provision of services or resources. If in the opinion of the Agency the available services …

As part of the investigation required by this part, any person responsible for the investigation may take, or have taken, photographs of each area of possible trauma on the child or photographs of the conditions surrounding the suspected abuse or neglect of the child, and if medi…

(a) If the initial investigation results in a substantiated report, the information from the initial investigation shall be immediately referred to the police or the Agency, as appropriate. A social investigation shall be commenced immediately by the Agency in all cases of an all…

(a) In determining and making reasonable efforts under this section, the child’s safety and health shall be the paramount concern. (b)(1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, reasonable efforts shall be made to preserve and reunify the family by the Agency. (2) T…

(a) Every instance of sexual abuse of a child shall be reviewed and investigated by a multidisciplinary investigation team (“MDT”), which shall focus, first, on the needs of the child, and, second, on the law enforcement, prosecution, and related civil proceedings. The MDT may ha…

(a)(1) Except as permitted by paragraph (2) of this subsection, all information and records in the possession of Safe Shores, the District of Columbia’s Children’s Advocacy Center, relating to victims or witnesses of alleged child abuse, neglect, or any alleged crime committed ag…

(a) There is hereby established a Child Protection Register to be maintained by the Agency. (b) The purposes of the Register are to: (1) Maintain, in print or in a database, a confidential index of cases of abused and neglected children; (2) Assist in the identification and treat…

(a) There shall be retained in the Child Protection Register the following information concerning each substantiated and inconclusive report: (1) The recipient of the report, the date and the time of the receipt of the report; (2) The information required in the report pursuant t…

(a) The staff which maintains the Child Protection Register shall grant access to information contained in said Register only to the following persons: (1) Officers of the police for the purpose of an investigation of a report; (2) The Corporation Counsel of the District of Colum…

The staff which maintains the Child Protection Register may release information from said Register for research and evaluation only upon an order of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; provided, however, that no information identifying the persons named in a report sh…

(a) The staff which maintains the Child Protection Register shall, within 7 days from the date that a report is entered in said Register, give notice to each person identified in the report of the fact that the report identifies him or her as responsible for the alleged abuse or …

The Mayor shall establish, by rules adopted pursuant to § 2-501 et seq., procedures to permit a person identified in the Child Protection Register to challenge information which he or she alleges is incorrect or establish that a report is unfounded.

(a) The staff who maintain the Child Protection Register shall expunge an inconclusive report from the Child Protection Register one year after the date the report was entered in the Child Protection Register if no subsequent substantiated or inconclusive reports involving the pe…

Any staff member of the Child Protection Register who willfully releases information obtained from the Register in violation of this subchapter shall be fined not more than $1,000.

All violations of this subchapter shall be prosecuted by the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia or his or her designee in the name of the District of Columbia.

(a) There is established as a separate Cabinet-level agency, subordinate to the Mayor, the Child and Family Services Agency. (b) The Agency shall have as its functions and purposes: (1) Providing services that prevent family dissolution or breakdown, to avoid the need for protect…

(a) The Agency shall be administered by a full-time Director appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. The Director shall be qualified by experience and training to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. (b) The Director shall report directly to the Mayor. (c) The …

(a) The Director of the Agency shall have the following duties and powers, any of which may be contracted for, as appropriate, with private or other public agencies: (1) Receive and investigate reports of abuse or neglect as provided in subchapter II of this chapter, § 4-1301.04 …

(a) To implement the Director’s authority to deliver child and family services pursuant to § 4-1303.03(a-1)(3), the Agency may financially support, in cooperation with other public and private agencies, a program of neighborhood-based services to families with children to meet pe…

(a) The Agency shall establish a single reporting line to receive reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. (b) The single reporting line shall be maintained by the Agency, with the assistance and support of the Metropolitan Police Department, and shall be staffed 24 hours a …

(a) The Agency shall track and publicly report the number of emancipating youth and families who apply for or are referred for assistance under the Rapid Housing Program, the number of youth and families who are eligible for assistance, and the number of youth and families who re…

(a)(1) All children in the custody of the Agency shall, to the extent that it is not inconsistent with a court order, receive a behavioral health screening and, if necessary, a behavioral health assessment within 30 days of initial contact with the Agency or a placement disruptio…

(a) Foster parents and group homes for children who have been abused or neglected shall use the reasonable and prudent parent standard when determining whether to allow a ward to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities. (b) The Agency, foster p…

(a)(1) At least 90 days before a youth leaves foster care in accordance with a transition plan described in section 475(5)(H) of the Social Security Act, approved June 17, 1980 (94 Stat. 510; 42 U.S.C. § 675(5)(H)) ("aging-out youth"), the Agency shall develop, in consultation wi…

(a) Repealed. (b) When an investigation indicates that a child has been left alone or with inadequate supervision, the Agency is authorized to make a temporary custodial placement of the child; provided, that: (1) Notice is left for the parent or custodian which shall state the p…

When the Agency has physical custody of a child pursuant to § 4-1303.03 or pursuant to § 16-2313 or § 16-2320, it may: (1) Authorize a medical evaluation or emergency medical, surgical, or dental treatment, or authorize an outpatient psychiatric evaluation or emergency outpatient…

(a) Information acquired by staff of the Child and Family Services Agency that identifies individual children reported as or found to be abused or neglected or which identifies other members of their families or other persons shall be considered confidential and may be released o…

Whoever willfully discloses, receives, makes use of or knowingly permits the use of confidential information concerning a child or individual in violation of this subchapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $1,000. A violat…

(a) For the purposes of this section, the term: (1) “Immediate birth family member” means a person 18 years of age or older who is the birth mother, father, or sibling of a registrant. (2) “Registrant” means an individual, 18 years of age or older, who was, or currently is, a res…

(a) There is established as a nonlapsing fund the Voluntary Foster Care Registry Fund (“VFCR Fund”), into which shall be deposited all fees collected pursuant to § 4-1303.08(c)(2)(A) and any gift or appropriation intended to assist in the funding of the Voluntary Foster Care Regi…

In Fiscal Year 2020, the Agency shall award, on a competitive basis, grants to: (a)(1) Support a program that provides targeted legal intervention services in matters involving child custody, child support, domestic violence, landlord-tenant issues, housing conditions, federally …

(a) The Agency shall: (1) Notify the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children ("Ombudsperson for Children"), established by Chapter 6C of this title, in writing within 24 hours of the Agency becoming aware of an allegation of a critical incident; (2) Provide the Ombudsperson for C…

(a) Upon a child's removal under § 4-1301.07 or § 4-1303.04(c), or within 90 days of March 10, 2023 if the child is in the care of the Agency at the time, the Agency shall ascertain whether the child may be eligible for benefits administered by the Social Security Administration …

(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Agency shall provide luggage to a child who is: (A) Entering foster care; (B) Moving foster care placements; (C) Starting higher education or military service; or (D) Exiting foster care. (2) The Agency …

For the purposes of this part, the term: (1)(A) “Agency” shall have the same meaning provided in § 2-502(3), except that the term “agency” shall include: (i) The Social Services Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and (ii) The Child and Family Services Age…

(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a disclosing official shall upon written request by any person, and may upon his or her own initiative, disclose to the public the findings and information related to a child fatality or near fatality, except as provided in parag…

(a) Any person who has submitted a request to the disclosing official to release findings and information under § 4-1303.32, and whose request has been denied in whole or in part, may bring a civil action in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia (“Superior Court”) to com…

The District, the disclosing official, and any agencies, committees, officials, officers, employees, or attorneys of the District authorized by the disclosing official to assist the disclosing official with his or her responsibilities and duties under this part shall have full im…

Nothing in this part shall limit or restrict any right of access or disclosure that any person may have under subchapter II of Chapter 5 of Title 2 (“Freedom of Information Act”). Section 4-1303.06 shall not provide a basis for denying any request under the Freedom of Information…

The Mayor shall, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, issue rules to implement the provisions of this part. The rules issued pursuant to this section shall be transmitted to the Council within 30 days of February 13, 2002, for a 45-day period of Council review (exclu…

(a) There is hereby established the Citizen Review Panel, whose purpose is to serve as an external, independent oversight body for the District’s child welfare system, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of District government agencies involved in child protection as well as …

(a) The Panel shall be comprised of 15 members to be appointed as follows: (1) Eight members shall be appointed by the Mayor, and (2) Seven members shall be appointed by the Council by resolution. (b)(1) Panel members shall be residents of the District. (2) None of the members sh…

(a)(1) A quorum shall consist of 8 members and the Panel shall develop written bylaws, with the approval of a majority of Panel members, to establish other procedural requirements it considers necessary, including the designation of additional officers. (2) The Panel may establis…

(a) The Panel shall have access to data on children and families maintained by District government agencies, including the Agency, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Mental Health, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Office of the Ch…