Short title

Purpose of article. Definitions. Other state departments, agencies, officers, and employees to assist department. Child welfare agency public scorecard established. Powers and duties of board; rules and regulations for training schools and other facilities. Merit system to conform to federal standards; power to employ and contract for professional services; employment and dismissal procedures; membership in state retirement system. Development and administration of public child welfare and youth services. Powers and duties of department. Short-term respite care of child in foster care; reasonable and prudent parent standard. Use of public and private institutions and agencies; inspections; examination and control of children not in department’s facilities. [Reserved] Commitment of delinquent or unruly children to department; procedures; handling and treatment; escape and apprehension; release; termination of control. [Reserved] Escape from a youth detention center. Licensing and inspection of child welfare agencies; stan- 49-5-12.1. 49-5-12.2. 49-5-12.3. 49-5-13. 49-5-14. 49-5-15. 49-5-16. 49-5-17. 49-5-18. 49-5-19. 49-5-20. 49-5-21. 49-5-22. 49-5-23. 49-5-24. 49-5-25. 227 dards; revocation or refusal of license; penalties; violations. Penalties for violation of child welfare agency laws and regulations. Immunity from liability. Annual inspection of child welfare agency. Private child care learning centers not required to meet federal adult-child ratio. [Reserved] Fire inspections of day-care homes and centers; fire safety codes. Notice as to child brought into state for placement or adoption; bond; certificate as to foster home; reports. Power of department to contract; acceptance of children from federal courts for compensation. Power of department to accept and use gifts. Instituting or intervening in legal proceedings. Annual report on children and youth services. Existing charters of charitable institutions. Penalties for aiding, harboring, or encouraging escapees or hindering their apprehension. Voluntary pre-kindergarten programs to provide toilet facilities screened for privacy. Obtaining information on recall notices. Implementation of statewide system for data sharing; waivers from certain federal regulations. Maternity supportive housing residences; registration; requirements. T.49, C.5 Sec. 49-5-68. 49-5-69. Article 2 Child Abuse Records Sec. 49-5-40. 49-5-41. 49-5-41.1. 49-5-42. 49-5-43. 49-5-44. 49-5-45. 49-5-46. Definitions; confidentiality of records; restricted access to records. Persons and agencies permitted access to records. Inspection and retention of records of juvenile drug use. Rules and regulations. Article not to conflict with federal law or lose federal funds; duty of board. Penalties for unauthorized access to records; use of records in public and criminal proceedings. Penalty for allowing unauthorized access to juvenile drug use records. Immunity from liability of department, agency, or child advocacy center. Article 3 49-5-69.1. 49-5-70. 49-5-71. 49-5-72. 49-5-73. 49-5-74. Employees’ Records Checks for Child Welfare Agencies 49-5-60. 49-5-61. 49-5-62. 49-5-63. 49-5-64. 49-5-65. 49-5-66. 49-5-67. T.49, C.5 SOCIAL SERVICES Change of director. Employment requirements; suspension or revocation of license or criminal penalty for violations. Fingerprint and preliminary records check for foster homes; notice of results; violations; foster parents known to have criminal records; retention of fingerprints. Required cooperation among state agencies; unauthorized use of criminal history record information. Immunity from liability for centers, state agencies, and employees. Supplemental nature of article’s requirements. Applicability of “Georgia Administrative Procedure Act”; consideration of matters in mitigation of conviction. Administration of article. Article 4 Definitions. Requirement of separate license and separate director for each new facility. Records check application for director of new facility; preliminary records check for employees; retention of fingerprints. Notice of determination; issuance of license; effect of unsatisfactory determination. Fingerprint records check; retention. Determination on the basis of fingerprint records check; revocation of license. Separate license and director for each center. Fingerprint records check application for director of existing facility; preliminary records check for employees; annual license. Emergency Protection of Children in Certain Institutions 49-5-90. 49-5-91. 49-5-92. Definitions.