2012 Utah Code
Title 62A - Utah Human Services Code
Article 4a - Child and Family Services
Section 202 - Preventive services -- Family preservation services.

(1) (a) Within appropriations from the Legislature and money obtained under Subsection (5), the division shall provide preventive, in-home services and family preservation services for any family with a child whose health and safety is not immediately endangered, when:

(i) (A) the child is at risk of being removed from the home; or

(B) the family is in crisis; and

(ii) the division determines that it is reasonable and appropriate.

(b) In determining whether preventive or family preservation services are reasonable and appropriate, in keeping with the provisions of Subsection 62A-4a-201(1) the child's health, safety, and welfare shall be the paramount concern.

(c) The division shall consider whether the services described in Subsection (1)(b):

(i) will be effective within a six-month period; and

(ii) are likely to prevent abuse or continued neglect of the child.

(2) (a) The division shall maintain a statewide inventory of early intervention, preventive, and family preservation services available through public and private agencies or individuals for use by caseworkers.

(b) The inventory described in Subsection (2)(a) shall include:

(i) the method of accessing each service;

(ii) eligibility requirements for each service;

(iii) the geographic areas and the number of families that can be served by each service; and

(iv) information regarding waiting lists for each service.

(3) As a part of its preventive services, the division shall provide family preservation services that:

(a) are short-term, intensive, crisis intervention programs;

(b) address:

(i) the safety of children; and

(ii) the needs of the family; and

(c) as practicable, are provided within the region that the family resides, using existing division staff.

(4) (a) The division may use specially trained caseworkers, private providers, or other persons to provide the family preservation services described in Subsection (3).

(b) Family preservation caseworkers may:

(i) only be assigned a minimal number of families;

(ii) be available 24 hours for an intensive period of at least six weeks; and

(iii) respond to an assigned family within 24 hours.

(c) The division shall allow family preservation caseworkers to be creative and flexible in responding to the needs of each individual family.

(5) To provide, expand, and improve the delivery of in-home services to prevent the removal of children from their homes and promote the preservation of families, the division shall make substantial effort to obtain funding, including:

(a) federal grants;

(b) federal waivers; and

(c) private money.

Amended by Chapter 75, 2006 General Session