Senate OKs DiMario bill to require regular needs assessments at DCYF
STATE HOUSE — The Senate today voted to approve legislation from Sen. Alana M. DiMario to require the Department of Children, Youth and Families to conduct independent periodic assessments of its programs and services to ensure they are meeting the needs of children and families in Rhode Island.
The bill now heads to the House, where Rep. Julie A. Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter) has introduced companion legislation (2024-H 7823).
“Independent and recurring comprehensive needs assessments are so important in determining what types of services we need to adequately build a continuum of care for children in Rhode Island,” said Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham), who works as a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. “This updated version of last year’s bill aligns the schedule for these assessments to come in advance of the state budgeting and re-procurement process, so that before the state is about to budget millions of dollars on procuring an array of services for children and families, we make sure that the services that we are procuring actually match the needs.”
The bill (2024-S 2705A) would require DCYF to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment at least every five years, with the first assessment to be completed by March 31, 2026. These assessments would determine whether the department’s programs and services meet the needs of children and families in their care, review the accessibility of these programs and services to clients and collect the data necessary to develop goals and objectives for the department’s programs and services.
These assessments would be conducted by an independent third party, with first preference given to an in-state academic institution or consulting firm.
“The Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families commends Senator DiMario and her colleagues for their leadership on this vital legislation,” said Tanja Kubas-Meyer, executive director of the RI Coalition for Children and Families. “The behavioral health needs of children, youth and families in Rhode Island are increasingly severe, and a detailed needs assessment is essential to properly plan to respond and ensure the network of providers is well-resourced and capable of addressing these urgent needs. By conducting regular assessments, we can identify gaps in current services, allocate resources efficiently and effectively and improve outcomes for our children and youth. It is a crucial step in preventing suffering or tragic loss of life and ensuring that every child and family in Rhode Island receives the support they need.”
The legislation would also create a committee to advise the third party conducting these assessments. The committee would be composed of DCYF staff, child welfare advocates, representatives of the state legislature and judiciary and people with direct personal experience with the state child welfare system.
