Section 7 AAC 58.030 - Duties of the state panel,(a) The state panel shall review the department's policies, procedures, and practices, and if appropriate, specific cases of child abuse or neglect, to determine whether the department is effectively discharging its child protection responsibilities in compliance with (1) the following documents submitted to the United States Department of Health and Human Services: (A) the state plan required under 42 U.S.C. 5106a(b); and(B) the state child welfare plans and family services plan and reports under 42 U.S.C. 621- 629m; and(2) child protection standards under federal and state laws.(b) The state panel may recommend and advocate for(1) changes to the department's child protection policies, procedures, and practices; and(2) changes that may enable the department to improve its child protection policies, procedures, and practices.(c) The state panel shall consult with director and the commissioner before the panel implements a system of review to allow for feedback regarding the department's priorities. The state panel shall align its review with the department's priorities, to enable the department to comply with the panel's recommendations. The state panel shall consult with the department for the following: (1) current priorities and needs identified by the child protection system; and(2) tools and methods that the panel will use to review the department.(d) The state panel shall decide how to perform its department review and may use the following strategies to gather information: (1) a site visit to any office of the office of children's services in the department;(3) data from the department's child protection database;(5) an interview with (A) a member of the department staff;(B) a department partner; or(C) a department stakeholder; or(6) a department quality assurance report.(e) The state panel may review the department's child protection system and make a recommendation based on (1) the panel's examination of the department's policies, procedures, and practices;(2) the panel's findings;(3) feedback from a stakeholder;(4) feedback from the public;(5) information from a state review related to child protection;(6) information from a federal review related to child protection; or(7) review of a specific case of child abuse or neglect that may be instructive in improving the child protection system.Eff. 8/8/2020,Register 235, October 2020Authority:
AS 47.14 .205
AS 47.14.215
AS 47.14.255