Section 400.18e - State plan for foster care; focus groups; establishment; funds(1) The family independence agency shall establish and administer a state plan for foster care according to the provisions of part E of title IV of the social security act, 42 USC 670 to 679b. The state plan shall include programs and services that promote, implement, and support foster care focus groups. When developing and annually reviewing the state plans to carry out foster care policy and services, the family independence agency shall utilize input from locally-based foster care focus groups.(2) Foster care focus groups shall be composed of youth in foster care or independent living programs, youth previously in foster care, foster parents or relatives caring for youth in foster care, and adults previously in foster care or independent living programs. The majority of the focus group consists of youth in foster care or independent living programs.(3) In order to inform the legislature, the executive office, the judiciary, and the public of the needs and interests of youth in foster care, foster parents, and relatives caring for youth in foster care, the foster care focus groups are encouraged to be established in both of the following: (a) Licensed child placing agencies with which the family independence agency contracts for youth foster care services that have an annual average daily foster care caseload of 150 or more cases or that derives more than 50% of its operating budget from contracts with the family independence agency for youth foster care services.(b) Counties in which the family independence agency has an annual average daily foster care caseload of 150 or more cases.(4) State and federal funds appropriated to implement state plans in compliance with part E of title IV of the social security act, 42 USC 670 to 679b and state laws may be used to meet the provisions of this section.Added by 2004, Act 18, s 1, eff. 3/4/2004.