Child-welfare debate flares

The much-awaited debate on changes to Utah's child welfare system to make it more parent friendly emerged in full force on Tuesday.

"This is a firehose here," Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, said, adding that the state was attempting to achieve a difficult and delicate balance between protecting children and not trouncing parental rights. "I'm still taking it all in."

And that's about all lawmakers could do with the proposals.

Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan, unveiled a massive bill he said has been in the works for four years that institutes significant changes, including altering the evidentiary standard, making changes to the mandatory reporting law and streamlining definitions of child abuse and neglect.

The measure causes concern for state agencies charged with child protection and received a lukewarm reception by GOP House caucus members, some of whom voiced concerns over its implications.

"I am not sure (the complaints about DCFS) represent a majority of the people in Utah," said Rep. Susan Lawrence, R-Millcreek. In her own probing of constituents, Lawrence said people "feel the balance should weigh in favor of the child. I am not sure people feel this overwhelming need to fix something."

The Senate did give SB90 — a medical neglect measure by Sen. Dave Thomas R-South Weber — preliminary approval Tuesday, agreeing to return to full debate on the measure that seeks to give parents a presumption of competency when making medical decisions for their children.

Later, a Senate Judiciary committee put the brakes on SB54, a proposal by Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, that would have the governor's office appoint a child welfare ombudsman.

The bill would also allow recommendations against agency action to go "public" or even to a grand jury.

Hellewell agreed to address questions raised by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which approved two of his other measures — SB81 and SB104 — that didn't create serious concerns for the Division of Child and Family Services or the Attorney General's Office.

The hearing, however, did include some who said the ombudsman needs more teeth, judges need more discretion and others who said lawmakers are broaching the wrong kind of balancing act.

"We need to be really careful that in the process of promoting parents' rights that we don't violate children's rights," Barbara Feaster told the committee.

Feaster is head of U Foster Success — an organization for adults who were foster children.

---

E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com