Committee advances 2 child-welfare bills

Two more measures dealing with Utah's child welfare system advanced with unanimous committee approval Friday, after several family advocacy groups told lawmakers the changes will make good law.

Both bills, HB120 and HB61, are sponsored by Rep. Mike Thompson, R-Orem, one of several lawmakers on the Hill this session who say the system is not parent-friendly enough and overzealous in taking children from families.

Thompson's HB120, accordingly, would require DCFS to make "substantial" effort in securing grants and donations to provide for more funding for in-home services.

His other measure is a clarification of an existing law regarding when DCFS workers are allowed to enter families' homes without a warrant.

Both bills were approved by the House Health and Human Services committee.

Parents have always had the right to say "no" to a child protection investigator who wants to come in the home unless that worker has a warrant or there are exigent circumstances.

But this bill makes that right more clear.

"This is a great bill," said Gayle Ruzicka, head of the conservative Eagle Forum. "When someone knocks on your door and questions how you are treating your kids, there is nothing scarier. Most of these parents have no idea they can say no."

Adam Trupp, a policy analyst with the division, said DCFS supports the bill.

"The idea that we barge into people's houses or break down doors is incorrect," he said. "We do believe this is the way we already do business."

The bill does not affect families under court-ordered case management with DCFS in which a judge has said investigators have the standing right to enter the home as part of the agency's supervision.

Joyce Kinmont, with Utah Families, said both bills are strongly needed.

"There have been children taken from homes when all that was needed was a little help at home," she said, adding that the agency should do all it can to fund as many in-home services as necessary to keep the family together.

Although Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City, ultimately supported both measures, he cautioned he was growing weary of DFCS bashing.

"There's this attempt to dismantle the child welfare system and its wrong. This portrayal that DCFS is going to a door, knocking it down and ripping kids out is just dishonest," Litvak said. "It is getting to me."

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