The secretary of social and health services, or the secretary's regional designee, may transfer funds appropriated for foster care services to purchase preservation services and other preventive services for children at imminent risk of out-of-home placement or who face a substantial likelihood of out-of-home placement. This transfer may be made in those regions that lower foster care expenditures through efficient use of preservation services and permanency planning efforts. The transfer shall be equivalent to the amount of reduced foster care expenditures and shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and with the approval of the office of financial management. The department shall present an annual report to the legislature regarding any transfers under this section only if transfers occur. The department shall include caseload, expenditure, cost avoidance, identified improvements to the out-of-home care system, and outcome data related to the transfer in the report. The department shall also include in the report information regarding:

     (1) The percent of cases where a child is placed in out-of-home care after the provision of intensive family preservation services or family preservation services;

     (2) The average length of time before the child is placed out-of-home;

     (3) The average length of time the child is placed out-of-home; and

     (4) The number of families that refused the offer of either family preservation services or intensive family preservation services.

[2003 c 207 § 3; 1995 c 311 § 11; 1994 c 288 § 3; 1992 c 214 § 9.]

NOTES:

     Funds transfer review: "The juvenile issues task force established under chapter 234, Laws of 1991, shall review the advisability of transferring appropriated funds from foster care to purchase family preservation services for children at imminent risk of foster care placement and include findings and recommendations on the transfer of funds to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives by December 15, 1992. The task force shall identify ways to improve the foster care system and expand family preservation services with the savings generated by avoiding the placement of children at imminent risk of foster care placement through the provision of family preservation services." [1992 c 214 § 10.]