| Press Release |
Murray: Senate Votes to Expand
Child Protections
in Massachusetts
Focuses on Care of Children
(Boston, MA) – Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) announced today that the Senate passed legislation that will further protect the children of the Commonwealth through comprehensive changes made within the state’s child service agencies.
Senate President Murray said the bill will both review and reform current laws related to child abuse and neglect.
“Providing children with a happy, healthy and safe environment in which to grow is both our legal and moral obligation,” the Senate President said. “This bill gives us the tools to help prevent tragedies and get children and their families on the right track.”
The legislation creates the Office of the Child Advocate, responsible for examining the quality of child services provided by state agencies and reporting directly to the Governor. In addition to an oversight and ombudsman capacity, the Child Advocate will also be charged with developing a long-term plan to further coordinate and modernize the child welfare system.
Under this legislation, the foster care system sees considerable improvements. The bill extends support for those “aging out” of the system, allowing services to continue for children-turned-adults between the ages of 18-22. Also, in addition to the tuition that is already provided, foster care children will receive fee waivers at all state universities and colleges.
Additionally, the bill establishes a foster care registry to track the success of foster parents in the state system. The system can search for relatives or other adult persons who have positively influenced a child’s life.
The bill also makes several changes and improvements within the Department of Social Services, seeking to change its name to the Department of Children and Families and targeting issues of racial inequality within the department.
Another reform includes the creation of a commission to study the status of grandparents raising their grandchildren.
The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for further action.