PRINTER'S NO. 1913
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
119
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY BOBACK, SCHLOSSBERG, HELM, RYAN, PICKETT, HOWARD,
STEPHENS, MIZGORSKI, KAUFFMAN, SAMUELSON, M. MACKENZIE AND
STRUZZI, JUNE 24, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JUNE 24, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
study and make recommendations concerning the development and
implementation of an integrated child welfare information
system for child welfare programs overseen by the Department
of Human Services and administered by county children and
youth agencies.
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's child welfare system is
administered by the counties, each of which currently use one of
six different case management information systems and none of
which allow for the sharing of information between counties; and
WHEREAS, The inability to share information through an
integrated system between counties creates a situation whereby
patterns indicating abuse are less likely to be detected and
relevant information is less likely to be known, increasing the
likelihood that abusers will evade detection; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, in
its 2014 Annual Child Abuse Report, indicated that it had
implemented phase one of the Child Welfare Information Solution,
purporting to allow for the exchange of information across
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counties and eliminating gaps in information throughout the life
of a case; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Health and Human
Services Administration for Children and Families, in 2016,
published regulations pertaining to the Comprehensive Child
Welfare Information System, which provided guidance, flexibility
and both technical and financial support for states that chose
to update and integrate their child welfare information systems;
and
WHEREAS, Years after it was first identified as a priority,
Pennsylvania still does not have a system that allows for the
sharing of information between counties; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Human Services has been unable to
provide specific information about past or anticipated progress
on the project; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission conduct
a study of and report on the status of this project; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the report shall include:
(1) A detailed summary of expenditures and progress.
(2) A projected timeline for the project.
(3) Identification of available resources including
those available through the United States Department of
Health and Human Services Administration for Children and
Families.
(4) Projected costs.
(5) Recommendations on legislative action that may
assist the Department of Human Services or otherwise expedite
the process of developing and implementing an integrated
statewide child welfare case management system in the
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Commonwealth;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the report be submitted to the House Children
and Youth Committee and the House Appropriations Committee
within six months of the adoption of this resolution.
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