HB440 Alabama 2017 Session

Sponsors

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Youth residential facilities that house children for a period of over 24 hours, inlcuding private religious or faith-based organizations, regulation and licensing by Human Resources Dept.

Description

<p class="bill_description"> Under existing law, there is no provision for the state to license or regulate private religious or faith-based facilities, alternative boarding schools, outdoor programs, or residential institutions that house children for counseling, therapeutic, behavioral, or educational purposes when on-site residency is required for periods over 24 hours</p><p class="bill_description"> This bill would provide for the registration and regulation by the Department of Human Resources of any private religious or faith-based organization that houses children for counseling, therapeutic, behavioral, or educational purposes when on-site residency is required for periods over 24 hours. This bill would require the Department of Human Resources to promulgate rules establishing registration and regulatory requirements</p><p class="bill_description"> This bill would establish accountability for any child enrolled in or housed at any private religious or faith-based organization that houses children for counseling, therapeutic, behavioral, or educational purposes when on-site residency is required for periods over 24 hours</p><p class="bill_description"> This bill would establish minimum requirements for operation of any private religious or faith-based organization that houses children for counseling, therapeutic, behavioral, or educational purposes when on-site residency is required for periods over 24 hours</p><p class="bill_description"> This bill would require an employee, volunteer, or applicant for employment or for a volunteer position at such a facility to undergo a criminal background investigation prior to having unsupervised contact with the children</p><p class="bill_description"> This bill would establish fees and charges associated with the registration of such facilities</p><p class="bill_description"> This bill would prohibit the operation of any youth residential facility, institution, or program in the state under this act unless the entity holds a current registration approval from the Department of Human Resources</p><p class="bill_entitled_an_act"> Relating to private religious or faith-based nonprofit and for profit alternative boarding schools, outdoor programs, or residential institutions that house children for counseling, therapeutic, behavioral, or educational purposes when on-site residency of children is required for periods over 24 hours; to establish registration and regulatory requirements; to establish accountability for children enrolled at or housed by private religious or faith-based facilities, institutions, and programs that house children for periods of over 24 hours; to require an employee, volunteer, or applicant for employment or a volunteer position to undergo a criminal background investigation prior to having unsupervised contact with children; to establish a provision for fees and charges associated with the registration and regulation of these facilities; and to prohibit the operation of any youth residential facility, institution, or program in the state under this act unless the entity holds a current registration approval from the Department of Human Resources. </p>

Subjects

Licenses and Licensing