(The Center Square) – A new Arizona law requires mandatory 24-hour reporting with detailed deliverables and protocols for each situation of missing, abducted, or runaway children under state care.
House Bill 2651 received bipartisan support in the House and Senate when it passed the legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs. The bill was sponsored by Arizona State Rep. Barbara Parker. The law takes effect on Oct. 30.
The National Foster Youth Institute estimates that 60% of child sex-trafficking victims are in state-controlled foster care or child welfare systems.
Twelve days after Parker was sworn into office, two teen girls were found dead in a water-filled retention basin in her legislative district just blocks away from their group home. After this incident, Parker was informed of the serious issues regarding the reporting standards of the Department of Child Safety, according to an Aug. 16 news release.
“There was no media coverage of their disappearance until their bodies were found 15 days later,” Parker said. “The community where they lived was never given the opportunity to look for them.”
Audits from the federal Inspector General’s Office and the State Auditor General proved that Arizona’s Department of Child Safety was not in compliance with either state or federal standards for reporting missing children, according to the news release. Moving forward, a fiscal analysis of the new law estimates annual audits of the program would cost $200,000 to $300,000.
“By prioritizing the prompt reporting of missing foster children in accordance with federal requirements, engaging the public through the media package, and having proper training for state personnel, Arizona sets an exemplary standard for other states to follow, reaffirming its commitment to the well-being and safety of foster children,” said Anika Robinson, president of ASA Now and Jacob’s Mission Community Center.
