H 158 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act establishing the Massachusetts foster care review office

This bill creates a new independent state agency called the Foster Care Review Office to oversee the Massachusetts foster care system. The office would conduct administrative reviews of every child in foster care placement at least every six months to evaluate their progress toward permanent family arrangements. Trained volunteer citizen reviewers would join staff to examine individual cases and provide recommendations, while the office would also generate regular public reports on the system's performance. This new entity would operate separately from the Department of Children and Families to ensure greater transparency and accountability in how foster care cases are managed.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Feb 2023
Senate Passage
Mar 2024
Governor
Introduced Feb 16, 2023 Last action Jul 17, 2024
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
1
Mar 28, 2024
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Committee
Referred to the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
lower
1 primary · 10 co-sponsors

Sponsors