43-4413.

Child welfare system; work group; established; duties.

(1) There is hereby established a child welfare practice model work group. The work group may include, but is not limited to:

(a) The Director of Behavioral Health of the Division of Behavioral Health or the director's designee;

(b) The Director of Children and Family Services of the Division of Children and Family Services or the director's designee;

(c) The Director of Developmental Disabilities of the Division of Developmental Disabilities or the director's designee;

(d) The Director of Medicaid and Long-Term Care of the Division of Medicaid and Long-Term Care or the director's designee;

(e) The Director of Public Health of the Division of Public Health or the director's designee;

(f) The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee;

(g) The State Court Administrator;

(h) A representative of the state judicial branch to be appointed by the Chief Justice; and

(i) Representatives from each federally recognized Indian tribe within the State of Nebraska, appointed by each tribe's Tribal Council or Executive Committee.

(2) The work group shall develop a practice and finance model for child welfare system transformation in Nebraska, with consultation from key stakeholders, judges from separate juvenile courts and judges of county courts sitting as juvenile courts, private child welfare providers, individuals with lived experience in the child welfare system, the Nebraska Children's Commission, the Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare, the Foster Care Review Office, child advocacy centers, law enforcement, and county attorneys. The practice and finance model shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) Development of a statewide mission and vision for the child welfare system in Nebraska;

(b) Development of values and practice priorities for the child welfare system in Nebraska;

(c) Development of statewide program goals and a practice and finance model for child welfare system case management and service delivery;

(d) Development of engagement strategies to support community involvement in child welfare system transformation;

(e) Development of strategies that strengthen relationships across the court system, probation, executive branch agencies, the State Department of Education, and community partners;

(f) Development of strategies that support integration across agencies;

(g) Development of accountabilities across the entire child welfare system;

(h) Evaluation of the state's Title IV-E claiming practices and identification of appropriate steps to optimize federal reimbursement for child welfare system expenditures;

(i) Opportunities and financial mechanisms for providers to pilot innovative solutions to meet program goals; and

(j) Development of a strategy for data collection and outcome monitoring.

(3) The work group shall provide monthly updates to the strategic leadership group.