DCFS reports ASL interpretation contracts and proposes rule cleanups for foster youth driving and educational leave

Department of Human Services and Division of Children and Family Services staff presented two informational items and rule cleanups to the committee.

Kristen Harper, an assistant director with DCFS, said Communications Plus is the contracted provider for ASL interpretation services used by DCFS clients; those services are funded by the Social Services Block Grant and are available 24/7. Sarah Lynham, chief counsel at DHS, said the department holds two contracts for interpretation and translation across divisions (Communications Plus and Arkansas Spanish Interpreters) and provided historical spend broken down by division and funding source in Exhibit E1.

Harper also presented a rule cleanup for the agency's transitional youth driving and car-insurance reimbursement program. The rule change renames the program to "driving program" to reflect that the policy covers instructional permits through intermediate licenses and clarifies staff review criteria and statutory language; Harper said the statutory language was added to reassure foster parents that signing a minor's permit or license application will not make them liable for damages caused by the minor's negligence or willful misconduct, with the stated goal of encouraging foster parents to sign applications so youth can obtain licenses.

Finally, DCFS noted it is rescinding a division policy on educational leave because a departmental DHS policy supersedes it; the change is intended to reduce staff confusion and direct staff to the departmental directive.

Ending: The committee received the briefings and, in the instance of the ASL contract update, no motion was requested; the driving and educational leave rule cleanups were reviewed without objection.