Requires DCF to develop child welfare emergency response plan for DCPP caseworkers.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Annette Quijano and 1 co-sponsor

Mandates a formal statewide emergency response plan for DCPP caseworkers to rapidly assess, coordinate, and respond to child welfare emergencies.

Summary of Bill A 5361 (Session 222, New Jersey)

Purpose and intent

This bill requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to develop and implement a statewide emergency response plan specifically for the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) caseworkers.

The goal is to enhance the capacity of DCPP caseworkers to respond to child welfare emergencies promptly and effectively, reducing delays and improving safety outcomes for children and families.

Key provisions and changes

DCF must develop a formal emergency response plan for DCPP caseworkers. This plan should outline procedures, protocols, and resource needs to address urgent child welfare situations.

The plan is expected to cover critical elements such as:

Rapid assessment and decision-making processes for emergencies involving at-risk children.
Staffing, overtime, and deployment practices to ensure timely field response.
Coordination with law enforcement, medical providers, schools, and other relevant agencies.
Communication protocols with families, guardians, and foster or kinship placements during emergencies.
Safety planning, risk assessment tools, and prioritization criteria for high-risk cases.
Training requirements and ongoing professional development for DCPP staff related to emergency responses.
Data collection, reporting, and performance metrics to monitor the effectiveness of the emergency response.

The plan must be developed with input from stakeholders and subject to periodic review and updates to address changing needs and lessons learned from emergencies.

The bill may specify timelines for drafting the plan, proposing initial implementation phases, and establishing a mechanism for ongoing evaluation, though exact dates are not provided in the summary.

Who is affected

Primary: DCF and DCPP caseworkers, who would operate under the new emergency response framework.

Secondary: Families, children in the child welfare system, foster and kinship placements, and partner agencies (e.g., law enforcement, healthcare, education) involved in emergency responses.

Oversight bodies within DCF would oversee plan development, implementation, and compliance.

Procedural/timeline aspects

The bill mandates the creation of an emergency response plan but does not specify all procedural timelines in available summary details. It is common for such legislation to require:

A draft plan by a defined state deadline.
Stakeholder input periods.
A phased rollout with pilot elements followed by full implementation.
Regular reviews and updates at defined intervals (e.g., annually or biennially).

Compliance would likely be monitored by DCF leadership and reported to the legislature as part of oversight and accountability measures.

Potential impact

Improved consistency and speed in responding to child welfare emergencies.

Enhanced safety for children and better support for families during crises.

Clearer roles, responsibilities, and coordination among agencies involved in emergency responses.

A framework for evaluating emergency response effectiveness through data collection and performance metrics.

Notes

Co-sponsors: Gabe Rodriguez, Annette Quijano.

The summary reflects the bill’s core aim to formalize an emergency response plan for DCPP caseworkers; exact statutory language would provide precise requirements, timelines, and reporting structures.