HB 1576 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in children and youth, further providing for payments to counties for services to children and for review of county submissions.

PRINTER'S NO.     1863

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1576
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, HOHENSTEIN, HANBIDGE, DOUGHERTY, HILL-
        EVANS, KHAN, D. WILLIAMS, SANCHEZ, WARREN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND
        MAYES, JUNE 6, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JUNE 9, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in children and youth,
 4      further providing for payments to counties for services to
 5      children and for review of county submissions.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Sections 704.1(a) introductory paragraph, (2),
 9   (4) and (5) and 709.2(b) of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
10   No.21), known as the Human Services Code, are amended to read:
11      Section 704.1.    Payments to Counties for Services to
12   Children.--(a)    The department shall reimburse county
13   institution districts or their successors for expenditures
14   incurred by them in the performance of their obligation pursuant
15   to this act and [the act of December 6, 1972 (P.L.1464, No.333),
16   known as the "Juvenile Act,"] 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to
17   juvenile matters) in the following percentages:
18      * * *
19      (2)   No less than seventy-five percent and no more than
 1   ninety percent of the reasonable cost including staff costs of
 2   child welfare services, informal adjustment services provided
 3   pursuant to [section 8 of the act of December 6, 1972 (P.L.1464,
 4   No.333), known as the "Juvenile Act,"] 42 Pa.C.S. § 6323
 5   (relating to informal adjustment) and such services approved by
 6   the department, including but not limited to, foster home care,
 7   group home care, shelter care, community residential care, youth
 8   service bureaus, day treatment centers and service to children
 9   in their own home and any other alternative treatment programs
10   approved by the department.
11      * * *
12      (4)   Fifty percent of the actual cost of care and support of
13   a child placed by a county child welfare agency or a child
14   committed by a court pursuant to [the act of December 6, 1972
15   (P.L.1464, No.333), known as the "Juvenile Act,"] 42 Pa.C.S. Ch.
16   63 to the legal custody of a public or private agency approved
17   or operated by the department other than those services
18   described in clause (2). The Auditor General shall ascertain the
19   actual expense for fiscal year 1974-1975 and each year
20   thereafter by the [Department of Public Welfare] department for
21   each of the several counties and each city of the first class
22   whose children resident within the county or city of the first
23   class directly received the benefit of the Commonwealth's
24   expenditure. The Auditor General shall also ascertain for each
25   Commonwealth institution or facility rendering services to
26   delinquent or deprived children the actual average daily cost of
27   providing said services. The Auditor General shall certify to
28   each county and city of the first class the allocated
29   Commonwealth expenditures incurred on behalf of its children and
30   notify the [Secretary of Public Welfare] secretary and each

20250HB1576PN1863                  - 2 -
 1   county and city of the first class of same.
 2      (5)    [Fifty] As follows:
 3      (i)    Fifty percent of the [reasonable] following costs
 4   incurred in proceedings under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63:
 5      (A)    Reasonable cost of medical and other examinations and
 6   treatment of a child ordered by the court [pursuant to the act
 7   of December 6, 1972 (P.L.1464, No.333), known as the "Juvenile
 8   Act," and the expenses of the appointment of a guardian pendente
 9   lite, summons, warrants, notices, subpoenas, travel expenses of
10   witnesses, transportation of the child, and other like expenses
11   incurred in proceedings under the act of December 6, 1972
12   (P.L.1464, No.333), known as the "Juvenile Act."].
13      (B)    The appointment of a guardian ad litem for a child in
14   the context of dependency proceedings.
15      (C)    The appointment of counsel for a child in the context of
16   dependency proceedings.
17      (D)    The appointment of counsel for an indigent child in the
18   context of delinquency proceedings.
19      (E)    The appointment of an educational attorney or advocate
20   for an indigent child involved in delinquency or dependency
21   proceedings.
22      (F)    The appointment and training of counsel for an indigent
23   youth in the context of criminal proceedings.
24      (G)    Summons, warrants, notices, subpoenas, travel expenses
25   of witnesses and transportation of the child.
26      (H)    Other similar expenses incurred in proceedings.
27      (ii)   The intent of the reimbursements authorized under
28   subclause (i)(C), (D), (E) and (F) is to supplement and not
29   supplant necessary funding for required juvenile counsel or
30   counsel for youth in criminal or dependency proceedings.

20250HB1576PN1863                    - 3 -
 1      (iii)   The following apply to money reimbursed to the
 2   counties under subclause (i)(C) and (D):
 3      (A)   A county shall include in the county's needs-based
 4   budget required by section 709.1 the purposes for which the
 5   money will be used.
 6      (B)   A county shall prioritize expenditures of the money in
 7   ways that are designed to maintain, enhance or improve the
 8   quantity or quality of legal services provided to juveniles in
 9   accordance with national best practices in defense funding.
10      * * *
11      Section 709.2.     Review of County Submissions.--* * *
12      (b)   The department determination shall consider whether the
13   county's budget [is]:
14      (1)   Is reasonable in relation to past costs, projected cost
15   increases, number of children in the county and the number of
16   children served, service level trends and projections of other
17   sources of revenue.
18      (2)   Prioritizes expenditures of the money reimbursed to the
19   county in accordance with section 704.1(a)(5)(i)(C), (D), (E)
20   and (F) to supplement and not supplant necessary county funding
21   for required juvenile counsel or counsel for youths in criminal
22   proceedings in ways that are designed to maintain, enhance or
23   improve the quantity or quality of legal services provided to
24   juveniles or youths in criminal or delinquency proceedings in
25   accordance with national best practices in defense funding.
26      * * *
27      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB1576PN1863                    - 4 -