District of ColumbiaD.C. youth agency must try to update families on children's progress
D.C.'s youth rehabilitation agency must try to update a child's parent, guardian, or custodian on progress and contact them after certain moves or medical emergencies.
What it does
After a scheduled meeting before a decision on a child's case, D.C.'s youth agency must try to contact the child's parent, guardian, or custodian at least every six months with progress updates.
If a child moves to a facility outside their rehabilitation plan, the agency must try to contact a parent, guardian, or custodian within 24 hours. The same deadline applies when a child in its custody gets emergency medical treatment after an incident, injury, or severe illness.
The agency must keep an electronic record of its required efforts to reach a child's parent, guardian, or custodian. It must give them or the Council committee chair overseeing the agency a copy when asked.
Argument forRegular and prompt contact attempts could help families follow a child's progress and respond when the child's care changes.
Argument againstFamilies might still miss urgent news if the agency's required attempt to contact them does not reach them.
More detail
The youth rehabilitation agency must make recurring efforts to share progress on a child's individual rehabilitation plan. The agency must try to reach the child's parent, guardian, or custodian. The efforts begin after the scheduled meeting and must occur at least every six months.
The agency must try to contact a child's parent, guardian, or custodian after certain facility moves or emergency medical treatment. The move must be to a facility other than the one in the child's rehabilitation plan. The medical treatment provision covers children in agency custody treated after an incident, injury, or severe illness. The agency must make each contact effort within 24 hours of the move or emergency medical treatment.
The agency must keep an electronic log of required contact efforts and provide copies when asked. The log covers legally required efforts to reach a child's parent, guardian, or custodian. Those people and the Council committee chair overseeing the agency may request copies. The agency must provide a copy upon request.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 26Law L26-0132, Effective from Jun 11, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 008886Latest
- May 1Act A26-0299 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 006789
- Apr 29Transmitted to CongressMinor
- Apr 23Returned from Mayor
- Apr 22Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0299Became Law
- Apr 13Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 28, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Final ReadingMinor
- Vote recorded Final Reading. Result: pass.Legislature
- Mar 31Amendment (Parker, Pinto, Bonds)Minor
- Mar 3First Reading, CCMinor
- Vote recorded First Reading, CC. Result: pass.Legislature
- Feb 23Committee Mark-up of B26-0408 by the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
- Jan 27Committee Mark-up of B26-0408 by the Youth Affairs Committee
- 2025
- Nov 13Public Hearing on B26-0408 View Public Hearing Record
- Oct 24Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register
- Oct 21Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary by Judiciary and Public Safety, Youth AffairsMinor
- Oct 10Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0408 Published in the District of Columbia Register
- Oct 7Referred to Committee on Youth Affairs, and Committee on Judiciary and Public SafetyMinor
- Oct 6B26-0408 Introduced by Councilmember Parker at Office of the SecretaryIntroduced
Criminal Justice