§ 42-72-2 - Declaration of policy.
SECTION 42-72-2
§ 42-72-2 Declaration of policy. –The state finds and declares:
(1) That parents have the primary responsibility for meetingthe needs of their children, and the state has an obligation to help themdischarge this responsibility or to assume this responsibility when parents areunable to do so;
(2) That the state has a basic obligation to promote,safeguard and protect the social well-being and development of the children ofthe state through a comprehensive program providing for:
(i) Social services and facilities for children who requireguidance, care, control, protection, treatment, or rehabilitation;
(ii) A permanent home and safe environment for children;services to children and their families to prevent the unnecessary removal ofchildren from their homes; foster care and services to children with specialneeds who must be removed from their families to meet their particular needs;
(iii) The strengthening of the family unit and making thehome safe for children by enhancing the parental capacity for good child care;
(iv) The setting of standards for social services andfacilities for children;
(v) The preventing and controlling of juvenile delinquency;and
(vi) The promoting and developing of specializedcomprehensive mental health services for the care and treatment of children;
(3) That the upgrading and maintenance of services,resources, and programs pertaining to children deserves priority considerationas a means of preventing ineffective responses to their social well-being anddevelopment;
(4) That the establishment of a department of stategovernment to provide for social well-being and development of children is themost effective way to insure that the state meets its basic obligation tochildren;
(5) That the state department of children, youth, andfamilies be designated as the single authority to establish and provide adiversified and comprehensive program of services for the social well-being anddevelopment of children and their families; and
(6) In furtherance of its purpose, the department ofchildren, youth, and families will cooperate with the family court, otherpublic and private agencies and the federal government in the development ofcomprehensive programs to prevent problems in children and their families. Itshall take the initiative in all matters concerning children and their familiesand stimulate community planning in the coordination and development of a broadpublic policy of services to children and their families. It shall establishprofessional standards of services, develop and provide in-service trainingprograms pertinent thereto, and stimulate research to improve the quality ofservice programs for children and their families. It shall coordinate itsservices with other services in the state and local community.