Relating to implicit bias training required for the licensure or certification of certain persons and facilities providing care to children

This bill relates to implicit bias training required for the licensure or certification of certain persons and facilities providing care to children. The bill adds implicit bias training as an additional training subject that an individual child foster care licensee applicant or current foster care licensee must receive in order to obtain or renew a child foster care license. The bill directs the department of human services to create rules that require child care facility personnel to receive implicit bias training. Child care facilities include child care centers, preschools, and registered child development homes. Child care facilities do not include unregistered child care homes. The bill directs the department of human services to add mandatory implicit bias training standards for persons providing care to children in a children’s residential facility. Under current law, minimum standards related to children’s residential facilities include basic health and educational needs of children; protection of children from mistreatment, abuse, and neglect; background and records checks of persons providing care to children in certified children’s residential facilities; the use of seclusion, restraint, or other restrictive interventions; health; safety; emergency; and the physical premises on which care is provided by a children’s residential facility. Children’s residential facilities are 24-hour private care facilities designed to serve children who were voluntarily placed in the facility for reasons other than an exclusively recreational activity and who are not under the custody or authority of the department of human services, juvenile court, or another governmental agency.