A bill for an act relating to the placement of a child who is the subject of a pending delinquency petition in a supervised apartment living arrangement pursuant to a consent decree, and the circumstances under which the placement is paid by the state.

SF 174 allows courts to place children accused of breaking laws (in pending delinquency cases) into supervised apartment living arrangements as part of a court-approved agreement, instead of traditional foster care. This applies only if the child has lived continuously for at least six months in a residential treatment program or shelter and lacks family support to transition to independent living. The Iowa Department of Human Services (HHS) must pay for these placements if they meet department rules, making this a state-funded option for youth needing structured support during legal proceedings. The bill updates existing rules to provide this specific transition pathway for eligible youth.