An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further providing for responsibility for investigation, for responsibilities of county agency for child protective services, for county agency requirements for general protective services and for purchase of services.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's child protective services laws, affecting how county agencies and the state Department of Human Services investigate child abuse and neglect. It grants the Department of Human Services new authority to assist or take over investigations from county agencies if cases are not handled promptly or if assistance is requested. The bill also allows county agencies to contract with private agencies to receive and assess reports of children needing general protective services and to provide those services. These contracted private agencies would be held to the same standards as county personnel and would receive similar legal immunity.