---
title: HB 943. Social services; establish a pilot program for autism spectrum disorder to children in foster care; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb943
cite_as: HB 943, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb943
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb943.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb943/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72141
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 975
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb943.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 943
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-11
sponsors:
- Deborah Silcox
- Lee Hawkins
- Sharon Cooper
- Lehman Franklin
- Kim Schofield
- Blake Tillery
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB943/2025
upstream_id: 2072000
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- foster care
- autism spectrum disorder
- child welfare
- Department of Human Services
- developmental disabilities
---
# HB 943. Social services; establish a pilot program for autism spectrum disorder to children in foster care; provide
## Text
House Bill 943 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Silcox of the 53rd, Hawkins of the 27th, Cooper of the 45th, Franklin of
the 160th, and Schofield of the 63rd
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
programs and protection for children and youth, so as to establish a pilot program relating
to the provision of screenings, clinical evaluations, training, services, and resources for
autism spectrum disorder to children in foster care; to provide for definitions; to provide for
the Division of Family and Children Services of the Department of Human Services to
develop and implement such pilot program; to provide for a final report and
recommendations; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for automatic repeal; to
provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to programs and
protection for children and youth, is amended in Article 1, relating to children and youth
services, by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"49-5-26.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Autism spectrum disorder' means a neurobiological disorder or developmental
disability characterized by challenges with verbal communication, nonverbal
communication, social skills, and restricted or repetitive behaviors, as defined by the
most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Such
term shall also include autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental
disorder not otherwise specified, and childhood disintegrative disorder.
(2) 'Caregiver' means a parent, legal guardian, foster parent, or kinship caregiver of a
child in foster care.
(3) 'Clinical evaluation' means a comprehensive process conducted by a healthcare
professional to diagnose whether a child has autism spectrum disorder and to develop a
treatment plan.
(4) 'Division' means the Division of Family and Children Services of the Department of
Human Services.
(5) 'Screening' means a relatively brief process using tools such as questionnaires or
surveys to identify potential developmental concerns indicating further clinical evaluation
is necessary to determine if a child has autism spectrum disorder.
(b) Subject to appropriations, the division shall develop and implement a five-year pilot
program for the purpose of providing screenings and clinical evaluations for autism
spectrum disorder to children in foster care and providing training, services, and resources
on autism spectrum disorder to regional directors, county directors, division supervisors,
division case managers, other division staff, healthcare providers, and caregivers. All or
part of such training, services, and resources may be provided online. The pilot program
shall be established in three regional service areas in the first year and shall be expanded
to additional regional service areas each subsequent year of the pilot program until all
regional service areas are included. To the extent possible, the pilot program should
prioritize screenings, clinical evaluations, and services for children in foster care who have
been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder or reactive attachment disorder
or who have been prescribed psychotropic medications.
(c) As part of the pilot program, the division shall establish plans for the incremental
expansion of the pilot program, adopt strategies for effectively communicating with
caregivers, ensure sufficient medical consultants are available in regional service areas, and
provide technical assistance and dedicated staff for the pilot program.
(d) Upon one year of operation of the pilot program, and annually thereafter until
July 1, 2031, the division shall submit a detailed written report on the implementation and
effectiveness of the pilot program to the Governor, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, President of the Senate, and chairpersons of the House Committee on
Public and Community Health, the House Judiciary Juvenile Committee, and the Senate
Health and Human Services Committee. Such report shall also include recommendations
as to the implementation of the pilot program into division operations and identification of
screenings, clinical evaluations, training, services, and resources that shall be provided by
the division.
(e) The division shall be authorized to establish such rules and regulations as may be
necessary to implement the pilot program established pursuant to this Code section.
(f) This Code section shall be repealed by operation of law on July 1 of the year following
the submittal of the report as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 943 would create a five-year pilot program at Georgia's Division of Family and Children Services to screen and evaluate children in foster care for autism spectrum disorder and train caregivers and staff.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia currently has no dedicated statewide program to screen foster children for autism spectrum disorder. House Bill 943 would add a new section to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. ยง 49-5-26) directing the Division of Family and Children Services within the Department of Human Services to set up a five-year pilot program, subject to available state funding. The program would provide screenings, clinical evaluations, and training and resources on autism spectrum disorder to division staff, healthcare providers, and caregivers of children in foster care.
The pilot would start in three regional service areas and expand to more areas each year until it covers the whole state. It would prioritize children already diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or reactive attachment disorder, or who are on psychotropic medication. The division must report yearly on the program's progress starting after one year of operation, and the law repeals itself on July 1 of the year after the final report, expected around 2031. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
### What it does
- Creates a new pilot program requiring the Division of Family and Children Services to provide autism spectrum disorder screenings and clinical evaluations to children in foster care, subject to state funding.
- Requires the division to provide training, services, and resources on autism spectrum disorder to caseworkers, supervisors, healthcare providers, and caregivers of foster children.
- Directs the pilot to start in three regional service areas and expand to additional areas each year until statewide.
- Instructs the program to prioritize foster children already diagnosed with ADHD or reactive attachment disorder, or prescribed psychotropic medications.
- Requires annual written reports to the Governor, legislative leaders, and specific committees on the program's implementation and effectiveness.
- Sets the pilot program to automatically repeal on July 1 of the year following the final required report.
### Who it affects
Children in Georgia's foster care system, their caregivers (parents, guardians, foster parents, and kinship caregivers), Division of Family and Children Services staff at the regional and county level, healthcare providers who evaluate children, and legislative committees that will receive annual progress reports.
### Why it matters
Foster children with undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder may not get needed evaluations or services under current practice. This program would create a structured path to screening, diagnosis, and training for caregivers and staff, though its rollout depends on the state actually funding it and only reaches part of the state at first.
### Key provisions
- Adds new Code section 49-5-26 to Chapter 5 of Title 49, defining autism spectrum disorder, caregiver, clinical evaluation, division, and screening.
- Subsection (b) makes the pilot program 'subject to appropriations,' meaning it only proceeds if the state provides funding, and requires phased expansion from three regional areas to statewide over five years.
- Subsection (b) directs the program to prioritize children already diagnosed with ADHD or reactive attachment disorder or prescribed psychotropic medications.
- Subsection (c) requires the division to plan for incremental expansion, develop communication strategies for caregivers, and ensure enough medical consultants and staff are available.
- Subsection (d) requires annual written reports starting after one year of operation, continuing until July 1, 2031, to the Governor, legislative leaders, and named House and Senate committees.
- Subsection (f) automatically repeals the new Code section on July 1 of the year following the final report.
- Section 2 makes the Act effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-11 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Deborah Silcox, Lee Hawkins, Sharon Cooper, Lehman Franklin, Kim Schofield, Blake Tillery
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72141
> The history, votes, and amendments (975 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb943.md?full=1