HB1025: HB1025 Children in Need of Services (CHINS) Funding Act; enact

Georgia's child in need of services (CHINS) program is meant to help youth who commit status offenses, like truancy or running away, without sending them into the juvenile court system or the Department of Juvenile Justice. This bill sets up a new CHINS Support Fund, subject to legislative appropriations, to pay for those services on a statewide basis. The Department of Education would oversee the fund, working with the Council of Juvenile Court Judges and regional educational service agencies (RESAs) to coordinate training and implementation. The fund would issue grants to school and community providers, residential placement providers, and housing providers for young adults aging out of Department of Juvenile Justice supervision. Money would be targeted toward higher-poverty counties, and the Department of Education must write implementing rules by January 1, 2027 and submit an annual report to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 31 each year.

• Establishes the CHINS Support Fund to pay for services for youth who commit status offenses, subject to money the legislature actually appropriates.
• Designates the Department of Education as the agency overseeing the fund and requires it to write implementing rules by January 1, 2027.
• Creates a statewide CHINS coordinator position within the Council of Juvenile Court Judges and one regional coordinator in each of the 16 RESA regions.
• Directs fund grants toward school and community based service providers, residential placement providers, and housing support for young adults ages 18 to 24 leaving DJJ supervision.
• Requires that fund money go to counties whose poverty rates exceed the state average, with allocations based on complaint data, child poverty rates, population, and service needs.
• Requires the Department of Education to file an annual public report on the fund's revenue, spending, and progress.

At-risk youth and their families involved in the CHINS process, the Department of Education, the Council of Juvenile Court Judges, regional educational service agencies (RESAs), school and community based service providers, residential placement providers, and housing providers serving young adults leaving DJJ supervision.

If funded, the bill would give Georgia a dedicated funding stream and coordination structure for helping at-risk youth avoid juvenile court, with money steered toward higher-poverty counties. Because it depends on future appropriations, the practical impact hinges on whether lawmakers actually fund it.

• Section 1 gives the bill its short title, the Children in Need of Services (CHINS) Funding Act.
• Section 2 adds a new Part 8 to Article 5 of Chapter 11 of Title 15 of the Georgia Code, creating Code Sections 15-11-455 through 15-11-460.
• Code Section 15-11-457 establishes the CHINS Support Fund and authorizes grants for wraparound services, residential placement, and transitional housing for young adults, subject to appropriations.
• Code Section 15-11-458 creates a statewide CHINS coordinator role and one RESA-based coordinator per region, again subject to appropriations.
• Code Section 15-11-459 requires fund allocations to prioritize counties with above-average poverty rates, based on complaint data, poverty rates, population, and service needs.
• Code Section 15-11-460 requires an annual report on fund revenues, expenditures, and project status, due to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 31 each year.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-29House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-01-28House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-27House Hopper (House)

• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)Primary sponsor
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)

• juvenile justice
• child welfare
• school services
• state funding
• youth homelessness