On June 12, 2024, Governor Scott signed H. 644 into law. Governor Scott's signing statement said "This bill will allow Vermonters to access their files from their time in foster care, which is important because I believe everyone deserves to know about their past. I appreciate the work done by the Department for Children and Families, the Office of the Child, Youth, and Family Advocate, Voices for Vermont’s Children, and those with lived experiences who worked on H.644 throughout this legislative session."
The bill allows 18-year-old Vermonters who were in foster care or who were subject to any juvenile judicial proceeding, full access to both DCF and court records. The Vermont Office of the Child, Youth, and Family Advocate (OCYFA) is proud to have been part of the coalition that enacted H. 644. On Thursday, the Office issued a statement saying, “This new law hands power back to children and youth to access their stories in the way they feel is best, once they become legal adults. Through this legislation, the Vermont Legislature and the Governor recognized, for the first time, that Vermonters who were in foster care have a right to their own records. With this groundbreaking legislation, Vermont now leads the nation in providing former foster youth access to both their court and their DCF records. We hope this law becomes a model for other states who want to empower former foster youth. The OCYFA looks forward to partnering with impacted people, DCF, the state archives, and others to ensure the law’s timely and full implementation.”
Impacted people who want more information on accessing their records can email OCYFA@vermont.gov.