BILL NUMBER: AB 364	CHAPTERED  09/18/02

	CHAPTER  635
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 18, 2002
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 17, 2002
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 30, 2002
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 28, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 17, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2001

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Aroner

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2001

   An act to add Section 10609.7 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 364, Aroner.  Child welfare services.
   Existing law requires each county to provide child welfare
services.
   Existing law provides for the administration of various child
welfare services pursuant to regulations and procedures adopted by
the State Department of Social Services.
   Existing law requires the department to contract with an
appropriate and qualified entity to conduct an evaluation of the
adequacy of current child welfare services budgeting methodology, and
to convene an advisory group.  The Director of Social Services has
convened an advisory group, the Child Welfare Services Stakeholders
Group, to address concerns facing the child welfare system.
   This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature
that the Human Resources Workgroup of the Child Welfare Services
Stakeholders Group include in its next planned report the core
strategies needed to establish minimum caseload standards under the
redesigned child welfare services system. This bill would also
provide that it is the intent of the Legislature that the Human
Resources Workgroup make recommendations for implementing the new
caseload standards.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 10609.7 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:
   10609.7.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) The department has convened the Child Welfare Services
Stakeholders Group for the purpose of making recommendations to
redesign California's child welfare system to create and sustain a
flexible system, comprising public and private partnerships, that
provides a comprehensive system of support for families and
communities to ensure the well-being of every child.
   (2) In the first year of the stakeholders group, there was
significant attention brought to the carrying capacity of direct
service professionals through the development of an implementation
plan of child welfare services workload study pursuant to Section
10609.5.
   (3) The stakeholders group has convened a series of working
groups, including the Human Resources Workgroup, whose tasks are to
develop core strategies and recommendations resulting in a high
capacity, competent, satisfied child welfare services workforce able
to perform the essential functions of the redesigned child welfare
system.
   (4) In the second year, the Human Resources Workgroup report found
that workload issues have not appreciably declined and that for the
child welfare services redesign to be successful, workforce
considerations need to be at the forefront of all redesign efforts.
   (5) The stakeholders group and its Human Resources Workgroup have
entered the third year of the redesign process for the state's child
welfare services.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Human Resources
Workgroup of the Child Welfare Services Stakeholders Group include in
its next planned report the core strategies needed to establish
minimum caseload standards under the redesigned child welfare
services system for all service areas.
   (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Human Resources
Workgroup also make recommendations for implementing the new caseload
standards, including a recommendation that would achieve at least 20
percent of the caseload reductions annually over a specified period
of time, as required under the newly recommended standards.