BILL NUMBER: SB 841 CHAPTERED 10/10/01 CHAPTER 694 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 10, 2001 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 10, 2001 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 6, 2001 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 4, 2001 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 4, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 16, 2001 INTRODUCED BY Senator Alpert (Coauthor: Senator Ortiz) FEBRUARY 23, 2001 An act to add and repeal Section 16012 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster care, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 841, Alpert. Foster care: Early Start to Emancipation programs. Existing law makes provision for the placement of certain children in foster care, and provides for child welfare services, which are public social services directed toward, among other purposes, protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, including those in foster care placement. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to provide technical assistance and training to help counties that elect to establish Early Start to Emancipation programs similar to a program established in the County of Los Angeles that provides services to foster youth as they transition from middle school to high school. This bill would appropriate to the department the sum of $125,000 for the purposes of the bill, to be allocated as prescribed. Appropriation: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) In 1996, the Early Start to Emancipation Program was established in the County of Los Angeles as a means of identifying foster youth as they transitioned from middle school to high school who needed help to thrive during the high school years. (b) The intent of the Early Start to Emancipation Program is to address the transitional independent living plan adopted by the State Department of Social Services as part of county child welfare services/case management system requirements that determines the level of emancipation readiness of youth under the care of the state. As the youth complete the program's emancipation preparation assessment, which is provided for under a transitional independent living plan, they are introduced to a series of activities that build on skills and knowledge necessary for school, community, and interpersonal interactions. The program design involves the youth in multilevel, self-paced team activities. (c) The basic components for the Early Start to Emancipation Program include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (1) Outreach, assessment, and transitional independent living plan services. (2) Workshops in which the youth learn skills. (3) Field assignments for applying skills learned in workshops. (4) Tutoring. (5) Career exposure. (d) The Early Start to Emancipation Program has assessed several thousand youth since 1996, and has provided direct services to many of them. (e) The Early Start to Emancipation Program currently operating in the County of Los Angeles has been a valuable means of preparing foster youth 14 and 15 years of age for emancipation in a manner that will maximize their chances of graduating from high school and entering college. (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Department of Social Services establish and implement a foster youth training institute that will train counties in implementing programs similar to the Early Start to Emancipation Program. SEC. 2. Section 16012 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 16012. (a) The department shall provide technical assistance and training to help counties that elect to establish Early Start to Emancipation programs similar to a program established in the County of Los Angeles that provides services to foster youth 14 and 15 years of age as they transition from middle school to high school. (b) Services to be provided by these county programs shall include, but are not limited to, outreach and assessment, workshops for high school preparation, and tutoring. Programs shall also establish emancipation teams, which shall include county social workers, group home staff, probation officers, care providers, and other interested parties. (c) The department, in consultation with the County of Los Angeles and the Community College Foundation, shall adopt regulations necessary to implement this section. (d) The department may contract with a qualified entity to carry out the provisions of this section. (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2007, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2007, deletes or extends that date. SEC. 3. (a) The sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($125,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Social Services for the purposes specified in subdivision (b). (b) Of the funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) may be allocated to a county that has already engaged in planning to develop and implement an Early Start to Emancipation Program, for the purpose of developing and implementing a program pursuant to Section 16012 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and for foster youth in the county. The remainder of the funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be used by the department to provide technical assistance to counties pursuant to Section 16012 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.