BILL ANALYSIS AB 1982 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 1982 (Bass) As Amended March 23, 2006 2/3 vote HUMAN SERVICES 6-0 APPROPRIATIONS (vote not available) ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Evans, Arambula, Bass, | | | | |Coto, Nation, Spitzer | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Extends eligibility for Kin-Gap assistance to wards of the juvenile court in addition to dependent children of the juvenile court. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee analysis, because of the discontinuation of services provided by the probation department, this bill represents an overall program savings. However, those savings are primarily in federal entitlement funding (Title IV-E) and county-funded probation departments. For the state, there is a cost to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant in the amount of approximately $400,000, to cover the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) portion of the Kin-GAP grant for less than 100 children. About one-fifth of this funding would be offset by corresponding State General Fund savings. COMMENTS : The Kin-Gap program was created by SB 1901 (McPherson), Chapter 1055, Statutes of 1998, to give relatives an option of taking permanent custody of foster children, avoiding continued supervision of the child welfare agency and juvenile court, and receive assistance at the higher foster care payment rate than would be available under the CalWORKs program. A relative must become the legal guardian of the child, but for personal, familial or other reasons, chooses not to adopt. Kin-Gap currently applies only to dependents of the juvenile court who have suffered or are at risk of suffering abuse or neglect under Welfare & Institutions Code Section 300. It does not apply to youth who are "wards of the juvenile court" under Welfare & Institutions Code Sections 601 or 602, these youth are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as a result of AB 1982 Page 2 persistent refusal to "obey the reasonable and proper orders and directions" of a parent or guardian, habitual truancy, or violation of federal, state or local laws. They are sometimes known as "delinquent minors," and are supervised by probation officers rather than county welfare social workers. According to the author, "AB 1982 seeks to give delinquency minors the same rights, services and level of care as those on the dependency side." Supporters assert that the same goals of family preservation and stability can be achieved by including delinquent youth among the children eligible for Kin-Gap. As argued by the Chief Probation Officers of California, these youth are "similarly situated, and government intervention in their family life could be expeditiously eliminated through the help of Kin-Gap." According to data compiled by the Social Services Research Center, there were 239 children in probation placed with relatives statewide as of July 2005. However, the number who might meet Kin-Gap requirements is likely to be fewer, since some may not have guardianships established. Some youth in the probation system may currently receive CalWORKs, and others might receive foster care benefits. Under the bill, the transfer of the delinquency cases to Kin-Gap could result in savings as a result of lower probation and juvenile court costs. Analysis Prepared by : Casey McKeever / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN: 0014916