BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SCR 35
          Author:   Steinberg (D), et al
          Amended:  As introduced
          Vote:     21

           
          WITHOUT REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE OR FILE


           SUBJECT  :    Foster Care Month

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This resolution designates May 2009 as Foster  
          Care Month.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Resolution findings:

          1.In California, there are 75,000 children and youth in  
            foster care who need and deserve safe permanent  
            connections to loving adults, stable homes, and adequate  
            preparation for a secure future.

          2.The needs of children and youth for a sense of belonging  
            and unconditional emotional commitment are best met in  
            families.

          3.Many California counties have successfully supported  
            permanent family connections for foster youth, provided  
            support for families at risk of entering the child  
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            welfare system, and changed practices to fully engage  
            youth, family, and communities, thereby reducing the  
            number of children and youth in foster care.

          4.California recognizes the enduring and valuable  
            contribution of relatives, foster parents, and adoptive  
            parents who open their hearts, families, and homes to  
            vulnerable children and youth.

          5.California recognizes the numerous individuals and public  
            and private organizations that work to ensure that the  
            needs of children and youth living in, and leaving,  
            foster care are met, that help to provide foster children  
            and youth and former foster children and youth with vital  
            connections to their siblings, and that help launch young  
            people into successful adulthood.

          6.There is a new federal awls, the Fostering Connections to  
            Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law  
            110-351), that offers opportunities to promote permanent  
            families for children in foster care, improves outcomes  
            for older youth in foster care, increases support for  
            Native American foster children and youth, improves the  
            quality of staff working with children and youth in the  
            child welfare system, expands our support of relative and  
            adoptive caregivers, and assists older foster youth in  
            securing meaningful supportive transitions from foster  
            care.

          7. The new federal act affirms California's leadership and  
            success in pioneering innovative child welfare  
            approaches.

          8.California is committed to working in partnership with  
            the federal government to improve the lives and futures  
            of all children and youth touched by the child welfare  
            system.

          This resolution designates May 2009 as Foster Care Month.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Fiscal Com.:  No

          CTW:do  4/28/09   Senate Floor Analyses 








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                       SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  NONE RECEIVED

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