BILL ANALYSIS SB 654 Page 1 Date of Hearing: August 4, 2010 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair SB 654 (Leno) - As Amended: January 5, 2010 Policy Committee: Human ServicesVote:6 - 0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill extends eligibility for Independent Living Program (ILP) services to former foster youth who were placed with non-related legal guardians (NRLGs) whose guardianship was ordered on or after the child's eighth birthday. FISCAL EFFECT 1)The funding for ILP is a relatively stable amount ($35 million proposed for 2010-11) and is not sufficient to provide services for all of the eligible foster youth. Adding additional eligible youth to the ILP caseload does not guarantee counties will be able to provide services for them. Alternately, counties may decide to provide fewer services, thus allowing their funding to stretch farther to cover more eligible youth. 2)If the funding were to increase proportionally to account for the new eligible youth, it would likely cost approximately $300,000 (GF). 3)Anecdotal evidence suggests that some non-related foster parents are reluctant to assume guardianship of their older foster children because that would make them ineligible for ILP services. Therefore, to the extent that this bill causes some foster parents to assume legal guardianship, it would save approximately $3,500 per year, per child, in child welfare services and court room costs. COMMENTS SB 654 Page 2 1)Rationale . This bill is intended to insure that foster youth who achieve permanency in their families through legal guardianship have access to ILP services as they prepare to move into adulthood. According to the author, four years ago, the California Department of Social Services reinterpreted eligibility for federal ILP (Independent Living Program) services to exclude foster youth placed with non-related guardians. This exclusion left a specific population of foster youth without access to the benefit of ILP services, despite the fact they remain in state-funded foster care placements, are linked to the child welfare system, and previously received ILP services. It is important to note that foster youth placed with non-related legal guardians are the only group of foster youth precluded from participating in ILP. 2)Background . ILP services for foster youth vary greatly by county. Among the services provided are transitional housing, textbooks for community college students, job placement assistance, supplies for setting up apartments, cooking and housekeeping classes. a) Independent Living Program . The Department of Social Services has estimates it will receive approximately $20 million in federal funding for providing ILP services to foster youth and former foster youth. The federal government allows the state to use these funds to help facilitate the transition for foster youth who will emancipate from the program without an adoptive parent or guardian. The funds can be used for youth between the ages of 16 and 21, or in cases where 14 and 15-year-olds are determined likely to emancipate from foster care. Federal funding, however, is insufficient to provide services for all eligible foster youth. b) Extended ILP . SB 933 (Chapter 311, Statutes of 1998) implemented the extended portion of ILP, which increases the funding in an attempt to allow most eligible foster youth to receive ILP services. The governor's proposed budget for 2010-11 proposes $15 million (GF) for extended ILP services. 3)Related Legislation . In 2008, AB 2399 (Portantino) was substantially similar to this bill but extended ILP to all SB 654 Page 3 youth placed with nonrelative legal guardians. That bill was held by the Senate Appropriations Committee. In 2006, AB 2194 (Bass) would provide eligibility for the Independent Living Program (ILP) to wards of non-related legal guardians (NRLGs) that receive permanent placement services and to former foster youth that were adopted at the age of 14 or older. That bill was held by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 319-2081