BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 735
Page A
Date of Hearing: May 4, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Sandre Swanson, Chair
AB 735 (Mitchell) - As Amended: April 11, 2011
SUBJECT : Interns and student assistants: hiring preference.
SUMMARY : Establishes a hiring preference for state internships
and student assistants for foster youth. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Requires state agencies, when hiring for internships and
student assistant positions, to give preference to qualified
applicants who are, or have recently been, dependent children
in foster care.
2)Requires county welfare departments to provide dependent
children with information notifying them that they may be
eligible for this hiring preference.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the author, few groups are at greater
risk for homelessness, poverty and school failure than
California's foster youth. Only 50 percent of foster youth
graduate from high school, compared with 75 percent of their
peers who were not a part of the foster care system. In
addition, the unemployment rate among former foster youth is
staggering: 60 percent of former foster youth are unemployed at
age 19 compared with 42 percent of their peers with no history
of foster care.
Background on the Employment Challenges Facing Foster/Former
Foster Youth
A 2008 study<1> by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services highlighted some of the employment obstacles faced by
former foster youth, obstacles that can have impacts on these
individuals well into their 20s. Among other things, the report
made the following findings:
---------------------------
<1> "Coming of Age: Employment Outcomes for Youth Who Age Out of
Foster Care Through Their Middle Twenties." U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Evaluation (2008).
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Youth who age out of foster care continue to experience
poor employment outcomes at age 24. Compared to youth
nationally and even youth from low-income families, they
are less likely to be employed or employed regularly, and,
not surprisingly, they earn very little.
At age 24, average monthly earnings for youth who age
out of foster care who worked are $690 in California,
compared to $1,535 for youth nationally.
Employment and earnings differences between youth who
age out of foster care and youth from low-income families
remain in California even when controlling for demographic
factors.
Overall about one-third to one-half of these youth
follows a path that leads to relatively positive employment
outcomes by age 24. At the same time, the other half to
two-thirds of these youth exhibit patterns leading to
poorer outcomes at age 24.
Ages 16 to 18 are a period of significant employment
activity for many youth aging out of foster care. Rapid
increases in employment occur for consistently connected
youth and initially connected youth between the ages of 16
and 18. Similarly, results show that employment prior to
age 18 is associated with positive employment outcomes at
age 24 for youth in California. This evidence suggests
that helping youth connect to the workforce prior to
adulthood may have benefits later.
In addition, a recent study by researchers at Chapin Hall Center
for Children at the University of Chicago<2> show that former
foster youth lag far behind the average American youth in
employment and economic success. In particular, the study found
that:
Only 51.5 percent of former foster youth were employed
at age 21 compared to 63.9 percent of non-foster youth.
26.5 percent of the former foster youth did not have
enough money to pay their rent - compared to only 8.6
percent of non-foster youth.
--------------------------
<2> Courtney, M.E. & Dworsky, A. (2005). Midwest evaluation of
the adult functioning of former foster youth: Outcomes at age
19. Chicago: Chapin Hall Center for Children.
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8.3 percent of the former foster youth were evicted
from their place of residence compared to only 1.4 percent
of non-foster youth.
Similar results were found in a University of Chicago 2002
study<3> of foster youth employment outcomes in three states,
including California. Researchers found that youth aging out of
foster care had very low levels of employment and earnings:
Youth aging out of foster care are underemployed. No
more than 45 percent of the aging out youth have earnings
in any of the three states during any one of the 13
quarters of the study.
About 23 percent of youth in California had no earnings
during the entire 13-quarter period.
Youth who do work begin to do so early. In all three
states, youth were more likely to earn income for the first
time during the four quarters prior to and the quarter of
their eighteenth birthday than in the 2 years following.
For youth who exited foster care by aging out, half in
California had earnings prior to their eighteenth birthday.
Youth aging out of foster care progress more slowly in
the labor market than other youth.
In California, if youth did not work prior to exit,
there was only slightly more than a 50-50 chance that they
would begin employment after exit.
Youth aging out of foster care have mean earnings below
the poverty level. Youth aging out of foster care earn
significantly less than youth in any of the comparison
groups both prior to and after their eighteenth birthday.
---------------------------
<3> George, R., etal. (2002). Employment Outcomes for Youth
Aging Out of Foster Care. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago,
Chapin Hall Center for Children. Available at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/fostercare-agingout02/
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ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT :
In order to address these issues, this bill states that priority
should be given to former or current foster youth when state
agencies are hiring for student assistant and/or intern
positions. According to the author, student assistant positions
already exist within many state departments. These positions are
offered to students currently enrolled in school seeking "on the
job" experience. These positions are a great place for students
to learn a skill as well as make valuable contacts within the
department which will assist them in establishing a pathway to a
career. The author argues that the state has a unique
obligation to current and former foster youth and these
internships are excellent pathways to financial stability as
well as an added incentive to stay in school.
Writing in support of this bill, the Children's Advocacy
Institute (CAI) argues that when by the authority of state law
government enters a home and forcibly removes a child from the
care of their parents, the state incurs a moral responsibility
heavier than any other. CAI states that, according to the GAO,
only 3 percent of foster youth will graduate from a four year
college; between 27 and 35 percent end up in jail or prison.
Though foster youth comprise less than 0.3 percent of the
general population, 40 percent of all people in homeless
shelters were once in foster care. Women who have emancipated
from foster care are four times more likely than other women to
receive public assistance. They conclude that student
assistant positions provide a pathway to employment
post-graduation and stability that is not only consistent with
our moral obligation to these children but a wise step to ensure
they do enter far more expensive state-funded systems and
programs.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Youth Connection
Children's Advocacy Institute
Youth Law Center
Opposition
AB 735
Page E
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Ben Ebbink / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091