BILL NUMBER: SCR 44	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 9, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Liu

                        MAY 2, 2011

   Relative to Foster Care Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 44, as amended, Liu. Foster Care Month 2011.
   This  Measure   measure  would designate
the month of May 2011 as Foster Care Month in California.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, All children need and deserve to feel love, a sense of
belonging, and the continuity of family and loved ones to support and
guide them in their growth and development; and
   WHEREAS, This need is especially urgent for California's 60,000
children in foster care, who have experienced the trauma of neglect,
abuse, and separation from family and loved ones; and
   WHEREAS, Thanks to the focus and commitment of Californians
working in public and private organizations in child welfare,
probation, mental health, public health, education, and the courts,
and the extraordinary commitment of those who open their homes and
work with jurisdictions to meet the needs of foster youth for safety,
permanency, and well-being, more of California's youth are able to
live and grow up with the support of permanent, caring families; and
   WHEREAS, In recent years, California has made great strides in
attaining permanency for thousands of children and youth in foster
care; and
   WHEREAS, Throughout the state, children and youth are benefiting
from a focus by child welfare jurisdictions on creating permanent
family connections from the moment a child enters child welfare
supervised care; and
   WHEREAS, During 2009 2010, almost 60 percent, about 
19,170   19,000  , of the children leaving foster
care were returned to their families; and
   WHEREAS, For those children and youth who could not safely return
to their own families, we celebrate that  over 6,457
  nearly 6,500  were adopted during that period and
almost 3,000 attained permanence through guardianship with relatives
or other adults  ; and   now, therefore, be it
 
   WHEREAS, We also continue to be concerned for the numerous teens
that age out of the foster care system without the safety net of a
permanent family, and look forward with hope to the full
implementation of Assembly Bill 12 (Ch. 559, Stats. 2010) and its
promise of care until 21 years of age for foster youth who attain
majority while in care; now, therefore, be it 
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the month of May
2011 as Foster Care Month in California; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.