AB 196, as amended, Mansoor. Foster parent evaluations.
Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that all children in foster care have specified rights, including the right to live in a safe, healthy, and comfortable home where they are treated with respect, the right to be free from physical, sexual, emotional, or other abuse, or corporal punishment, and the right to receive adequate and healthy food, adequate clothing, and medical, dental, vision, and mental health services.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association, foster parents, caregivers, and current and former foster youth, to develop and implement a foster parent evaluation process. The bill would require that evaluation process to include a process to allow foster youth over 10 years of age and nonminor dependents to provide feedback on the quality of care received in licensed or certified foster homes and group homes at least every 6 months and upon any exit from those homes. The bill would also require the evaluation process to include the development of an evaluation tool in partnership with current and formerbegin insert fosterend insert youth and caregivers that allows youth to provide feedback on the quality of care received, as specified, including feedback on the caregivers’ honoring of the rights of foster youth. The bill would require the department to implement the foster parent evaluation process and promulgate all necessary regulations pursuant to this provision on or before January 1, 2015.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 16000.8 is added to the Welfare and
2Institutions Code, to read:
(a) The State Department of Social Services, in
4consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association, foster
5parents, caregivers, and current and former foster youth, shall
6develop and implement a foster parent evaluation process.
7(b) The evaluation process shall include, but is not limited to,
8all of the following:
9(1) A process to allow foster youth over 10 years of age and
10nonminor dependents to provide feedback on the quality of care
11received in licensed or certified foster homes and group homes at
12least every six months and upon any exit from those homes.
13(2) The development of an evaluation tool in partnership with
14current and formerbegin insert fosterend insert youth and caregivers that allows the
15youth to provide feedback on quality of care received, including,
16but not limited to, feedback on all of the following:
17(A) The caregiver’s participation in implementing the youth’s
18case plan.
19(B) The caregiver’s provision of excellent, nurturing parenting,
20including incorporating the youth as a full member of the family,
21inclusion in family activities,begin insert andend insert respect for the youth’s culture,
22religion, and ethnicity, physical or psychological needs, sexual
23orientation,
gender identification or expression, and family
24relationships.
25(C) The caregiver’s honoring of the rights of foster youth.
P3 1(D) The extent to which the caregiver respects and supports the
2youth’s ties to his or her biological family, including parents,
3siblings, and extended family members, and assists the youth in
4visitation and other forms of communication.
5(E) The caregiver’s advocacy for the youth with the child
6welfare system and community agencies, including schools and
7health and mental health providers.
8(F) The caregiver’s participation in the youth’s medical,
9psychological, and dental care, including scheduling regular health
10and mental health exams
and coordinating transportation for the
11youth.
12(G) The caregiver’s encouragement and support of the youth’s
13educational goals and school success, including participation in
14school activities and meetings, including Individualized Education
15Plan meetings, as appropriate, assisting with school assignments,
16tutoring, meeting with teachers, including back to school nights
17and other school events, and working with an educational
18representative or surrogate, if one has been appointed.
19(H) The caregiver’s provision of developmentally appropriate
20opportunities to allow the youth to learn and practice life skills
21and have hands-on experiences in preparation for transition to
22adulthood, including participation in family and rulemaking
23decisions, cooking and cleaning, conflict
resolution, assistance
24with job and career exploration and development, assistance with
25higher education and financial aid exploration and processes,
26assistance accessing community resources, and encouragement to
27learn principles of money management and financial planning.
28(I) The caregiver’s provision of opportunities to develop the
29youth’s interests and skills, including identifying and supporting
30participation in extracurricular and enrichment activities.
31(J) The caregiver’s efforts to ensure any transition to foster care
32respects the youth’s developmental stage and psychological needs,
33allows for ongoing relationships, and is consistent with court orders
34for visitation.
35(c) In the development of the foster parent evaluation process,
36the department, in consultation with the stakeholders identified in
37subdivision (a), shall consider how information gathered from
38evaluations can inform the continuous improvement of existing
39and future efforts to recruit, train, and retain high-quality foster
40parents.
P4 1(c)
end delete
2begin insert(d)end insert The department shall implement the foster parent evaluation
3process and promulgate all necessary regulations pursuant to this
4section on or before January 1, 2015.
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