California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 474


Introduced by Assembly Member Stone

February 19, 2013


An act to amend Section 16516.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 474, as introduced, Stone. Child welfare services.

Existing law requires that all foster children placed in group homes by county welfare departments or county probation departments be visited at least monthly by a county social worker or probation officer, and specifies the funding sources for these monthly visits.

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to that funding provision.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P1    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 16516.5 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code
is amended to read:

3

16516.5.  

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or
4regulation, all foster children placed in group homes by county
5welfare departments or county probation departments shall be
6visited at least monthly by a county social worker or probation
7officer. Each visit shall include a private discussion between the
8foster child and the county social worker or probation officer. The
9discussion shall not be held in the presence or immediate vicinity
P2    1of the group home staff. The contents of the private discussion
2shall not be disclosed to the group home staff, except that the social
3worker or probation officer may disclose information under any
4of the following circumstances:

5(1) The social worker or probation officer believes that the foster
6child may be in danger of harming himself or herself, or others.

7(2) The social worker or probation officer believes that
8disclosure is necessary to meet the needs of the child.

9(3) The child consents to disclosure of the information.

10(b) (1) begin deletePrior to end deletebegin insertBefore end insertthe 2011-12 fiscal year, notwithstanding
11Section 10101, the state shall pay 100 percent of the nonfederal
12costs associated with the monthly visitation requirement in
13subdivision (a) in excess of the minimum semiannual visits
14required under current regulations.

15(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), beginning in the 2011-12
16 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter, funding and
17expenditures for programs and activities under this section shall
18be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025
19and 30026.5 of the Government Code.



O

    99