BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 342
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Date of Hearing: August 14, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 342 (Yee) - As Amended: May 24, 2013
Policy Committee: Human
ServicesVote:7 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: Yes
SUMMARY
This bill requires mandated visits by county caseworkers to
occur in the group home or foster home of the child. This bill
would additionally require county caseworkers to advise the
foster child that he or she has the right to request a private
discussion outside of the group home or foster home. That
private discussion would not replace the mandated visit in the
group home or foster home. However, the social worker or
probation officer would not be required to schedule an
additional visit to accommodate the request.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)GF costs likely in excess of $500,000 to the extent the
provisions of this bill result in an extended amount of time
per visit for certain cases than otherwise would occur under
existing law.
2)Proposition 30, passed by the voters in November 2012
eliminated any potential mandate funding liability for any new
program or higher level of service provided by counties
related to the realigned programs. Although the provisions of
this bill are a mandate on local agencies, any increased costs
do not appear to be subject to reimbursement by the state.
Rather, Proposition 30 specifies that for legislation enacted
after September 30, 2012, that has an overall effect of
increasing the costs already borne by a local agency for
realigned programs, the provisions shall apply to local
agencies only to the extent that the state provides annual
funding for the cost increase.
SB 342
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COMMENTS
Background and Purpose . Current state law requires all foster
children placed in group homes by county human services
departments or county probation departments to be visited at
least monthly by a county social worker or probation officer.
Each visit must include a private discussion between the foster
child and the county social worker or probation officer, and the
discussion is not to be held in the presence or immediate
vicinity of the group home staff. Similarly, when a county
social worker or probation officer makes a regular visit with a
child in any licensed, certified, or approved foster home, the
visit must include a private discussion between the foster child
and the caseworker, and the discussion may not be held in the
presence or immediate vicinity of the foster parent or
caregiver.
According to the California Youth Connection, the sponsor of
this measure, recent data from DSS demonstrates that
approximately 30% of required social worker visits do not occur
at the foster home or group home where the child lives. This
has resulted in circumstances where a particular group home or
foster home was not visited by a case worker for an extended
period of time. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that
visits with social workers take place within the home where the
child is placed and that the child has an opportunity to speak
privately with his or her social worker outside of the home, if
necessary.
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Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081