BILL NUMBER: SB 602 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 60
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JULY 3, 2013
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR JULY 3, 2013
PASSED THE SENATE APRIL 18, 2013
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JUNE 25, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Committee on Human Services (Senators Yee (Chair),
Berryhill, Emmerson, Evans, Liu, and Wright)
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to amend Sections 18961, 18962, and 18963 of the Welfare
and Institutions Code, relating to child abuse prevention.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 602, Committee on Human Services. Child abuse prevention,
intervention, and treatment projects.
Existing law allows the Office of Child Abuse Prevention to fund,
through allocations provided to local counties, child abuse and
neglect prevention and intervention programs. Existing law provides
the criteria under which a county selects agency projects and
services to be funded under these provisions, including that priority
shall be given to private, nonprofit agencies and that training and
technical assistance shall be provided by private, nonprofit
agencies, as specified. Existing law requires funds allocated to a
county to revert to the State Children's Trust Fund and be
administered, as provided, if that county chooses not to contract or
subcontract for the provision of services.
This bill would remove required training and technical assistance
by private, nonprofit agencies as a selection criteria. This bill
would also remove the requirement that funds allocated to a county
that chooses not to contract or subcontract for the provision of
services revert to the State Children's Trust Fund. The bill would
make conforming changes to related provisions.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 18961 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
18961. (a) Projects and services funded pursuant to this article
shall be selected using the following criteria:
(1) Priority shall be given to private, nonprofit agencies with
programs that serve the needs of children at risk of abuse or neglect
and that have demonstrated effectiveness in prevention or
intervention.
(2) Agencies shall be eligible for funding provided that evidence
is submitted that the proposed services are not duplicated in the
community, are based on needs of children at risk, and are supported
by a local public agency, including, but not limited to, one of the
following:
(A) The county welfare department.
(B) A public law enforcement agency.
(C) The county probation department.
(D) The county board of supervisors.
(E) The county public health department.
(F) The county mental health department.
(G) The school district.
(3) Services provided shall be culturally and linguistically
appropriate to the populations served.
(4) Services may include, but need not be limited to, day care,
respite services, transportation, mental health services, services
provided through home visiting programs, parent education and support
programs, domestic violence services, disability services, early
developmental screening and assessment, and counseling services.
(5) Applicant agencies shall demonstrate the existence of a 10
percent cash or in-kind match that will support the goals of child
abuse and neglect prevention and intervention.
(6) Funding shall be used to supplement, but not supplant, child
welfare services authorized pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with
Section 16500) of Part 4.
(7) Priority for services shall be given to children who are at
high risk, including children who are being served by the county
welfare departments for being abused and neglected and other children
who are referred for services by legal, medical, or social services
agencies.
(8) Service to minority populations shall be reflected in the
funding of projects.
(9) Projects and services shall clearly be related to the needs of
children, especially those 14 years of age and under.
(b) In a county that has established a multidisciplinary council,
the council shall be utilized to provide recommendations to the board
of supervisors for the funding processes and priorities.
(c) Each county shall monitor the projects and services it funds.
(d) Beginning in the 2011-12 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year
thereafter, funding and expenditures for programs and activities
under this section shall be in accordance with the requirements
provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code.
SEC. 2. Section 18962 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
18962. The county child welfare agency shall provide to the
Office of Child Abuse Prevention, no later than October 1 of each
year, an annual expenditure report to include funds expended,
populations served, and other information deemed necessary based on a
process to be developed by the department, in consultation with
counties.
SEC. 3. Section 18963 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
18963. Unless otherwise specified in the annual Budget Act, the
funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act to the State Department
of Social Services for the purposes of this article shall be
allocated as follows:
(a) A sum equal to 90 percent of the appropriation shall be
allocated to the board of supervisors of each of the participating
counties.
(b) A sum equal to 7 percent of the appropriation shall be
allocated to the State Children's Trust Fund established under
Section 18969 for innovative, child-centered approaches which
indicate promise of quality, cost-effective services to prevent child
abuse and neglect.
(c) The Office of Child Abuse Prevention shall reserve a sum
equal to 3 percent of the appropriation, to be used to provide
administrative oversight and consultation that shall include
activities necessary to do all of the following:
(1) Ensure that each county allocates revenues through the use of
an accountable process that utilizes a multidisciplinary approach,
particularly including strengthening child abuse councils and
allocates revenues in a manner consistent with a county expenditure
plan for all Child Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment
program revenues. The county plans shall explain how services funded
under this article are coordinated with the array of services
available in the county and are based on unmet need. The Office of
Child Abuse Prevention shall review and approve these plans prior to
authorizing county expenditure of funds. The Office of Child Abuse
Prevention shall require counties to submit annual reports on program
services.
(2) Ensure Child Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment
program compliance and accountability to the county plan and
legislative intent.
(d) Counties with provider contracts in effect as of June 30,
1998, may continue those contracts. However, no county shall receive
an augmentation of Child Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and
Treatment funds unless the county modifies its program in accordance
with subdivision (c). During the 1998-99 state fiscal year, if a
county qualifies to receive an augmentation of funds, counties may
augment existing provider contracts without competitive bids.
(e) The Office of Child Abuse Prevention may contract with a
statewide nonprofit consortium with broad-based statewide
representation to provide training and technical assistance, and to
improve accountability for the use of funds in the Child Abuse
Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment program using funds
identified in subdivision (c).
(f) A portion of the funds specified in subdivision (c) may be
allocated to the State Children's Trust Fund to be used for statewide
training and technical assistance services. Moneys for statewide
training and technical assistance may be supplemented under
subdivision (a) by an amount not to exceed 0.50 percent of the total
Child Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment appropriation but
the total amount allocated statewide for training and technical
assistance shall not exceed 2 percent of the total Child Abuse
Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment appropriation. To accomplish
this augmentation, the board of supervisors of each participating
county may allocate annually a portion of its allocation under this
section as a supplement to funds for statewide training and technical
assistance. Activities to be funded with these supplemental moneys
may be specified by the allocating county and approved by the State
Department of Social Services.