Amended in Assembly June 25, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 85

Introduced by Assembly Member Gordon

June 10, 2015

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 85—Relative to medically fragile foster care begin delete children. end delete begin insert children and adoptive placement children. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 85, as amended, Gordon. Medically fragile foster care begin delete children. end delete begin insert children and adoptive placement children. end insert

This measure would designate November 2015 as a month to raise awareness about the issue of medically fragile foster care begin insert children and adoptive placement end insert children and the actions that every Californian can take to make a positive difference in these children’s lives.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Over 60,000 California children are currently in
the foster care system; and

WHEREAS, A certain subset of the foster care population are
medically fragile children, who are children with physical or
intellectual disabilities or both that require an increased level of
care and support; and

WHEREAS, The number of foster care begin delete children placements,
both short term and long term, end delete begin insert and adoptive placements end insert currently
far exceeds the availability of foster care begin insert and adoptive end insert parents,
making it a challenge to provide foster care begin insert and adoptive placement end insert
homes for all who need them, and this shortage has reached crisis
proportions in some parts of the state; and

WHEREAS, It is particularly difficult to place medically fragile
foster care children begin insert and adoptive placement children end insert due to the
increased level of care they need; and

WHEREAS, Every child deserves the opportunity to achieve
his or her fullest potential in a safe, stable, and loving environment;
and

WHEREAS, There are California families who are stepping up
to make a difference for medically fragile foster care children by
opening their hearts, homes, and lives, but many more are needed;
and

WHEREAS, If greater awareness is raised about this vulnerable
foster care population and the ways that ordinary Californians can
make a difference, this crisis will begin to be averted; now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares November 2015
as a month to raise awareness about the issue of medically fragile
foster care children begin insert and adoptive placement children end insert and the
actions that every Californian can take to make a positive difference
in these children’s lives; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.