BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2869
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Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2869 (Chávez) - As Amended March 18, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY: This bill requires notification of the Family Advocacy
Program (FAP) in instances where a social worker is conducting a
child welfare services investigation of a family in the Armed
Forces, as specified. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires a social worker who is conducting a child welfare
services investigation to make every effort to ascertain if a
parent or guardian of the child, or that person's spouse, is a
member of the Armed Forces.
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2)Requires the social worker to notify the FAP of the military
installation at which the specified family member is stationed
that there is an open child welfare services investigation.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Ongoing state costs for social workers to ascertain if a parent
or guardian of the child, or that person's spouse, is a member
of the armed forces, and to notify the FAP of an open
investigation. Assuming 15 minutes of social worker time, 4,800
military family investigations annually would cost approximately
$87,000 (GF*).
*Pursuant to Proposition 30 (November 2012) any legislation
enacted after September 30, 2012, that has an overall effect of
increasing the costs already borne by a local agency for
programs or levels of service mandated by realignment (including
child welfare services and foster care) only apply to local
agencies to the extent that the state provides annual funding
for the cost increase.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, "We need to work together to
protect our military children and ensure they have access to
all the help and services they may need."
Currently there is no process in place for the Department of
Social Services (DSS) to identify and notify military family
support services of the applicable branch when a military
family or guardian is subject to an investigation by the county
welfare department. While the Department of Defense has a
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statutory obligation to address child abuse and neglect within
military families through FAP, there is no corresponding
requirement for the DSS to notify the Department of Defense
when an investigation of a military family is being conducted.
2)Family Advocacy Program. The FAP was created by the
Department of Defense in order to address and end issues
relating to domestic violence in military households. FAP
offers prevention programs to put a stop to domestic violence
before it occurs, including classes and workshops, programs
for new parents, counseling, and public awareness campaigns.
When abuse does occur, FAP works to ensure the safety of
victims and helps military families overcome the effects of
violence and change destructive behavior patterns. FAP
members are trained to respond to incidents of abuse and
neglect, support victims, and offer prevention and treatment.
The Department of Defense has a statutory obligation to
address child abuse and neglect within the FAP. Similarly,
the Department of Defense is required by statute to inform DSS
when they are conducting an investigation about child abuse or
neglect within, and on, military property, such as base
housing
3)Military Children in California. In 2013, approximately
106,000 children of active-duty military members resided in
California, representing about 1.2% of the under-18 population
in the state. There were approximately 400,000 child abuse
investigations in California in 2015, of which approximately
4,800 could potentially involve military families.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)
AB 2869
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