BILL NUMBER: AB 2706	CHAPTERED  08/28/00

	CHAPTER   259
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   AUGUST 28, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   AUGUST 25, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 18, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   MAY 30, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 2, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Cunneen

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2000

   An act to amend Sections 18251 and 18254 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2706, Cunneen.  Wraparound programs.
   Existing law creates the Aid to Families with Dependent
Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which a combination of
federal, state, and county funds are used to provide reimbursement to
families and facilities providing foster care to eligible children.

   Existing law also requires each county to provide child welfare
services.
   Existing law also provides, until October 1, 2003, for the
establishment in all counties, at the county's option and subject to
the approval of the State Department of Social Services, a pilot
project to continue the provision of intensive wraparound services,
as defined, to eligible children in foster care or at imminent risk
of this placement.
   Existing law defines eligible child to include only children
residing in, or who are at risk of residing in, foster care
placements that provide specified levels of care.
   This bill would change the definition of an eligible child to
include children residing in, or who are at risk of residing in,
foster placements that provide certain additional levels of care.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 18251 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   18251.  As used in this chapter:
   (a) "County" means each county participating in an individualized
or "wrap-around" pilot project.
   (b) "County placing agency" means a county welfare or probation
department, or a county mental health department with respect to
those children placed pursuant to Section 7572.5 of the Government
Code.
   (c) "Eligible child" means a child who is any of the following:
   (1) A child who has been adjudicated as either a dependent or ward
of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602 and who
would be placed in a group home licensed by the department at a rate
classification level of 10 or higher.
   (2) A child who would be voluntarily placed in out-of-home care
pursuant to Section 7572.5 of the Government Code.
   (3) A child who is currently, or who would be, placed in a group
home licensed by the department at a rate classification level of 10
or higher.
   (d) "Wrap-around services" means community-based intervention
services that emphasize the strengths of the child and family and
includes the delivery of coordinated, highly individualized
unconditional services to address needs and achieve positive outcomes
in their lives.
   (e) "Service allocation slot" means a specified amount of funds
available to the county to pay for an individualized intensive
wraparound services package for an eligible child.  A service
allocation slot may be used for more than one child on a successive
basis.
  SEC. 2.  Section 18254 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   18254.  (a) Reimbursement rates for wraparound services, under
this pilot project, shall be based on the following factors:
   (1) The average cost of rate classification 10 to 11 in each
county, minus the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement, for
children who are or would be placed in a rate level 10 or 11 group
home.
   (2) The average cost of rate classification 12 to 14 in each
county, minus the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement, for
children who are or would be placed in a rate level 12 to 14 group
home.
   (b) The annual maximum limit on funding available for the pilot
project authorized by this chapter shall be based on the average
cost, determined pursuant to subdivision (a), for the number of
service allocation slots assigned to each county.
   (c) The department shall reimburse each county, for the purpose of
providing intensive wraparound services, up to 100 percent of the
state share of nonfederal funds, to be matched by each county's share
of cost as established by law, and to the extent permitted by
federal law, up to 100 percent of the federal funds allocated for
group home placements of eligible children, at the rate authorized
pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (d) State and, to the extent permitted by federal law, federal
foster care funds shall remain with the administrative authority of
the county welfare department, which may enter into an interagency
agreement to transfer those funds, and shall be used to provide
intensive wraparound services.
   (e) General Fund costs for the provision of benefits to eligible
children pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 18251 at rates
authorized by subdivision (a) through the pilot project authorized by
this chapter shall not exceed the costs which would otherwise have
been incurred had the eligible children been placed in a group home.