BILL NUMBER: SB 1352 CHAPTERED 09/05/00 CHAPTER 300 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 1, 2000 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 22, 2000 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 18, 2000 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 6, 2000 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 23, 2000 INTRODUCED BY Senator Alpert JANUARY 13, 2000 An act to amend Sections 18987, 18987.15, 18987.16, 18987.17, 18987.2, 18987.3, 18987.36, 18987.4 and 18987.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to children. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1352, Alpert. Children: youth pilot program. Existing law authorizes designated participating counties to establish a child and family interagency coordinating council to implement various aspects of a pilot program. Under the pilot program, various children's services funds may be transferred to a designated county fund for specified services for children and families. Existing law requires the programs to be implemented on January 1, 1995, July 1, 1995, or January 1, 1996, and terminates the programs on July 1, 2002. This bill would extend the duration of the programs until July 1, 2004. The bill would require counties participating in the extended pilot program to submit updated strategic plans not later than March 31, 2001. Existing law requires the Governor to be responsible for certain duties with respect to the administration, implementation, and evaluation of the pilot program. This bill would transfer these responsibilities for the pilot program to the California Health and Human Services Agency and would add to those responsibilities. Existing law requires that an evaluation of the pilot programs be conducted by an independent organization, only if nonstate funds are made available for this purpose. This bill would require the evaluation to consist of a specified baseline and a final report and delete the condition that nonstate funds be made available for this purpose. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares the following: (a) The Youth Pilot Program, implemented under the authority of Chapter 951 of the Statutes of 1993, has shown promise as a method of increasing state support for local integration of services to high-risk, multineed children and families. (b) A number of factors, including a lack of flexibility in federal programs and funding, delays in state approvals for local strategies, and the impact of welfare reform and reorganization efforts at the county level have precluded adequate evaluation of the outcomes of the program within the five-year timeframe called for in the initial legislation. (c) Several changes have occurred that would allow this evaluation to take place if the program were to be extended beyond the initial five years. (d) A newly implemented federal initiative, Better Opportunities and Outcomes Starting Today (known as BOOST FOR KIDS), creates the opportunity to add a federal technical assistance component to this pilot program by providing a federal team to work with state and local partners for better results for children and families. (e) State processes are in place to provide technical assistance and flexibility to counties in removing barriers to the implementation of their strategic plans. (f) The impacts of welfare reform and county reorganizations have diminished allowing counties to focus on full implementation and evaluation of their strategic plans. (g) Strategic plan revisions resulting from early barriers are in place in most counties and counties have revised performance indicators and outcome measures to better reflect and achieve each county's goals, objectives, and outcomes. (h) An extension of the pilot program would provide the time necessary to fully test and evaluate the innovative strategies that have been implemented, and that are scheduled to be implemented in the last year of the initial pilot program. SEC. 2. Section 18987 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law related to the funding and delivery of state programs and services specified in this section, designated counties, if they comply with the provisions of this chapter, shall be authorized to transfer, to the extent possible, into a county child and family services fund, for the duration of the pilot program established by this chapter, some or all funds for the following services for children and families: (1) Adoption services. (2) Child abuse prevention services. (3) Child welfare services. (4) Delinquency prevention services. (5) Drug and alcohol services. (6) Eligibility determination. (7) Employment and training services. (8) Foster care services. (9) Health services. (10) Juvenile facilities. (11) Mental health services. (12) Probation services. (13) Housing. (14) Youth development services. (15) All other appropriately identified and targeted services for children and families. (b) Local education agencies, cities, or private, nonprofit agencies may also allocate funds to the county child and family services fund for recreation, juvenile justice, or other services provided to children and families. (c) The county child and family services fund shall be used to fund comprehensive, integrated services for high-risk, children and families with multiple needs in alternative and innovative ways, as detailed in county strategic plans. The fund may be used to provide services in a designated geographical area within the county or to a targeted population. SEC. 3. Section 18987.15 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.15. The California Health and Human Services Agency shall be responsible for all of the following: (a) Facilitating any state interagency coordination necessary for the implementation of a participating county's plan. (b) Coordinating technical assistance to the counties participating in the pilot program. (c) Applying to the federal government, where appropriate and feasible, for federal waivers necessary to carry out or enhance projects under the pilot program. (d) Monitoring county compliance with the requirements of this chapter. (e) Seeking nonstate resources to conduct county evaluations pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 18987.3. (f) Establishing performance outcomes for measuring the success of the state level implementation of the pilot program. SEC. 4. Section 18987.16 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.16. (a) The Legislature finds that an evaluation is both desirable and necessary to assess the effectiveness of the pilot program provided for in this chapter. (b) Therefore, the California Health and Human Services Agency shall cause an evaluation of the pilot program to be conducted by an independent organization. This evaluation shall consist of a baseline and a final report. The independent evaluator shall review the updated strategic plans submitted by the counties pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 18987.2 and, on or before June 30, 2001, shall compile a baseline report summarizing the performance outcomes and indicators chosen by each of the six participating counties. This report shall also list the performance outcomes against which state performance in the pilot program shall be evaluated. A final evaluation of the pilot program shall be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature on June 30, 2003. This evaluation shall include an analysis of county performance outcomes as compared to baseline performance, an analysis of state performance outcomes in implementing the pilot program, and a discussion of whether these state actions were associated with improved outcomes at the local level as reported in the county evaluations submitted pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 18987.36. The California Health and Human Services Agency shall seek the advice and input of the Legislature on the framework of the evaluation. SEC. 5. Section 18987.17 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.17. (a) Pursuant to this chapter, the California Health and Human Services Agency or the Secretary of the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, as appropriate, may approve a request submitted by a county selected pursuant to Section 18987.05, to implement an alternative method for meeting specific state statutory requirements in the county's strategic plan. The secretary of the approving agency shall only approve a request when the coordinating council of the requesting county has certified, and the secretary has determined, that all of the following criteria have been met: (1) The council has developed a specific alternative method for achieving the intent of the statute in question. (2) The council's proposed alternative is consistent with this chapter and the intent of the statutory requirements governing the programs proposed for integration in the county's strategic plan. (3) Approval of the request is essential to achieve one or more objectives of the strategic plan. (4) The objective of the strategic plan cannot be achieved solely through waiver of regulation. (b) A request subject to this section may not be approved for a period that exceeds the length of the pilot program authorized under this chapter, but may be approved for a shorter period as determined by the approving secretary. (c) Prior to approving any request by a county under this section, the approving secretary shall provide written notification to the chairperson of the appropriate policy committee in each house of the Legislature. Final approval shall not occur until 30 days after this written notification is provided. SEC. 6. Section 18987.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.2. (a) (1) In order to participate in the pilot program authorized by this chapter, a county board of supervisors shall establish a child and family interagency coordinating council. (2) A council established pursuant to this subdivision shall plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate the pilot program. (b) A county board of supervisors may designate an existing interagency coordination council to perform the functions specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) if the existing interagency coordination council meets the representation requirements of Section 18987.25. (c) City and local education agency representatives shall be appointed by the appropriate governing bodies. (d) The board of supervisors shall undertake reasonable measures to ensure that membership of the interagency coordinating council reflects the cultures and ethnicities of the pilot program area. (e) The board of supervisors of a county, as a condition of participation in the pilot program, shall approve both the strategic plan developed pursuant to Section 18987.3 and the county's participation in the pilot program authorized by this chapter. If city or school services or funds are included in the pilot program, the strategic plan shall also be approved by the governing bodies of any city or local education agency whose services or funds will be involved in the pilot program. (f) Counties desiring to participate in the extended pilot program shall submit to the California Health and Human Services Agency updated strategic plans, including, but not limited to, updated performance outcomes and indicators, not later than March 31, 2001. SEC. 7. Section 18987.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.3. Each child and family interagency coordinating council shall develop a strategic plan for implementation of the pilot program. The plan shall contain all of the following: (a) A list of the members of the county child and family interagency coordinating council, and a description of project responsibilities for each member. (b) Identification of the county or the area within the county to be served by blended funds. (c) A description of the population to be served, the amount and types of current services available from public, private not-for-profit, and community-based services agencies, the needs of that population, and the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the services to be provided. (d) A timeline showing how the county proposes to implement the pilot project. (e) A description of existing collaborative, integrated services efforts and how the strategies proposed for the pilot program will be used in conjunction with these efforts. (f) A description of the services to be funded by the county child and family services fund. (g) An identification of the state and local funds to be consolidated and how those blended funds shall be used. (h) (1) A description of an evaluation plan that meets all of the following requirements: (A) It is based on community needs and service plans. (B) It includes baseline data and performance indicators and outcomes relevant to services funded by the county child and family services fund. (C) It measures outcomes for children, families, and communities targeted by the pilot project. (D) It utilizes, where applicable, state-adopted performance and outcome measures developed for specific populations included in the county plan. (2) The evaluation shall also identify obstacles encountered in implementation of the pilot program. SEC. 8. Section 18987.36 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.36. The board of supervisors of each participating county shall submit to the California Health and Human Services Agency all of the following: (a) An annual report showing which funds were transferred into the county child and family services fund and an annual status update indicating the extent to which the plan has been implemented. (b) Interim evaluation reports on the implementation and measurements of progress toward performance outcomes of the pilot program, to be submitted following the second and fourth year, and not later than six months after the sixth year of the implementation of the pilot program. (c) A final evaluation of the pilot program, to be submitted not later than six months prior to the completion of the pilot program. SEC. 9. Section 18987.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.4. (a) (1) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the Youth Pilot Program Fund. State and federal moneys that, if distributed to a designated county, could be transferred to a county child and family services fund, may be transferred, at the direction of the designated county, to the Youth Pilot Program Fund for the purposes specified in subdivision (c) of Section 18987. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, to the State Department of Social Services to be allocated to and expended by counties in accordance with county strategic plans developed pursuant to Section 18987.3. (2) The Director of Finance may authorize the transfer of funds appropriated pursuant to the following items of the Budget Act of 1996 and budget acts thereafter to implement this section. (A) State Department of Health Services, Item 4260-101-0001 or Item 4260-111-0001, or any combination thereof. (B) State Department of Mental Health, Item 4440-101-0001(c) (Program 10.47, Children's Mental Health Services) or Item 4440-131-0001 (Program 10.80, Special Education Pupils Program), or any combination thereof. (C) State Department of Social Services, Item 5180-101-0001, Item 5180-141-0001, or Item 5180-151-0001 or any combination thereof. (3) Amounts transferred pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be limited to those amounts that would otherwise be allocated to those designated counties. (b) The Director of Finance shall provide written notification to the chairperson of the appropriate budget and policy committees in each house of the Legislature upon transfer of any funds into the Youth Pilot Program Fund. (c) Moneys in the fund shall be available for encumbrance until July 1, 2006, at which time all unencumbered moneys in the fund shall revert to the General Fund. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature to continue the commitment to maximize federal matching funds for state and county programs. (e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Youth Pilot Program Fund shall be continuously appropriated only for the purpose of implementing the Youth Pilot Program pursuant to this chapter, and a continuously appropriated fund shall not be used to implement the provisions of this chapter, should they be extended beyond the pilot program. (f) This section shall remain operative only until July 1, 2004, shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2005, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2005, deletes or extends that date. SEC. 10. Section 18987.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18987.5. This chapter shall remain operative only until July 1, 2004, shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2005, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, which is enacted before January 1, 2005, deletes or extends that date.