BILL NUMBER: AB 1876 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 27, 2006
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY FEBRUARY 27, 2006
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Leslie
JANUARY 19, 2006
An act to add and repeal Chapter 12.97 (commencing with Section
18986.70) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to public social services, and making an appropriation
therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1876, as amended, Leslie Foster Child Welfare Act of
2006. Placer County Foster Youth Welfare Act of 2006.
Existing law provides for oversight by various state and local
entities of certain populations of children, including those who are
wards of the juvenile court, and those who are in foster care, or are
otherwise under the supervision of county welfare departments.
This bill, the "Foster Child Welfare Act of 2006,"
" Placer County Foster Youth Welfare Act of
2006," would require the Placer County Department of Health
and Human Services, with the county's consent, to conduct a one-year
pilot program to achieve permanency solutions for at-risk foster
clients youth in the county, by working
with faith-based institutions and other appropriate nonprofit
organizations. The bill would define "at-risk foster clients
youth " for purposes of the pilot program
, and would authorize participation in the program by foster youth
who have been placed in Placer County in an out-of-county placement,
in accordance with specified conditions . The bill would
require the county to use reasonable and prudent judgment in
selecting participating faith-based institutions and nonprofit
organizations, consistent with the bill's objectives and existing
nondiscrimination laws and policies , but would
preclude providing funds directly to any faith- based
organization . It would require
prohibit the county from providing funds directly to any faith-based
institution or nonprofit organization in implementing the pilot
program.
This bill would require the county department to
submit a report evaluating the pilot
program to the appropriate committees of the Legislature
to evaluate the pilot program , and to submit that
information the State Department of Social Services ,
and other county human services departments , on or
before December 31, 2008 .
This bill would appropriate $100,000 from the General Fund to the
county for purposes of conducting the pilot program. It would declare
that special legislation is necessary due to the unique
circumstances applicable to Placer County with respect to foster
care.
This bill would make its provisions inoperative on July 1, 2008,
and repealed as of January 1, 2009, unless these dates are extended
by a later enacted statute.
Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Children of African-American descent are more likely than
children from other ethnic groups to be referred to the child welfare
system.
(b) Children of African-American descent are proportionally more
likely than children from other ethnic groups to enter foster care.
(c) Across age categories, children of African-American descent
are the highest percentage of children in foster care.
(d) Children of African-American descent stay in the child welfare
system longer than children from other ethnic groups.
(e) Children of African-American descent in both relative and
nonrelative placements are the ethnic group least likely to reunify
over time.
(f) Children of African-American descent are more likely than
children from other ethnic groups to reenter the child welfare system
after reunification.
(g) Children of African-American descent are less likely than
children from other ethnic groups to be places
placed with some or all of their siblings.
(h) It is therefor therefore the
intent of the Legislature to enact the "Foster Child Welfare
Act of 2006," "Placer County Foster Youth Welfare Act
of 2006," to demonstrate both of the following:
(1) The effectiveness of this child welfare model in reducing the
prevalence of children of African-American descent in the state child
welfare system.
(2) The effectiveness of this child welfare model in reducing the
prevalence of other high-risk clients youth
within the state child welfare system.
SEC. 2. Chapter 12.97 (commencing with Section 18986.70) is added
to Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to
read:
CHAPTER 12.97. PLACER COUNTY FOSTER CARE PERMANENCY PILOT
PROGRAM
18986.70. (a) This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Foster Child Welfare Act of 2006." as
the "Placer County Foster Youth Welfare Act of 2006."
(b) The Placer County Department of Health and Human Services
shall conduct a one-year pilot program pursuant to this chapter to
achieve permanency solutions for at-risk foster clients
youth in the county. The pilot program shall be
conducted with the consent of the county.
(c) The county department shall contact all faith-based
institutions and other appropriate nonprofit organizations within the
county and shall work with those entities to identify liaisons who
are willing to head permanency solution efforts at each organization.
Each liaison shall have both of the following duties:
(1) To establish within the faith-based institution or nonprofit
organization a support network for parents and relatives of at-risk
foster clients youth eligible for
permanency, for the purpose of reunification or relative adoption.
(2) To administer a recruitment program in the faith-based
institution or nonprofit organization to identify individuals who can
provide permanency solutions for at-risk foster clients,
youth, such as nonrelative guardianship,
lifelong connections, or adoption.
(d) For purposes of this chapter, "at-risk foster clients"
youth" include all of the following:
(1) African-American foster clients.
youth.
(2) Foster clients youth with
disabilities.
(3) Sibling groups of three or more foster clients.
youth.
(4) Foster clients youth over the
age of 13 years.
(5) Other at-risk foster clients, youth,
as may be determined by the county.
(e) To the extent permitted by law, resources available pursuant
to this chapter shall be prioritized to first serve foster
care clients of African-American descent.
African-American foster youth.
(f) A foster youth who has been placed in Placer County in an
out-of-county placement by the child's or parent's county of
residence, and who satisfies the pilot program's eligibility
requirements, may participate in the pilot program if both of the
following conditions are met:
(1) Placer County obtains written consent from the county of
residence for the foster youth's participation in the pilot program.
(2) Participation in the pilot program is consistent with the
foster youth's individual plan.
(f) At the end of the pilot program,
(g) By December 31, 2008, the
county department shall submit to
report before the appropriate committees of the Legislature
, to evaluate the pilot program. The county
shall also submit this information to the State Department of
Social Services , and other county departments of
human services, a report evaluating the pilot program.
human services.
18986.71. The county shall exercise reasonable and prudent
judgment in selecting faith-based institutions and nonprofit
organizations to participate in the pilot program, consistent with
the objectives of this chapter and existing nondiscrimination laws
and policies , however in implementing the pilot program, the
county shall not provide funds directly to any faith-based
institution or nonprofit organization .
18986.72. This chapter shall become inoperative on July 1, 2008,
and, as of January 1, 2009, is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2009, deletes
or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is
repealed.
SEC. 2. SEC. 3. The sum of one
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby appropriated from the
General Fund to the State Department of Social Services for
allocation to the Placer County Department of Health and Human
Services for the 2007-08 fiscal year, for the purpose of implementing
the pilot program provided for pursuant to Chapter 12.97 (commencing
with Section 18986.70) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code.
SEC. 3. SEC.4. Due to the unique
circumstances in Placer County with respect to foster care, it is
necessary that, and the Legislature finds and declares that, a
general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of
Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution.