BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1982
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1982 (Bass)
As Amended March 23, 2006
2/3 vote
HUMAN SERVICES 6-0 APPROPRIATIONS
(vote not available)
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|Ayes:|Evans, Arambula, Bass, | | |
| |Coto, Nation, Spitzer | | |
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SUMMARY : Extends eligibility for Kin-Gap assistance to wards of
the juvenile court in addition to dependent children of the
juvenile court.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis, because of the discontinuation of services
provided by the probation department, this bill represents an
overall program savings. However, those savings are primarily
in federal entitlement funding (Title IV-E) and county-funded
probation departments. For the state, there is a cost to the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant in
the amount of approximately $400,000, to cover the California
Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) portion
of the Kin-GAP grant for less than 100 children. About
one-fifth of this funding would be offset by corresponding State
General Fund savings.
COMMENTS : The Kin-Gap program was created by SB 1901
(McPherson), Chapter 1055, Statutes of 1998, to give relatives
an option of taking permanent custody of foster children,
avoiding continued supervision of the child welfare agency and
juvenile court, and receive assistance at the higher foster care
payment rate than would be available under the CalWORKs program.
A relative must become the legal guardian of the child, but for
personal, familial or other reasons, chooses not to adopt.
Kin-Gap currently applies only to dependents of the juvenile
court who have suffered or are at risk of suffering abuse or
neglect under Welfare & Institutions Code Section 300. It does
not apply to youth who are "wards of the juvenile court" under
Welfare & Institutions Code Sections 601 or 602, these youth are
under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as a result of
AB 1982
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persistent refusal to "obey the reasonable and proper orders and
directions" of a parent or guardian, habitual truancy, or
violation of federal, state or local laws. They are sometimes
known as "delinquent minors," and are supervised by probation
officers rather than county welfare social workers.
According to the author, "AB 1982 seeks to give delinquency
minors the same rights, services and level of care as those on
the dependency side." Supporters assert that the same goals of
family preservation and stability can be achieved by including
delinquent youth among the children eligible for Kin-Gap. As
argued by the Chief Probation Officers of California, these
youth are "similarly situated, and government intervention in
their family life could be expeditiously eliminated through the
help of Kin-Gap."
According to data compiled by the Social Services Research
Center, there were 239 children in probation placed with
relatives statewide as of July 2005. However, the number who
might meet Kin-Gap requirements is likely to be fewer, since
some may not have guardianships established. Some youth in the
probation system may currently receive CalWORKs, and others
might receive foster care benefits. Under the bill, the
transfer of the delinquency cases to Kin-Gap could result in
savings as a result of lower probation and juvenile court costs.
Analysis Prepared by : Casey McKeever / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089
FN: 0014916