BILL NUMBER: AB 1983 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 17, 2006
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bass
FEBRUARY 9, 2006
An act to amend Section 11403 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to foster children, and making an
appropriation therefor. An act relating to foster
children.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1983, as amended, Bass Foster care.
Under existing law, aid is provided to foster children until the
age of 18 years, but may be continued after a child's 18th birthday
if the child is attending high school or an equivalent vocational or
technical program, or is pursuing a high school equivalency
certificate, and meets other specified requirements.
This bill would require the department to convene a work group to
identify former foster youth as a priority population, establish
which services are provided and of most help to former foster youth,
and to develop a plan to improve outreach efforts with a goal to
increasing accessibility of these programs.
This bill would require the work group to prepare and submit its
recommendations to the department no later than January 1, 2008.
Existing law permits a child who is in foster care and receiving
aid pursuant to the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster
Care (AFDC-FC) program, who is attending high school or the
equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a full-time
basis prior to his or her 18th birthday, to continue to receive aid
following his or her 18th birthday, if the child continues to reside
in foster care placement, remains otherwise eligible for AFDC-FC
payments, and continues to attend high school or the equivalent level
of vocational or technical training on a full-time basis or is
pursuing a high school equivalency certificate and if the child may
reasonably be expected to complete the educational or training
program before his or her 19th birthday. Existing law continuously
appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of
county aid grant costs under the CalWORKs program, which includes the
AFDC-FC program.
This bill would extend the eligibility of an otherwise eligible
child receiving aid under the AFDC-FC program but who does not meet
the eligibility conditions described above, for the period during
which the child continues to remain in foster care placement, until
the child finishes high school, obtains an equivalency certificate,
or finishes the equivalent level of vocational or educational
training, or until the child reaches 25 years of age, whichever
occurs first. By extending eligibility for AFDC-FC benefits, this
bill would make an appropriation. By extending eligibility for
AFDC-FC benefits, this bill would increase the duties of counties
administering the program, thus imposing a state-mandated local
program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: 2/3 majority . Appropriation:
yes no . Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes no .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The State Department of Social
Services shall convene a work group to identify former foster youth
as a priority population, to establish which services that are
provided to former foster care youth are of the most help to them,
and to develop a plan to improve outreach efforts in a way that makes
these services more accessible and more relevant to former foster
youth.
(b) The work group may include, but is not limited to,
representatives of all of the following:
(1) County welfare departments.
(2) County mental health departments.
(3) Local housing agencies.
(4) County health departments.
(5) State and local employment services agencies.
(6) Employer organizations.
(7) Employee organizations.
(c) By January 1, 2008, the work group shall prepare and submit to
the department its recommendations relating to finding a more
effective and efficient method of providing services to former foster
youth.
(d) The work group may secure private contributions to fund its
responsibilities pursuant to this section.
SECTION 1. Section 11403 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code is amended to read:
11403. (a) A child who is in foster care and receiving aid
pursuant to this chapter and who is attending high school or the
equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a full-time
basis, or who is in the process of pursuing a high school equivalency
certificate, prior to his or her 18th birthday, may continue to
receive aid following his or her 18th birthday so long as the child
continues to reside in foster care placement, remains otherwise
eligible for AFDC-FC payments, and continues to attend high school or
the equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a
full-time basis, or continues to pursue a high school equivalency
certificate, and the child may reasonably be expected to complete the
educational or training program or to receive a high school
equivalency certificate, before his or her 19th birthday. Aid shall
be provided to an individual pursuant to this section provided both
the individual and the agency responsible for the foster care
placement have signed a mutual agreement, if the individual is
capable of making an informed agreement, which documents the
continued need for out-of-home placement.
(b) Any child who is in foster care and receiving aid pursuant to
this chapter and who does not meet the requirements of subdivision
(a) and remains otherwise eligible for AFDC-FC payments shall
continue to receive aid pursuant to this chapter as long as the child
continues to reside in foster care placement, until the child
completes high school, obtains a certificate of equivalency,
completes the educational training, or reaches 25 years of age,
whichever occurs first.
SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.