BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2031
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2031 (Cohn)
As Amended March 29, 2006
Majority 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 : Requires the California Department of Social Services
(DSS) in conjunction with stakeholders to draft guidelines
outlining best practices in the use of advanced technology to
assist counties in identifying all relatives and
nonrelative-extended family members for foster youth.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Expands current law by requiring the state to encourage the
development of approaches that include ensuring that a search
for the relatives of foster youth is initiated before
placement decisions are made for children who are unable to be
reunited with their families.
2)Requires DSS in conjunction with the California Youth
Connection, the County Welfare Directors Association, and the
California Alliance of Child and Family Services among others
to draft guidelines outlining best practices in the use of
advanced technology to assist counties in identifying all
relatives and non-relative extended family members at the
earliest possible time for a foster child.
3)Makes findings and declarations noting that eight counties in
California have initiated programs to use advanced technology
to find the extended families of foster youth.
4)Specifies that while the Legislature supports reunification of
families when it can be safely accomplished, the search for
permanent homes with relatives should be initiated before
placement decisions are made for children who cannot return to
AB 2031
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their biological families.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis, this bill has minor absorbable workload
costs to allow DSS to draft the best practice guidelines.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "far too many children are
placed with strangers or in group homes due to the difficulty of
finding available relatives for the purposes of adoption,
relative care-giving or an established connection to the youth's
immediate family. As a result these youth experience emotional
trauma, inadequate education, homelessness and often criminal
behavior."
Outcome data from Washington and Illinois show that children in
the care of relatives are less likely to enter state custody,
and most of the arrangements do not require intensive
supervision of the placement by the courts or by the department
of social services.
Last year a nearly identical measure, AB 880 (Cohn) passed
through both houses but was vetoed by the Governor. In his veto
message, the Governor said, among other things "the bill does
not provide resources to develop the cost benefit analysis of
using locator technology."
The author reports that there have been recent conversations
with the Administration and now believes that as a result of the
March 20, 2006 amendments removing the section of the bill that
required a cost benefit analysis the Governor will likely sign
the bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Caitlin O'Halloran / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089
FN: 0014917