BILL NUMBER: AB 2141	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 27, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jones

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2006

    An act to add Section 14504.5 to the Welfare and
Institutions Code,   An act to add Article 3 (commencing
with Section 124240) to Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the
Health and Safety Code, relating to family planning.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2141, as amended, Jones  Family planning: Parent-Child
Communication Assistance Program.  
   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Services and under
which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits.

   Under existing law, specified family planning services,
administered by the Office of Family Planning within the 
department   State Department of Health Services  ,
are provided to Medi-Cal recipients and certain other persons.  

   Existing law establishes various programs administered by the
department relating to adolescent health. 
   This bill would establish the Parent-Child Communication
Assistance Program within the  Office of Family Planning
  Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Branch of the
department  , with the goal of decreasing teenage pregnancies
through programs that equip parents  , guardians, and parenting
adults  with the knowledge, understanding, and communication
skills necessary to talk to their children about making responsible
decisions regarding at-risk  sexual  behavior. The bill
would require that the program focus on parents  , guardians, and
parenting adults  of minor children at risk of becoming
pregnant or impregnating someone, and would specify the funding
priorities  and certain provider qualification  
standards  under the program. It would provide for the program
to be implemented to the extent that an appropriation for that
purpose is made from state or federal funds.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. 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)     Research shows that teenagers who
feel comfortable communicating openly about sexuality with their
parents, their guardians, or other adult mentors are more likely to
delay sexual activity, are less likely to engage in risky sexual
behavior, and are better equipped to have healthy relationships than
other teenagers.  
   (b) The goal of the Parent-Child Communication Assistance Program
is to decrease teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases,
and sexual assault through programs that equip parenting adults with
the knowledge, understanding, and communication skills necessary to
talk with their children about sex and sexuality.  
   (c) Parenting adults often do not feel comfortable discussing sex
with their children. Parents, guardians, and other parenting adults
want to help their children make the best possible decisions
regarding what's best for them.  Honest communication not only
provides minors with the tools necessary for making responsible
decisions, but also helps protect them from sexual abuse and from
becoming sexual abusers. 
   SEC. 2.    Article 3 (commencing with Section 124240)
is added to Chapter 4 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the  
Health and Safety Code   , to read: 

       Article 3.  Parent-Child Communication Assistance Program

   124240.  (a) The Parent-Child Communication Assistance Program
shall be a continuing program within the Maternal, Child, and
Adolescent Branch of the department, with the goal of decreasing
teenage pregnancies through programs that equip parents, guardians,
and parenting adults with the knowledge, understanding, and
communication skills necessary to talk to their children about making
responsible decisions regarding at-risk sexual behavior.
   (b) The program shall focus on parents, guardians, and parenting
adults of minor children at risk of becoming pregnant or impregnating
someone, in an effort to provide the parents, guardians, and
parenting adults with effective tools for communicating with their
children regarding responsible behavior.
   (c) Participation in the program by a parent, guardian, or
parenting adult shall be on a voluntary basis only.
   (d) Priority for funding under the program shall be given to
public or private nonprofit organizations operating any of the
following types of programs:
   (1) Programs that target parents, guardians, and parenting adults
in geographic areas that have been found to be at high risk of teen
pregnancy.
   (2) Programs for parents, guardians, and parenting adults of
foster care youth.
   (3) Programs designed to assist parents, guardians, and parenting
adults in communicating effectively with minors to increase the
minors' understanding of, and ability to act responsibly regarding,
their own sexuality and the social pressures affecting them.
   (e) Grants shall be made available to qualified public or private
nonprofit providers. The Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Branch of
the department shall establish provider qualification standards,
which shall include, but not be limited to, each of the following:
   (1) Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and competence.
   (2) The medical accuracy and objectivity of all factual
information in the curriculum regarding human sexuality, the
prevention of unintended pregnancy, and sexually transmitted
infections.
   (3) Demonstrated ability to provide effective tools, skills, and
strategies for adult communication with minors regarding sexuality.
   (4) The provision of, or referral for, a comprehensive range of
services to meet the health, education, and welfare needs of minors.

   (5) The provision of a list of available resources in the
community.
   (f) For purposes of this section, "parenting adult" means an adult
in a child rearing or mentoring role, regardless of whether the
adult is a relative of the minor.
   (g) This section shall be implemented to the extent that an
appropriation for that purpose is made from funds made available by
the federal government or the state, or by both.   
  SECTION 1.    Section 14504.5 is added to the
Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
   14504.5.  (a) The Parent-Child Communication Assistance Program
shall be a continuing program within the Office of Family Planning,
with the goal of decreasing teenage pregnancies through programs that
equip parents with the knowledge, understanding, and communication
skills necessary to talk to their children about making responsible
decisions regarding at-risk behavior.
   (b) The program shall focus on parents of minor children at risk
of becoming pregnant or impregnating someone, in an effort to provide
the parents or guardians with effective tools for communicating with
their children regarding responsible behavior.
   (c) Priority for funding under the program shall be given to the
following:
   (1) Programs that target parents and guardians of at-risk youth.
   (2) Programs designed to increase youths' understanding of, and
ability to act responsibly regarding, their own sexuality and the
social pressures affecting them.
   (d) Grants shall be made available to qualified public or private
nonprofit providers.
   (e) This section shall be implemented to the extent that an
appropriation for that purpose is made from funds made available by
the federal government or the state, or by both.