BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1402
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 28, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Jim Beall, Jr., Chair
AB 1402 (Bass) - As Amended: April 21, 2009
SUBJECT : Family Connection Grants
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to
apply for or support a California-based application for the
federal matching Family Connection Grant in order to connect
foster kids with family members.
EXISTING LAW
1)Establishes a system of child welfare services, including
foster care, for children who have been or are at risk of
being abused or neglected, and declares the duty of the state
to care for and protect the children that it places into
foster care.
2)Authorizes, under federal law, matching grants to state,
local, or tribal child welfare agencies, and experienced
private nonprofit organizations to help children in, or at
risk of entering, foster care to reconnect with family
members. Cites as components of a family reconnect program:
(1) a kinship navigator program to assist kinship caregivers
in finding and utilizing programs and services for themselves
and their children; (2) intensive familyfinding efforts,
including work to reestablish relationships and explore ways
to find a permanent family placement for the children; (3)
famil3)y group decision making meetings for children in the
child welfare system; and (4) residential family treatment
programs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : In the waning months of 2008, Congress enacted and
President Bush signed one of the most significant pieces of
child welfare legislation in some time. The Fostering
Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions (Fostering
Connections) Act (P.L. 110-351) offers includes significant new
federal matching funds to support relative guardians of foster
children. Among other significant provisions, Fostering
Connections increased resources for Kinship Navigator programs
AB 1402
Page 2
and established new Family Connection Grants. The latter,
provides grants for Family Group Decision-making meetings,
Intensive Family Finding activities, and Residential
Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment, all of which can help
children stay safely with family members and out of foster care
or, once in care, return safely to their parents or find
permanence with other relatives. The author is introducing this
bill to ensure that California participates in these additional
federal resources to help children reconnect with relatives and
provide better supports for kin caregivers.
According to the background provided, family finders and kinship
navigator programs have proven to be powerful tools in the child
welfare efforts to reconnect foster kids to relatives, and to
provide those families with crucial supports. A family finder
is a relatively new concept where a social worker, using
powerful computer search technology, looks for family members of
"cold cases," children who spend years moving from foster home
to foster home. A kinship navigator is a person that connects
these relatives with the myriad of support services such as
health, financial, and legal services than many of them are
unaware they are entitled to and crucially need to care for the
child.
Foster care is intended to provide children with temporary
out-of-home placements until they can safely return home or be
permanently placed with relatives or other committed adults.
Yet in July of 2008, approximately 15,000 children for whom the
state was responsible had been in its care and custody for
longer than 5 years. In 2008, 40% of children in foster care at
some point during the year had been placed in at least three
homes or institutions. Through this bill the author seeks to
use family finders to reconnect these kids with relatives and
provide them with supports through Kinship Navigators.
This bill would require DSS to apply for or support a
California-based application for the federal matching Family
Connection Grant in order to connect foster kids with family
members.
The federal law appropriates $15 million for each year from 2009
through 2013 for Family Connection grants.
Supporters of the bill state that in this time of economic need
around the country, it is essential that California apply for
the maximum resources available to help secure more stable
AB 1402
Page 3
placement options for children and youth both at risk of and in
foster care, and additional resources and supports for relative
caregivers.
Related legislation : AB 880 (Cohn) 2005-2006 would have
required the 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
non-relative-extended family members at the earliest possible
moment for the foster child. Vetoed by the Governor.
AB 2031 (Cohn) 2006-2007 would have required 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 non-relative-extended family
members at the earliest possible moment for the foster child.
Vetoed by the Governor.
AB 149 (Bass) 2007-2008 would have required the DSS to enter
into a contract for technology to assist counties in searching
for relatives to serve as caretakers for foster children and
youth and create two pilot projects to assist counties in
identifying family members and family members in understanding
and navigating the system of out-of-home care. Vetoed by the
Governor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Alternative Family Services
California Youth Connection
Canyon Acres Children and Family Services
Crystal Stairs, Inc.
David and Margaret Youth and Family Services
Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services
John Burton Foundation for Children without Homes
Sacramento Children's Home
Success in Recovery, Inc.
Sunny Hills Services
WestCoast Children's Clinic
Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services
Youth for Change
Opposition
AB 1402
Page 4
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Frances Chacon / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089