BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2129
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Date of Hearing: March 23, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Jim Beall, Jr., Chair
AB 2129 (Bass) - As Introduced: February 18, 2010
SUBJECT : Foster care: residentially based services
SUMMARY : Extends to January 1, 2014 the deadline for the
Department of Social Services (DSS) to develop a plan to
transform the current statewide system of group homes into a
system of residentially based services, and provides that
voluntary agreements between counties and private nonprofit
agencies to test alternative program design and funding models
for transforming individual group home programs into
residentially based services programs may not exceed five years
from January 1, 2010.
EXISTING LAW
1)Requires the state, through DSS and county welfare
departments, to establish and support a system of statewide
child welfare, which includes services related to foster care
placement of dependent children.
2)Requires children removed from their parents for abuse or
neglect to be placed in one of various placements, including a
licensed group home, under the oversight of DSS.
3)Provides for the funding of foster care placements through a
combination of federal, state, and county funds.
4)Provides for the licensing and regulation of community care
facilities, including group homes, by DSS.
5)Establishes rates of care for children placed in licensed or
approved family homes and group homes.
6)Requires DSS to convene a workgroup of designated public and
private stakeholders that will develop a plan for transforming
the current system of group care for foster children or youth,
and for children with serious emotional disorders into a
system of residentially based services, as defined.
7)Requires DSS, by January 1, 2011, to provide a copy of the
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plan developed by the workgroup to the Legislature
8)Requires DSS to encourage counties and private nonprofit
agencies to develop voluntary agreements to test alternative
program design and funding models to achieve the bill's
objectives.
9)Authorizes voluntary agreements between counties and nonprofit
agencies to transfer all or part of an existing group home
program into a residentially based services program, if
specified conditions are met, prohibits the agreements from
exceeding five years from January 1, 2008, and authorizes DSS
to waive otherwise applicable regulatory provisions and
approve alternative funding models, in order to facilitate
implementation of these agreements.
10)Specifies the required characteristics of these alternative
funding models.
11)Requires DSS to report during the legislative budget hearing
on the status of any county agreements entered into pursuant
to these provisions, and on the development of statewide
residentially based services programs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Background : AB 1453 (Soto), Chapter 466, Statutes of 2007,
added the provisions directing DSS to convene a workgroup to
develop a plan to transform the current statewide system of
group homes into a system of residentially based services and,
in the interim, permit some counties to enter into voluntary
agreements with private nonprofit agencies to transform
individual group home programs. In enacting AB 1453, the
Legislature found that "[t]here is general dissatisfaction with
how foster care group homes are currently used in California's
child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems.
This concern is shared by the state, county placing agencies,
the courts, group home providers, children's advocates, and,
most importantly, by foster youth and their families."
In the Spring of 2005, the California Alliance of Child and
Family Services, sponsor of both AB 1453 and this bill, convened
a workgroup of youth, child and family advocates, public and
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private agencies, and service providers to meet monthly to
develop a consensus for improving the quality and effectiveness
of group home services and clarifying the role of these services
within the foster care system. From this process, the Alliance
released the Framework for a New System for Residentially-Based
Services in California in March 2006, with the intent of
inspiring a transformation of the current system of group home
care for children and youth. The Framework redefines group home
care as residential based services which are "designed to
improve their focus and effectiveness and incorporate them as
consistent and reliable sources within the comprehensive array
of family-centered, strength-based services that are being made
available for children and families in California's emerging new
systems of care." The Framework comprised the centerpiece of AB
1453.
Need for this bill : The author of this bill says that "AB 1453
[was] intended to begin reform of how group homes deliver
services to children and youth in foster care." AB 1453
represents "a unique partnership between the Legislature, the
State, and philanthropy to move this project forward in
difficult fiscal times. Philanthropy (especially the Casey
Foundation - Casey Family Programs) has contributed significant
resources to support state operations and technical assistance."
The author notes that there was quite a significant delay in DSS
developing the proper mechanism for receipt of those resources,
resulting in the delay in getting the pilot off ground and the
need for additional time to accomplish the goals of the project.
This bill extends DSS's deadline for developing the plan and
the time limit for the voluntary agreements between counties and
nonprofit agencies. In support of this bill, the County Welfare
Directors Association of California says that "[p]rogress is
being made on this issue and it is reasonable to provide the
department with extra time to ensure a comprehensive plan is
submitted." Similarly, the California Alliance of Child and
Family Services notes that "[u]pdating these two timeframes
would allow the [residentially based services] reform effort to
continue to move forward and to facilitate the implementation of
the [residentially based services] demonstration project."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
AB 2129
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California Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA)
The California Alliance of Child and Family Services
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Eric Gelber / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089