BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2342
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2342 (Evans)
As Amended May 28, 2010
Majority vote
HUMAN SERVICES 4-0 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Beall, Ammiano, Hall, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Ammiano, |
| |Swanson | |Bradford, |
| | | |Charles Calderon, Coto, |
| | | |Davis, Monning, Ruskin, |
| | | |Skinner, Solorio, |
| | | |Torlakson, Torrico |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Conway, Harkey, Miller, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Requires the Office of the State Foster Care
Ombudsperson to develop a resource guide for adolescent foster
youth outlining statewide programs and services related to
education, housing, health, independent living programs,
personal finance and employment opportunities. Directs the
office to incorporate the resource guide into its existing web
site and print publications, and makes the development and
distribution of the guide contingent upon the receipt of public
and private grant funding.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson
(Ombudsperson) as an autonomous entity within the Department
of Social Services (DSS) to provide children placed in foster
care with the means to resolve issues related to their care,
placement and services. Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC)
Section 16161.
2)Requires the Ombudsperson to disseminate information regarding
the rights of children and youth in foster care, and allows
the office, counties, foster care providers and others to use
that information in fulfilling their responsibilities to
inform foster youth about their rights. WIC 16164.
AB 2342
Page 2
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, costs in the range of $75,000 General Fund for DSS to
work with stakeholders and develop a resource guide for foster
youth.
COMMENTS : Need for this bill: According to the author, "There
are many local and state, and public and nonprofit organizations
in California that have developed their own version of a
resource guide for foster youth, however, these resource guides
usually include information for each specific organization only,
or are not developed specifically to include information for
foster youth. Developing and distributing a resource guide will
provide foster youth, particularly those foster youth "aging
out" of the system, with a valuable tool that they can use to
navigate the complex, and sometimes intimidating, system of
public agencies and organizations statewide."
The author believes the resource guide will be a useful tool for
foster parents, social workers, teachers, mentors and others who
work with foster youth, in helping them to access the supports
and services they need to successfully transition to adulthood.
Currently, the Ombudsman maintains a web site,
www.fosteryouthhelp.ca.gov/default.htm , developed by a former
foster youth, which provides information and resources related
to foster youth rights, education, housing, and employment,
among other topics. In addition, the Ombudsman has developed a
printed publication for foster youth, but this publication is
not available electronically.
Prior legislation: AB 1983 (Bass) of 2006 would have required
DSS to form a workgroup to identify services available to former
foster youth, and the eligibility requirements for those
services, and to perform outreach to make those services more
accessible. AB 1983 was held on the Assembly Appropriations
Committee Suspense File.
Analysis Prepared by : Michelle Doty Cabrera / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089
AB 2342
Page 3
FN: 0004710