BILL NUMBER: AB 671	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 12, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 4, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 25, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 30, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Portantino

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add Section 16501.4 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to child welfare services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 671, as amended, Portantino. Child welfare services: education
and training requirements.
   Existing law requires the establishment and support of a public
system of statewide child welfare services, for the protection of
children who are alleged to be abused or neglected. Existing law
provides for a statewide multipurpose child welfare training program
to develop and implement statewide coordinated training programs
designed specifically to meet the needs of county child protective
services social workers  who are  assigned emergency
response, family maintenance, family reunification, permanent
placement, and adoption responsibilities.
   This bill would specify education and training requirements for
social work supervisors  and other personnel performing
social work activities in a county child welfare services agency.
This bill would exempt a social worker employed before  
who are hired on or after  January 1,  2013, from
related field practice, course work, and experience requirements, as
prescribed   2016  .
   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.  It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
act to improve outcomes and increase consumer protection in child
welfare services by improving the educational standards of
supervisors in child welfare services to ensure that each supervisor
has the appropriate training, experience, and education.
  SEC. 2.  Section 16501.4 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   16501.4.  (a) (1) The educational requirements for social work
supervisors for a county child welfare services agency shall be a
master's degree  in social work  from an accredited
or state-approved graduate school in social work or social welfare.
   (2) A person who possesses a master's degree from an accredited or
state-approved graduate school in any of the following areas,
 or   and  at least three  years
  years   '  experience in child welfare
as determined by the department, shall be qualified to perform
supervisory social work activities in a county child welfare services
agency:
   (A) Marriage, family, and child counseling.
   (B) Child psychology.
   (C) Child development.
   (D) Counseling psychology.
   (E) Social psychology.
   (F) Clinical psychology.
   (G) Educational psychology, consistent with the scope of practice
as described in Section 4989.14 of the Business and Professions Code.

   (H) Education, with emphasis on counseling. 
   (3) Commencing January 1, 2016, a person hired before January 1,
2016, without a master's degree but with equivalent education and
experience, as determined by the department, shall be qualified to
perform supervisory social work activities in a county child welfare
services agency. 
   (b) The degree requirements and experience requirements described
 in this section   in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
subdivision (a)  shall only apply to supervisors hired on or
after January 1,  2013   2016  .