BILL NUMBER: AB 823 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 28, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 12, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Dickinson
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act to add and repeal Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 96050)
of Title 15 of the Government Code, relating to children's services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 823, as amended, Dickinson. Children's Cabinet of California.
Existing law, the California Early Intervention Services Act,
requires the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency and
the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide a statewide
system of coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered,
multidisciplinary, interagency programs responsible for providing
appropriate early intervention services and support to all eligible
infants and toddlers and their families.
This bill would , to the extent that nonstate moneys are made
available for this purpose, establish the Children's Cabinet
of California to serve, until January 1, 2019, as an advisory body
responsible for improving the collaboration and processes of the
multiple agencies that provide services to the children and youth of
the state. This bill would provide that the cabinet shall be
comprised of, among others, the Superintendent of Public Instruction,
the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, the Chief
Justice of the California Supreme Court, or his or designee, and the
heads of various specified state agencies. The bill would require the
cabinet to provide recommendations to the Governor and the
Legislature on a regular basis, which shall include
including an annual report addressing specified
priorities.
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. Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
96050) is added to Title 15 of the Government Code, to read:
CHAPTER 2. CHILDREN'S CABINET OF CALIFORNIA
96050.
96050
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of
the following:
(a) All state agencies and programs that touch the lives of
children and youth and their families must work in a coordinated and
comprehensive fashion, with an emphasis on providing a continuum of
services that benefit children, from prenatal care through programs
supporting successful transition to self-sufficient adulthood.
(b) The Legislature, in collaboration with the Governor, intends
to develop and implement a shared vision among the branches of
government in order to improve child and family outcomes in this
state.
(c) By working collaboratively with the Governor, the Legislature
intends to do all of the following:
(1) Invest in the education and skills of our children and youth
and their families.
(2) Develop a cohesive vision and plan that ensures a long-term
commitment to issues regarding children and youth and their families.
(3) Align public resources serving children and youth and their
families to support their healthy growth and development.
(4) Promote increased efficiency and improved service delivery by
all government agencies that provide services to children and youth
and their families.
96051
SE C. 2. Chapter 2 (commencing with
Section 96050) is added to Title 15 of the Government Code
, to read:
CHAPTER 2. CHILDREN'S CABINET OF CALIFORNIA
96050. (a) The Children's Cabinet of California is
hereby established within state government, which shall serve as an
advisory body responsible for improving the collaboration and
processes of the multiple agencies that provide services to the
children and youth of the state.
(b) The cabinet shall make recommendations to the Governor and the
Legislature on ways to improve the delivery of services to children
and youth and their families by making those services more
responsive, efficient, and effective, and to support efforts to carry
out those activities.
(c) The cabinet shall be comprised of the following members:
(1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services, who shall serve as cochairs.
(2) The Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, or his or
her designee.
(3) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation, or his or her designee.
(4) The Director of Social Services.
(5) The Director of Health Care Services.
(6) The State Public Health Officer.
(7) The Director of Mental Health.
(8) The Director of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
(9) The Director of Developmental Services.
(10) The Director of Child Support Services.
(11) Two Members of the Assembly, as appointed by the Speaker of
the Assembly.
(12) Two Members of the Senate, as appointed by the President pro
Tempore of the Senate.
(13) Additional members that may be appointed at the will of the
Governor, include the First Spouse, the Director of Finance, the
Director of the Governor's Office of Gang and Youth Violence Policy,
or any other ex officio member the Governor deems necessary.
(d) Staffing of the cabinet shall be a shared responsibility among
the cochairs of the cabinet within existing resources or
to the extent private funds are made available for this
purpose.
(e) The cabinet cochairs shall be responsible for all of the
following:
(1) Commencing operation and meeting for the cabinet's
organizational session by March 1, 2012. Thereafter, the cabinet
shall meet no less frequently than each quarter of the fiscal year
and on the call of the cochairs. Members of the cabinet shall receive
no compensation for their services, except that they may be
reimbursed for actual travel and related expenses in accordance with
state policy.
(2) Appointing committees, as needed, to further the work of the
cabinet to address specific issues. committees
Committees shall consist of at least one cabinet member
and may include members of upper level management within the agencies
and departments within the state that provide services for, or have
jurisdiction over the well-being of, children. Members of the
committees shall receive no compensation from the state for their
services, except that they may be reimbursed for actual travel and
related expenses in accordance with state policy. The committees may
assemble information and make recommendations to the cabinet, but
shall not exercise any powers vested in the cabinet.
(3) Identifying at least one upper level management staff person
within each department or agency serving on the cabinet who shall
function as a liaison between the cabinet and the department or
agency, and be a point of contact to address cross-jurisdictional
issues in an efficient, effective, and expeditious manner.
(4) Providing recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature
on a regular basis, including, but not limited to, a report to the
Governor and the Legislature by October 31 of each even-numbered
year, notwithstanding Section 10231.5. The report shall address
priorities described in subdivisions (f) and (g), and shall be
distributed to the Governor, all state agencies and departments, and
the Legislature, including, but not limited to, the Assembly
Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review and the Senate
Committee on Governance and Finance, notwithstanding Section 9795.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the priorities of the
cabinet for 2012 include the following:
(1) Developing a plan to maximize California's share of federal
funds for programs that support California's children and youth,
including, but not limited to, recommendations on the most efficient
and effective use of those funds.
(2) Assessing the quality, appropriateness, efficiency, and
effectiveness of existing programs and services for children and
youth, and, to the greatest extent possible, improving the alignment
of federal, state, and local resources, including, but not limited
to, the elimination or consolidation of duplicative services for
children and youth and their families who would benefit from
integrated services, where appropriate.
(g) It is the intent of the Legislature that, in addition to
activities set forth in subdivision (f), the ongoing goals of the
cabinet include all of the following:
(1) Developing and implementing a shared and cohesive vision using
integrated services to improve child, youth, and family outcomes in
this state.
(2) Developing a strategic plan to achieve the goals of the shared
and cohesive vision. The plan shall be centered upon a long-term
commitment to children and youth issues and shall align all public
resources to serve children and youth and their families in a manner
that supports the healthy growth and development of children. The
plan shall prepare the children and youth to be responsible citizens
and productive members of the workforce. The plan shall include a
continuum of services that will benefit children from prenatal care
through services for youth in transition to adulthood.
(3) Establishing and monitoring indicators and benchmarks of child
well-being, and utilizing these data for evaluation and planning.
This may include, but need not be limited to, developing and
implementing measurable outcomes for each state department, agency,
and program that are consistent with the strategic plan. This may
include establishment of a baseline measurement for each outcome and
regularly reporting on the progress made toward achieving the desired
outcome.
(4) Promoting and implementing data sharing, collaboration,
increased efficiency, and improved service delivery among and within
the state's agencies, departments, and organizations that serve
children and youth.
(5) Coordinating with other state and local coordinating bodies to
support a seamless system of services for children and youth.
(h) In the conduct of its work pursuant to subdivisions (e), (f),
and (g), the cabinet shall be informed by persons who can provide the
best knowledge, research, and expertise from individuals and
organizations, including, but not limited to, parents, children,
youth, educators, school nurses, public officials, faith-based
organizations, community-based organizations, philanthropic
organizations, local educational agencies, colleges, universities,
health care providers, nonprofit organizations, welfare directors,
mental health directors, probation officers, and other organizations
and individuals as needed to inform the work. The cabinet may further
coordinate with these persons as needed to better coordinate
services for children.
(i) The Bureau of State Audits may conduct a performance audit of
the cabinet established pursuant to this chapter and report its
finding to the board and the Legislature on or before January 1,
2018.
96051. This chapter shall be implemented only to the extent that
nonstate moneys are available for these purposes.
96052. This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends
that date.