BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
AB 1015 (C. Calderon)
Hearing Date: 08/25/2011 Amended: 06/20/2011
Consultant: Jolie Onodera Policy Vote: Human Services 4-3
_________________________________________________________________
____
BILL SUMMARY: AB 1015 would require each county to consult with
specified stakeholders when developing county self-assessments,
county improvement plans, or similar reports, as specified. This
bill would require counties to include in their child and family
services review (CFSR) a discussion of operational improvements
that could be implemented at a cost savings or within existing
resources.
_________________________________________________________________
____
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund
CFSR activities Unknown; minor to significant state-General
reimbursable costs
_________________________________________________________________
____
STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
Existing law establishes a system of child welfare services
(CWS) which is overseen by the Department of Social Services
(DSS). Chapter 678/2001 established the California Child and
Family Service Review (CFSR) System in order to review all
county child welfare systems according to outcome indicators and
to identify and promote the replication of best practices in CWS
delivery. Under current law, DSS is required to provide
information annually to the budget committees of the Legislature
including findings and recommendations for CWS improvements
identified in county self-assessments and county system
improvement plans.
This bill would require each county to consult with
stakeholders, including but not limited to, county child welfare
agencies and probation agency staff at all levels, foster care
providers, children's attorneys, and current and former foster
youth when developing county self-assessments, county
AB 1015 (Calderon)
Page 1
improvement plans, or similar reports required by any subsequent
changes to the California CFSR System. The county would
additionally be required to consult with at least one county
child welfare worker named by the bargaining unit representing
children's social workers.
This bill would also require county improvement plans that are
approved by the county board of supervisors to include a
separately titled provision that lists and provides the
rationale for proposed operational improvements identified
during the stakeholder process that may be implemented at a cost
savings to the county or within existing county resources.
Counties currently receive an appropriation to conduct CFSR
activities and are encouraged to use existing planning processes
and community-based groups to facilitate public input in the
self-assessment and county improvement planning process. As a
result, the DSS estimates the impact associated with the
requirement to consult with additional stakeholders in the
county assessment and county improvement planning process is
estimated to be minor. However, the level of staff resources and
workload involved with the development of reports required by
future changes to the CFSR System is unknown at this time, and
could result in potentially significant state-reimbursable costs
in order to comply with subsequent changes to the reporting
process.
Should the development of cost neutral operational improvements
to be included in county improvement plans necessitate
additional time and resources could also result in minor to
significant state-reimbursable costs. The impact would vary by
county and would be dependent upon the breadth and scope of the
operational improvements included in each county's plan.
Under the public safety realignment plan, counties would be
responsible for the costs of the child welfare services program,
however until additional implementing legislation is enacted,
the state will be responsible for any mandated costs.
To the extent the provisions of this bill facilitate the
development of improved practices could result in improved
outcomes for children and assist the state in ensuring
compliance with required federal standards.
AB 1015 (Calderon)
Page 2
The author's proposed amendments would delete the mandated
stakeholder process requirement for future reports required by
subsequent changes to the CFSR System and would instead require
each county to consult with stakeholders in the development of
any subsequent county self-assessments pursuant to this section.
This amendment narrows the potential for future
state-reimbursable costs.