BILL NUMBER: AB 2186 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Grove
FEBRUARY 23, 2012
An act to amend Section 16000 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to foster care. An act to
add Chapter 1.4 (commencing with Section 1945) to Division 2.5 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code, and to repeal Chapter 1614 of the
Statutes of 1984, relating to the Youth Emergency
Telephone Referral Project.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2186, as amended, Grove. Foster care services.
Youth Emergency Telephone Referral Project.
Existing uncodified law establishes the Youth Emergency Telephone
Referral Project, in the Office of Criminal Justice Planning, to be
headquartered in Sacramento, as specified. Existing law provides that
the Office of Criminal Justice Planning may directly implement the
project, or may contract with nonprofit corporations, as specified,
for administration of the project.
This bill would recast and codify these uncodified provisions of
law establishing the project and stating the intent of the
Legislature in that regard. The bill would establish the project in
the California Emergency Management Agency, and would provide that
the agency may directly implement the project, or may administer
competitively awarded grants awarded to nonprofit corporations to do
so, as specified. The bill would delete the provisions requiring the
project be headquartered in Sacramento.
Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature to preserve
and strengthen a child's family ties whenever possible, removing the
child from the custody of his or her parents only when necessary for
his or her welfare or for the safety and protection of the public.
Existing law includes various provisions relating to the provision of
appropriate placement and other services for children in foster
care.
This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to a
provision relating to foster children.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no
yes . State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1.4 (commencing with Section
1945) is added to Division 2.5 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code , to read:
CHAPTER 1.4. YOUTH EMERGENCY TELEPHONE REFERRAL PROJECT
1945. The Legislature finds and declares that the problem of
runaway children is one of major significance, causing great
suffering both for parents, who often do not know whether their child
is alive, as well as for the runaways themselves, as they often are
young, impressionable children, who are frequently the victims of
crime, including forced prostitution, drug abuse, and death.
1946. (a) There is, administered by the California Emergency
Management Agency, the Youth Emergency Telephone Referral Project.
The agency may directly implement the project or may administer
grants that shall be awarded pursuant to a request for application
process. Grants shall be competitively awarded to nonprofit
corporations that can most efficiently and effectively meet the
following mandated objectives:
(1) Provide a statewide 24-hour youth emergency telephone hotline
for homeless or runaway youth.
(2) Provide referrals to appropriate services to homeless or
runaway youth who call the hotline, for shelter, meals, clothing,
counseling, and other services necessary for their well-being.
(3) Provide 24-hour telephone crisis counseling by trained
volunteer or paid staff for homeless or runaway youth.
(4) Serve as a message center for homeless or runaway youth who
wish to communicate with their parents or guardians.
(b) The agency shall supervise the grant recipients, as needed, to
ensure compliance with the objectives of this chapter.
(c) The agency shall, in conjunction with providers of telephone
service, establish and implement a statewide toll-free telephone
number to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The agency shall
use the provider of telephone services that, in the opinion of the
agency, provides the most efficient services at the lowest cost.
(d) The agency shall publicize the existence of the referral
service through the print and electronic media, including, but not
limited to, the use of television and radio public service
announcements, brochures, newspaper announcements, posters, bumper
stickers, and agreements for the provision of publicity, free of
charge, by private entities.
(e) The agency shall cooperate with other services of this kind
throughout the United States, or existing local services in
California, with the goal of aiding, rather that preempting, these
services.
SEC. 2. Chapter 1614 of the Statutes of 1984 is
repealed.
SECTION 1. Section 16000 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code is amended to read:
16000. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to preserve and
strengthen a child's family ties whenever possible, removing the
child from the custody of his or her parents only when necessary for
his or her welfare or for the safety and protection of the public. If
a child is removed from the physical custody of his or her parents,
preferential consideration shall be given whenever possible to the
placement of the child with the relative as required by Section 7950
of the Family Code. If the child is removed from his or her own
family, it is the purpose of this chapter to secure as nearly as
possible for the child the custody, care, and discipline equivalent
to that which should have been given to the child by his or her
parents. It is further the intent of the Legislature to reaffirm its
commitment to children who are in out-of-home placement to live in
the least restrictive, most family like setting and to live as close
to the child's family as possible pursuant to subdivision (c) of
Section 16501.1. Family reunification services shall be provided for
expeditious reunification of the child with his or her family, as
required by law. If reunification is not possible or likely, a
permanent alternative shall be developed.
(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature to ensure that all
pupils in foster care and those who are homeless as defined by the
federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11301
et seq.) have the opportunity to meet the challenging state pupil
academic achievement standards to which all pupils are held. In
fulfilling their responsibilities to pupils in foster care,
educators, county placing agencies, care providers, advocates, and
the juvenile courts shall work together to maintain stable school
placements and to ensure that each pupil is placed in the least
restrictive educational programs, and has access to the academic
resources, services, and extracurricular and enrichment activities
that are available to all pupils. In all instances, educational and
school placement decisions shall be based on the best interests of
the child.