BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2001
Page A
Date of Hearing: April 8, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Mark Stone, Chair
AB 2001 (Ammiano) - As Introduced: February 20, 2014
SUBJECT : Homeless youth: dependency proceedings
SUMMARY : Clarifies that a minor who is chronically homeless
may be placed under the dependency jurisdiction of the juvenile
court. Specifically, this bill :
1)States the intent of the Legislature to provide a path for
homeless youth to receive independent living skill services
from homeless youth shelters and group homes that specialize
in providing services to homeless children and youth, and to
secure federal funding for the provision of these services
under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec.
671 et seq.).
2)Clarifies that a minor may be rendered a dependent of the
juvenile court if the child is chronically homeless and the
child's parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to assist
the child.
EXISTING LAW
1)States that the purpose of foster care law is to provide
maximum safety and protection for children who are currently
being physically, sexually, emotionally abused, neglected, or
exploited, and to ensure the safety, protection, and physical
and emotional well-being of children who are at risk of harm.
(Welfare and Institutions (W&I) Code 300.2)
2)States the intent of the Legislature to preserve and
strengthen a child's family ties whenever possible and to
reunify a foster youth with his or her biological family
whenever possible, or to provide a permanent placement
alternative, such as adoption or guardianship. (W&I Code
16000)
3)Requires a county to file a petition to the court requesting a
detention hearing within 48 hours of placing a child under
temporary custody to determine whether a child should remain
in custody and whether any specific court permissions are
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necessary to provide for the health and safety of the child.
(W&I Code 313 and 319)
4)Requires a social worker, within 30 days of taking a child
into temporary custody or whenever appropriate to identify and
locate all adults who are related to the child by blood,
adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship and
provide for the purposes of informing them of their right to
participate in the care and placement of the child, as
specified. (W&I Code 309(e))
5)Requires preferential consideration be given to a request by a
relative to have the child placed with the relative if the
child has been removed from the physical custody of the
child's parent(s). (WIC 361.3(a))
6)Requires a "detention hearing" to be held within 24 hours of
the next court day whenever a detention petition is filed with
the court. (W&I Code 315)
7)Requires a juvenile court to hold a "jurisdictional hearing"
within 15 judicial days of the petition filed to take the
child into temporary custody to determine whether the court
has jurisdiction to adjudicate the child. (W&I Code 334)
8)Requires a juvenile court to hold a "dispositional hearing"
within 60 days of the detention hearing to determine the
appropriate placement for the youth if he or she is
adjudicated to be a dependent of the court. (W&I Code 352(b))
9)For children under the age of three who are placed into foster
care, permits the juvenile court to order family reunification
services, to be provided by a county welfare agency (CWA), for
a period of six months but no longer than 12 months after the
child entered foster care. (WIC 361.5(a)(1)(B))
10)For children over the age of three who are placed into foster
care, permits the juvenile court to order family reunification
services, to be provided by a CWA, for a period of 12 months
after the child entered foster care. (WIC 361.5(a)(1)(A))
11)Permits the juvenile court to extend the provision of family
reunification services beyond 12 months, but no longer than 18
months based upon specified circumstances. (WIC 361.5(a)(3))
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12)Establishes the California Community Care Facilities Act
(CCFA) to provide a comprehensive statewide service system of
quality community care for people who have a mental illness, a
developmental or physical disability, and children and adults
who require care or services by a facility or organization.
(H&S Code 1500)
13)Defines a "community care facility" as a facility, place, or
building maintained and operated to provide nonmedical
residential care, day treatment, adult day care, or foster
family agency services for children, adults, or children and
adults, including, but not limited to, the physically
handicapped, mentally impaired, incompetent persons, and
abused or neglected children. (H&S Code 1502)
14)Authorizes DSS to license facilities or organizations that
provide services under the jurisdiction of the CCFA. (H&S Code
1503.5)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
COMMENTS :
Maintaining the Family : Historically, it has been the stated
policy of California that when a child is removed from the home,
first preference should be given to placing the child with
another parent, or with his or her relatives whenever possible
and appropriate. This has helped to preserve and strengthen the
social bedrock of our society, by keeping families together and
reducing society's reliance on its social welfare system.
Child Welfare Services : The purpose of California's Child
Welfare Services (CWS) system is to provide for the protection
and the health and safety of children. Within this purpose, the
desired outcome is to reunite children with their biological
parents, when appropriate, to help preserve and strengthen
families. However, if reunification with the biological family
is not appropriate, children are placed in the best environment
possible, whether that is with a relative, through adoption, or
with a guardian, such as a nonrelated extended family member, as
specified. In the case of children who are at risk of abuse,
neglect or abandonment, county juvenile courts hold legal
jurisdiction and children are served by the CWS system through
the appointment of a social worker. Through this system, there
are multiple stages where the custody of the child or his or her
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placement are evaluated, reviewed and determined by the judicial
system, in consultation with the child's social worker to help
provide the best possible services to the child.
At the time a child is identified as needing child welfare
services and is in the temporary custody of a social worker, the
social worker is required to identify whether there is a
relative or guardian to whom a child may be released, unless the
social worker believes that the child would be at risk of abuse,
neglect or abandonment if placed with that relative or
guardian.<1> The W&I Code also lays out the conditions under
which a court may deem a child a dependent or ward of the court,
including when the parent has been incarcerated or
institutionalized and is unable to arrange for care for the
child, such as placement with a known relative or nonrelative
extended family member (NREFM). If the child is deemed a
dependent or ward of the court, the court may maintain the child
in his or her home, remove the child from the home but with the
goal of reunifying the child with his or her family, or identify
another form of permanent placement. Unless the child is unable
to be placed with the parent, the court is required to give
preference to a relative of the child in order to preserve the
child's association with his or her family. Associated with the
placement, the assigned social worker shall develop a case plan
for the child, which outlines the placement for the child, sets
forth services necessary for the child, and outlines the
provision of reunification services, if necessary and
appropriate.
Custody and out-home-placement of children in foster care : When
it is suspected that a child is a victim of physical, sexual, or
emotional abuse, or neglect or exploitation, any person may
report that abuse or neglect to child protective services.
Additionally certain individuals, such as physicians and
teachers, are mandated under state and federal law to
immediately report any suspicion or identification of child
abuse or neglect to child protective services. After the report
of abuse or neglect is made, a county welfare agency's (CWA)
child protective services social worker is required to
immediately investigate the complaint to determine its validity.
If the complaint is found to be valid, the social worker may
remove the child from the family and place the child into
temporary custody.
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<1> Welfare and Institutions Codes 306 and 309
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This allows for the immediate removal of the child from harm,
while the CWA and the court investigate whether the child should
remain in temporary custody or be ruled a dependent of the
state. Temporary custody does not eliminate all rights of the
parent; rather removal of parental rights depends on what "care,
custody and control" rights the parent(s) may retain, as
determined by the court on a case by case basis. Typically, the
parent retains educational and health rights over the child,
which, again, depends on the ruling of the court.
The timelines and requirements to address custody and the
placement of the child in an out-of-home placement, such as with
the home of a relative, a foster parent or a group home are laid
out in the W&I Code and provide an adjudicatory process that
must be conducted expeditiously to limit, to the extent
possible, any harm to the child. This includes limiting undue
harm due to the removal of the child from the family for health
and safety purposes, as well as avoiding emotional harm to the
child due to separation from his or her parent(s).
As intended by law to limit undue harm and increase the chances
of reunification of the child with his or her parent(s), the
Family and the W&I Code lay out specific preferential placement
considerations for relatives of the child. Specifically, current
law requires a social worker to, within 30 days of the child's
removal from the home, locate any known adults who are related
to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth
degree of kinship<2> and notify them that the child has been
removed from his or her parent's custody. Once identified or as
relatives come forward, the priority is to place the child in
the home of a relative, unless it is not deemed to be in the
best interest of the child.<3> If no other parent is available
or exists, direct blood relatives are considered, such as the
aunt, uncle, or grandparents. Beyond that, extended relatives
and then nonrelated extended family members (NREFM) are
considered. NREFMs are persons who have an established familial
or mentoring relationship with a child, and can be considered an
individual with whom a child in foster care may be placed. They
can be a godmother or godfather, a coach, a close friend of the
family, or anyone who has an established relationship with the
child or the family. If no adult who is related by blood or
affinity is identified or comes forward then foster family homes
or group homes are considered for placement.
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<2> Welfare and Institutions Code 319(f)(2)
<3> Family Code 7950
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In cases where a child's relative does not initially come
forward, but identifies him or herself to the social worker or
the court after an initial placement of the child is made, the
social worker is required to conduct an assessment as to the
fitness of the relative and notify and recommend to the court
whether the child should be placed with the relative. However,
this can raise questions as to whether it is in the child's best
interest to remove him or her from an out-of-home placement,
perhaps one that is stable and beneficial to the child, in order
to place him or her with a relative, simply because child
welfare law states that a relative should be provided
preferential consideration for placement. Such scenarios are
considered on a case-by-case basis, which includes an evaluation
by the social worker and the court, and as such encompasses all
parties involved, in order to ensure the best outcome for the
child. This includes an assessment by the social worker, a
correlating notification of the minor's counsel, parent's
counsel, and involvement of the court, with the ultimate
decision being made by the juvenile court judge.
Although a relative may come forward and be approved as an
appropriate placement by the social worker, the court, upon
consideration of all parties involved, could ultimately decide
not to remove the child from a stable non-relative foster care
placement so as not to disrupt the stability of the child. The
converse could also happen. A court could remove a child from a
stable foster care placement, as permitted under law, place him
or her with a relative that could be a less stable placement,
but is reflective of the intent of the state's child welfare law
that preferential consideration be given to known relatives of
the child.
Reunification Services : When children are removed from the
home, but the court determines, in consultation with a child's
social worker, that the child would ultimately benefit from
being returned to the family, the court may order reunification
services for the parents. Reunification services are generally
developed on a case-by-case basis to accommodate and respond to
the needs of the child and the parents to better facilitate the
child's reunification with his or her parent(s).
Reunifications services can include family therapy, parenting
classes, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, respite care, parent
support groups, home visiting programs, and other coordinated
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and tailored services necessary to assist the child and the
family with reunification. Under current law, for children under
the age of three, reunification services are offered for six
months and offered for 12 months for children over the age of
three. A six-month extension may be made if the court finds
there is substantial probability that the child will be returned
to the physical custody of his or her parent(s) within the
extended time period or that reasonable services have not been
provided to the parent(s).<4>
Federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RYHA): In response to
concerns emerging during the early 1970s that little if any
federal and state services were available to youth who were
either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, Congress
established the RHYA in 1974. The Family Youth Services Bureau
(FYSB), under the United States Department of Health and Human
Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families,
oversees the issuance of Basic Center Program grants. The
purpose of these grants, according to the FYSB, is to "establish
or strengthen community-based programs that meet the immediate
needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families." Under
these grants, recipient organizations and agencies provide youth
up to age 18 with emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling
and referrals to youth services. Although the intent is to help
reunite youth with their families through counseling and
supportive services whenever possible, they also help to locate
appropriate alternative placements that can help keep youth off
the streets and avoid becoming chronically homeless.
Funding for these programs is extremely limited due to the
nation's ongoing budget deficit. In federal fiscal year 2012,
321 programs received a total of $48.2 million.
Homeless Youth: Established by the California Research Bureau
(CRB) in 2006 in collaboration with the Council on Youth
Relations (CYR), the Homeless Youth Project (HYP) is a
multi-year research and policy initiative tasked with
highlighting and raising awareness about the homeless youth
population and its challenges, and presenting solutions to help
address California's homeless youth population.
According to the HYP, based upon national survey estimates and
California's youth population, it is estimated that there are
200,000 youth under the age of 18 and potentially thousands of
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<4> Welfare and Institutions Code 361.5
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persons aged 18 - 24 who are homeless. While this is an
approximation of the number of homeless youth in California, the
number is likely to be greater given the challenges involved in
the identification of homeless youth. For purpose of this
population, "homeless youth" typically describes minors under
the age of 18, and 18 - 24-year-olds who are economically and/or
emotionally detached from their families and have an unstable
and inadequate living environment, or are periodically homeless
or homeless.
The causes of youth homelessness are varied and complex. They
range from runaway youth to emancipated foster youth to
disengaged youth due to the lack of an adult figure in their
life or a lack of access to appropriate services. Due to their
unique circumstances, research has shown that homeless youth are
at a greater risk of physical and sexual abuse, sexual
exploitation, alcohol and drug abuse, mental health
disabilities, and death. Additionally, the social, emotional,
medical, economic and personal challenges homeless youth face,
when coupled with the lack of effective, coordinated services to
help them find and keep stable housing and reach
self-sufficiency, can lead to ongoing and chronic cycles of
homelessness throughout their lifetime.
In a 2010 survey of local, state and federal programs, the HYP
was able to identify 53 programs that offered just over 1,000
beds for homeless youth throughout the state. Given that the
current estimate of homeless youth amounts to more than 200,000
individuals, this demonstrates a significant gap between the
size of California's homeless youth population and the number of
programs and services available to meet their needs.
Need for this bill : Stating the need for the bill, the author
writes:
"There are only 2 available paths for chronically homeless
youth - the child welfare system or the juvenile justice
system, and neither serves the population sufficiently. For
this subsection of homeless youth, a group home placement
that provides a specialized set of skills has been the
proven model for success. The problem herein lies with the
funding of these successful homeless youth programs.
Currently funding is not guaranteed and typically come from
a variety of sources - foundations, city and county
governments, state and federal funds, and mostly private
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contributions.
"Unaccompanied minors, particularly the young people who
have been kicked out of their homes by their families fall
within the purview of the child welfare system.
California's complicated Community Care Licensing laws make
it difficult to access child welfare funds to serve this
population of young people. AB 2001 fills this service gap
by clarifying that Runaway and Homeless Youth Centers can
additionally run separately licensed group homes and the
courts may order chronically homeless youth be placed in
these specialty group homes specializing in services for
chronically homeless youth."
Staff comments: As stated by the author, the intent of this
measure is to acknowledge "that there is a population of young
people who because of their chronic homelessness have developed
a certain set of survival skills that do not lead to successful
integration into the existing child welfare services system
focused on family permanency." In so doing, the measure states
the intent of the Legislature to allow children who are in
foster care due to their being homeless should be placed into
facilities that are best suited to serve them, ideally a
licensed children's institution, i.e. a group home, with
expertise in addressing the circumstances and attributes
associated with a child being 'chronically homeless."
There are a number of scenarios that could lead to a child
becoming chronically homeless; the child has runaway due to
abuse in the home, has fallen in with 'the wrong crowd,' the
child suffers from psychological trauma or has mental health
needs, etc. The circumstances that cause a youth to become
homeless are as varied as the types of treatment and services
that the child will need to not be homeless. As a result, each
child is different and requires tailored services to meet his or
her needs. This measure seeks to provide a pathway for homeless
youth to be provided services through homeless youth shelters
and group homes that specialize in serving homeless youth. One
of the concerns voiced by the author is that the current CWS
system fails to meet the needs of homeless youth, especially
youth who have been on the streets for three months or more,
where the survival and adaptation skills to being homeless
become more pronounced than the reasons why they became
homeless. Because of this, the author argues, the state should
take a more direct approach to ensuring that homeless youth, who
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are engaged by the state's social safety net, either through
interactions with law enforcement or CWS, are served by those
entities that have the expertise in meeting their needs.
Additionally, in meeting these needs, the author further argues
that when a child becomes engaged with CWS, clarifications need
to be made in statute to specifically address the unique needs
of homeless youth; such as rapidly determining whether to forego
returning the child to his or her parent's county of residence,
whether family reunifications services should be provided, and
whether he or she would best be served by a relative caregiver
or foster family home, as required by law.
This is a laudable goal and one that deserves further attention,
but perhaps in a broader context. The state provides limited
support for homeless youth services and the homeless in general;
however, there are many services beyond those provided by
homeless youth shelters and group homes that can also serve
children who are homeless. Additionally, current child welfare
law provides existing authority and flexibility to social
workers, minor's counsel, the court, etc. to determine the best
and most appropriate manner to serve any child, on a
case-by-case basis who comes before the juvenile court due to
concerns of abuse, neglect or abandonment; all reasons why a
child may become homeless. Further, providing this type of noted
consideration for a subpopulation of children who come to the
attention of CWS may unduly and unfairly direct homeless youth
towards services that may or may not respond to their needs. The
author notes that the intent is to allow additional
considerations to be made for homeless youth not to require
specific actions be taken; however, changing statute to make
specific references and allowances for homeless youth within the
context of CWS, under current practice, would likely result in
some services being overlooked or overused for any homeless
youth who comes to the attention of CWS. Although this could
result in greater services for some, it could result in less
flexibility to determine on a case-by-case basis how to serve a
homeless youth and result in fewer or inappropriate services for
others.
This measure also amends existing W&I Code 300, the guiding
statute that provides the authority of CWS and the juvenile
court to render a child a dependent of the state, to include a
child who is "chronically homeless and the parent or guardian is
unwilling or unable to assist the child." The author states that
this is needed to reflect the individual and specific needs of
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homeless youth, but also to allow for the more accurate
collection of information and data on the number of homeless
youth who come to the attention of CWS. However, it is unclear
if this change is necessary. W&I Code 300 provides a wide array
of reasons why a child may be rendered a dependent of the court,
ranging from abuse, neglect and abandonment to parental
relinquishment and acts that lead to the death of a child. For a
homeless youth, specifically a "chronically homeless youth" as
referenced by the author, the causes of homelessness can be
valid reasons for a child to be rendered a dependent under
existing law, e.g., he or she has faced an abusive family or
abandonment, as opposed to providing that a youth should be
placed into dependency just because he or she has been homeless
for an extended period of time. Further, establishing a new
legal foundation linked to homelessness as a reason to render a
child a dependent of the court could also create ambiguity as to
whether existing law is insufficient. Conversely, if it is the
author's intent to provide homeless youth access to CWS
services, it would be more beneficial to utilize existing
pathways to access services, such as entities that have
expertise in providing services to homeless youth, than it would
be to require them to be rendered dependents because they are
homeless.
RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS:
In order to meet the author's intent, but also be reflective of
the circumstances as to why a youth becomes homeless as opposed
to whether the youth is homeless, committee staff recommends
amending the bill to take advantage of the state's ability to
use California's Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration
Capped Allocation Project (CAP). Under the CAP, counties that
opt into the waiver may use their federal Title IV-E funds for
alternative and creative projects that help children and
families avoid a child's entry into dependency. According to
DSS, "by granting flexibility in the use of unrestricted Title
IV-E funding under the demonstration project, the state would
support counties to better target services that address the
unique cultural and individual needs of the children, youth, and
families they serve." Used creatively, the CAP could become a
powerful tool to serve difficult to serve children under CWS,
such as homeless youth. Currently, there are two counties
participating in the CAP; Alameda and Los Angeles. However,
there are currently 23 counties that have expressed interest in
participating in the CAP, which is projected to be extended
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beginning July 1, 2014 until June 30, 2019.
Specifically, committee staff recommends the following
amendments:
Amendment #1 - Amend Section 1 of the bill to read:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide a path
for homeless youth to receive independent living skill and
homeless services from homeless youth shelters and g roup homes
child welfare agencies under the Title IV-E of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 671 et seq.) Child Welfare Waiver
Demonstration Capped Allocation Project for the purpose of
developing and implementing alternative child welfare services
that are directed towards the individual needs of homeless youth
to reduce homelessness among children. that specialize in
providing services to homeless children and youth, and to secure
federal funding for the provision of these services under Title
IV-E of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 671 et seq.).
Amendment #2 - Delete Section 2 of the bill.
Amendment #3 - Add Section 18625 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code to read:
18625. (a) For the purpose of developing targeted and
specialized services for youth who are homeless, with the
approval of the department, any counties participating in the
federal Title IV-E waiver capped allocation demonstration
project pursuant to Section 18260, may establish a pilot program
to develop and implement alternative child welfare services to
meet the individual needs of homeless youth to reduce
homelessness among children. Pilots may be established no sooner
than July 1, 2015 and run concurrently with the Child Welfare
Waiver Demonstration Capped Allocation Project until June 30,
2019.
(b) The pilot may include, but is not limited to, methods for
the identification of homeless youth for purposes of temporary
placement into a licensed emergency homeless youth shelter
pursuant to Section 1529.35 of the Health and Safety Code, or
other appropriate placement as directed by a county's child
welfare services agency.
(1) In implementing this section, it is the intent of the
Legislature that local law enforcement agencies work with
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county and local child protective services to identify the
appropriate placement, including an emergency homeless youth
shelter, for youth who come to the attention of law
enforcement because they are homeless.
(2) Upon placement or voluntary entry of a homeless child into
an emergency homeless youth shelters, the shelter shall notify
CWS if it is determined that the child could be eligible to
receive more intensive services under the pilot.
(c) A child identified as homeless is eligible for participation
in the pilot if he or she meets all of the following conditions:
(1) The child is 16 years of age or older and has been
homeless for 21 consecutive days.
(2) The county child welfare agency determines, upon
consultation with a local emergency homeless youth shelter, if
available, that long-term intensive supportive services are
needed for the child.
(3) The county child welfare agency finds that there is a
reasonable presumption that the child could meet the criteria
under Section 300 to become a dependent of the court but
determines that the child would be best be served through the
receipt of preventative services and not placed into
dependency pursuant to Section 360.
(d) Participating counties may use Title IV-E and state foster
care funds, as determined pursuant to (f) to provide
individualized and tailored services to meet the needs of a
homeless youth as follows:
(1) Provide guidance to local law enforcement on when and how
to refer homeless youth to a local homeless youth shelter or
child protective services.
(2) Fund the temporary placement of a homeless youth in a
licensed emergency homeless youth shelter or other age
appropriate placement for 45 days with an extension of 15 days
per the approval of a county child welfare agency. Title-IV-E
funding may not be used to fund the first 21 days the homeless
youth is in a licensed emergency homeless youth shelter.
(A) If a child is temporarily placed in a licensed
emergency homeless youth shelter, the county child welfare
agency shall provide justification for the placement,
including whether there no other appropriate residential
placements available.
(3) Notwithstanding Section 18250, wraparound services as
defined in subdivision (d) of Section 18251 and as described
in subdivision (b) of Section 18250.
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(e) Upon placement into a temporary placement pursuant to (c),
the county child welfare agency shall do the following:
(1) Provide case management services, in coordination with
local licensed emergency homeless youth shelters, which shall
include permanent and stable housing, independent living
skills as necessary, workforce training opportunities, health
and mental health services, and educational opportunities,
such as enrollment in the child's school district of residence
as determined by the location of the child's placement.
(2) No later than the 30th day of placement, identify
appropriate long-term housing placement opportunities and
wraparound services for the child, including but not limited
to placement in a certified transitional housing plus -
program, placement with identified parents or relatives as
appropriate and provided for under (d), foster family homes or
group homes with expertise in serving homeless or runaway
children.
(3) Make a recommendation as to whether the child should
continue to receive preventative services under the pilot or
whether a petition should be filed to render the child a
dependent of the court pursuant to Section 360. If a
determination is made that a petition should be filed, it
shall be filed immediately.
(f)(1) DSS, in consultation with the California Welfare
Directors Association and child welfare and homeless youth
advocates shall develop, by March 31, 2015, the following
standards and criteria for the pilot:
(A) Parameters on how Title IV-E funding may be used.
(B) How long the Title IV-E funding may be provided as
determined by outcome goals for the youth.
(C) Requirements on casework for the youth.
(D) Processes on how placements or related services may be
identified for the youth, including whether family
reunification should be pursued or whether the child should
be placed into the home of a relative or nonrelated
extended family member, or foster family home or group home
with experience in serving homeless or runaway children.
(E) The criteria by which a homeless child is assessed
pursuant to paragraph (3) of (b).
(2) To implement this section, pilot program parameters and
guidance shall be issued pursuant to a department all-county
letter.
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(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the
ability of a child protective services case worker or the county
child welfare agency to file a petition of dependent for a child
is homeless who is suspected of falling under the jurisdiction
of Section 300.
(1) If it is determined that a petition shall be filed, the
county child welfare agency shall consult with a local
licensed emergency homeless youth shelter or other entity with
expertise in providing services to homeless youth in
developing the petition. The county child welfare agency shall
comply with existing federal and state privacy protections in
the consultation and development of the petition.
(2) The petition shall also include considerations such as the
reason why the youth is homeless, whether the youth received
services through the pilot, provide descriptions of any
support services the youth received, and shall make
recommendations as to whether those services shall continue or
be modified, or whether additional placement considerations
should be made to meet the needs of the youth.
(h) No later than July 1, 2019, DSS shall provide a final
evaluation of the pilot with recommendations as to whether it
should be continued or made permanent, as allowable under
federal law.
DOUBLE REFERRAL . This bill has been double-referred. Should
this bill pass out of this committee, it will be referred to the
Assembly Judiciary Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Coalition for Youth (CCY)
National Association of Social Workers, CA Chapter (NASW-CA)
Opposition
None on File.
Analysis Prepared by : Chris Reefe / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089
AB 2001
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