BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de Le�n, Chair
SB 1252 (Torres) - Former foster youth: transitional housing
program.
Amended: April 7, 2014 Policy Vote: Human Services 4-0
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: May 23, 2014 Consultant: Jolie Onodera
SUSPENSE FILE. AS AMENDED.
Bill Summary: SB 1252 would provide that services under the
Transitional Housing Program-Plus (THP-Plus) to a former foster
youth may be extended for an additional year up to age 25 and
for a total of 36 months, if the former foster youth is
completing secondary education or is enrolled in an institution
providing postsecondary vocational education.
Fiscal Impact (as approved May 23, 2014): Potential major future
cost pressure (General Fund) to extend THP-Plus services to
former foster youth up to age 25 and for a total of 36 months to
the extent the state provides funding for the ongoing cost
increase. Annual costs to provide THP-Plus services to 10 to 25
percent of the 2,000 youth being served annually would be in the
range of $5.4 million to $13.5 million assuming a monthly
THP-Plus provider rate of $2,258 (weighted average cost across
the three housing models).
Pursuant to Government Code � 30026.5, legislation enacted after
September 30, 2012, that has an overall effect of increasing the
costs already borne by a local agency for programs or levels of
service under the 2011 Realignment shall apply to local agencies
only to the extent that the state provides annual funding for
the cost increase. Local agencies shall not be obligated to
provide programs or levels of service required by legislation
above the level for which funding has been provided. While the
provisions of this bill do not mandate the provision of extended
services, to the extent funding is not increased, counties that
elect to extend THP-Plus services would potentially serve fewer
former foster youth and/or provide a reduced level of services.
Background: Existing law provides that any former foster youth
at least 18 years of age and not more than 24 years of age who
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has exited from the foster care system on or after his or her
18th birthday is eligible to participate in THP-Plus provided he
or she has not received services for more than a total of 24
months, whether or not consecutive (WIC � 11403.2(a)(2)).
THP-Plus is a county-based program in which county-certified
providers offer transitional housing services to specified
former foster youth.
If a former foster youth participating in THP-Plus is not
receiving aid under extended foster care, he or she, as a
condition of participation, is required to enter into and
execute a transitional independent living plan that shall be
mutually agreed upon, and annually reviewed, by the former
foster youth and the applicable county welfare or probation
department or independent living program coordinator.
THP-Plus program expenditures are not eligible for federal
reimbursement under Title IV-E and have been fully realigned to
the counties under 2011 Realignment.
Proposed Law: This bill provides that eligibility for THP-Plus
may be extended to former foster youth up to age 25 and for a
total of 36 months, whether or not consecutive, subject to
meeting existing THP-Plus eligibility requirements and either of
the following criteria:
The former foster youth is completing secondary
education or a program leading to an equivalent credential.
The former foster youth is enrolled in an institution
that provides postsecondary vocational education.
Prior Legislation: AB 12 (Beall/Bass) Chapter 559/2010 enacted
the California Fostering Connections to Success Act of 2010, and
authorized the state to exercise the option of extending
benefits in the Foster Care, Kin-GAP, Fed-GAP, and AAP to age 21
for youth who meet specified criteria. AB 12 also provided for
the alignment of the Kin-GAP program with federal requirements
in order to receive federal financial participation.
Staff Comments: The 2011 Realignment provided for a permanent
baseline allocation of $34.9 million to counties for the
provision of THP-Plus to fund services for approximately 1,200
beds. According to the THP-Plus Annual Report and Policy Brief
for 2012-13 by the John Burton Foundation, 50 of 58 counties
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continue to provide THP-Plus services to over 2,000 youth
annually. THP-Plus offers three different service models (single
site, scattered site, and host family) with monthly rates paid
to providers that vary by county. The average THP-Plus monthly
rate in 2012-13 was $2,570 for the single site model (22% of
capacity), $2,235 for the scattered site model (66%), and $1,810
for the host family model (12%).
It is unknown at this time what percentage of youth would be
offered and would utilize the proposed extension in THP-Plus
services, but annual costs to provide services to 10 to 25
percent of the 2,000 youth being served annually would cost in
the range of $5.4 million to $13.5 million assuming a monthly
THP-Plus provider rate of $2,258 (weighted average cost across
the three housing models).
Proposition 30 as passed by the voters in November 2012 provided
that legislation enacted after September 30, 2012, that has an
overall effect of increasing the costs already borne by a local
agency for programs or levels of service mandated by the 2011
Realignment Legislation shall apply to local agencies only to
the extent that the state provides annual funding for the cost
increase. Local agencies are not obligated to provide programs
or levels of service required by legislation above the level for
which funding has been provided. While the provisions of this
bill do not mandate the provision of extended THP-Plus services,
to the extent funding is not increased, counties that elect to
extend THP-Plus services would potentially serve fewer former
foster youth and/or provide a reduced level of services. As
such, the provisions of this bill create future cost pressure on
the General Fund for the state to provide funding for the
ongoing cost increase.
Recommended amendments: As currently drafted, the provisions of
this bill do not specify at whose discretion the provision of
extended THP-Plus services would be provided. For clarity, staff
recommends an amendment to specify whether it would be a county,
county provider, or other entity that would have discretion to
extend services.
Committee amendments specify the expansion of THP-Plus services
are at the option of the county.
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