BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1252|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1252
Author: Torres (D)
Amended: 5/27/14
Vote: 21
SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE : 4-0, 4/22/14
AYES: Liu, Berryhill, DeSaulnier, Hancock
NO VOTE RECORDED: Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-0, 5/23/14
AYES: De Le�n, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
SUBJECT : Former foster youth: transitional housing program
SOURCE : Foster Youth Investment Coalition (co-source)
John Burton Foundation
DIGEST : This bill authorizes a county, at its option, to
extend the Transitional Housing Placement Program-Plus
(THP-Plus) to former foster youth not more than 25 years of age,
and for a total of 36 cumulative months, if the former foster
youth is completing secondary education or is enrolled in an
institution that provides postsecondary or vocational education.
ANALYSIS :
Existing Law:
1.Provides that a current foster youth aged 16 to 18 is eligible
for placement in a program certified by the Department of
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Social Services (DSS) as a Transitional Housing Placement
Program (THPP).
2.Provides that a nonminor dependent, as defined, ise eligible
for placement in a program certified by DSS as a Transitional
Housing Placement-Plus Foster Care Program (THP+FC).
3.Provides that a former foster youth ages 18 to 24 who has
exited from the foster care system on or after his/her 18th
birthday may elect to participate in THP-Plus for a total of
24 months.
4.Requires payments on behalf of an eligible person to be made
to licensed transitional housing placement providers.
5.Establishes the California Fostering Connections to Success
Act (AB 12, Beall and Bass, Chapter 559, Statutes of 2010),
which corresponds with the federal Fostering Connections to
Success Act that provides an option for states to receive
federal financial participation for federally eligible
nonminor dependents or former dependents of the juvenile court
who are between the ages of 18-21 and who satisfy certain
conditions, and provides for state-only extended benefits for
non-federally eligible youth.
6.Establishes multiple programs of support for dependent or
formerly dependent children and the families that care for
them. Each of the federally reimbursed programs has a
corollary state-only funded program for children who are not
eligible under Aid to Families with Dependent Children income
eligibility criteria from 1996, as specified.
This bill permits a county, at its option, to extend the
services provided to former foster youth under the THP-Plus who
are not more than 25 years of age, and for a total of 36 months,
whether or not consecutive, if the former foster youth, as
specified, meets either of the following criteria:
Is completing secondary education or a program leading to an
equivalent credential.
Is enrolled in an institution that provides postsecondary
vocational education.
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Background
Extended foster care (AB 12) . As of January 1, 2014, any youth
who turned 18 while under the order of foster care placement is
eligible to participate in extended foster care until the age of
21 if the youth meets one of the following requirements:
Is completing high school or an equivalent program;
Is enrolled in college, community college or a vocational
educational program at least half time;
Is employed (paid) at least 80 hours a month;
Is participating in a program or activity designed to remove
barriers to employment; or
Is unable to meet the above requirements due to a medical
condition as verified by a health practitioner.
Additionally, some youth who turn 18 in guardianship under the
Kinship Guardian Assistance Program or under the Adoption
Assistance Program are eligible for extended foster care (if the
youth was 16 or older at the time of guardianship or has a
disability). Youth who are not eligible for extended foster
care may be eligible for CalWORKs.
Post-secondary educational attainment for former foster youth .
A 2013 report also published by the Stuart Foundation entitled
"At Greater Risk: California Foster Youth and the Path from
High School to College," states that foster youth confront
multiple risk factors for low educational attainment including
disabilities, language barriers, emotional trauma, lower
educational attainment in high school, and less of a support
system due to disrupted social connections. The report states
that foster youth are among the most vulnerable young
Californians, are more likely to attend schools with low
performance rankings according to the Academic Performance
Index, and that about one quarter of foster youth had a
disability in contrast to one-tenth of the general population.
Additionally, the report states that relative to the general
student population, foster youth performed poorly on the
California Standards Test in English-Language arts, with nearly
a quarter scoring far below basic level on the test and another
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27% scoring in the next lowest category, below basic. The
report concludes that these and other findings point to the
"overarching importance of providing foster youth with the
support they need to complete high school as well as enroll and
succeed in college at the same rates as other students."
Prior Legislation
AB 212 (Beall, Chapter 459, Statutes of 2011) makes technical
and clarifying changes to the California Fostering Connections
to Success Act (AB 12).
AB 1712 (Beall, Chapter 846, Statutes of 2012) makes technical
and clarifying changes to the California Fostering Connections
to Success Act (AB 12).
AB 427 (Hertzberg, Chapter 125, Statutes of 2001) extends the
scope of the class of children who may be provided transitional
housing.
AB 2774 (Assembly Human Services Committee, Chapter 873,
Statutes of 1998) extends implementation of the transitional
housing placement program from a three county pilot to all
counties.
AB 1198 (Bates, Chapter 799, Statues of 1993) creates the THPP
for foster youth 17 years of age or older and in their last year
of high school.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, 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% 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 Section 30026.5, legislation enacted
after September 30, 2012, that has an overall effect of
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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.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/27/14)
Foster Youth Investment Coalition (co-source)
John Burton Foundation (co-source)
Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance
Aspiranet
C.A.S.A. of San Bernardino County
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Court Appointed Special Advocates Association
California Police Chiefs Association
California Youth Empowerment Network
City of Fontana, Mayor Pro Tem, John Roberts
Family Care Network
First Place for Youth
Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program Project Accessing
Careers through Education
National Association of Social Workers
Outreach Nation
Seeds of Hope Outreach Resource and Family Development
Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
foster youth encounter multiple challenges to completing a
college education. One of the ways that the state has been
supportive of eliminating barriers to succeeding in higher
education is helping youth transition in stable, independent,
living situations, including the Transitional Housing Program.
Additionally, the author's office cites a recent analysis by the
Institute for Evidence-Based Change and the University of
California Berkeley Center for Social Services Research which
found that foster youth graduate from high school, enroll in
community college, and persist in community college for a second
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year at lower rates than, not only students in the general
population, but also other disadvantaged students.
The author's office additionally cites reports published by the
Stuart Foundation that 70% of foster youth expressed interest in
attending college in some capacity, but that only 10% enrolled,
while it is projected that only 3% would graduate with a degree.
JL:k 5/27/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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