BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1252
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Date of Hearing: July 2, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 1252 (Torres) - As Amended: June 11, 2014
Policy Committee: Human
ServicesVote:6 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill expands the eligibility criteria of former foster
youth for transitional housing services under the Transitional
Housing Program-Plus (THP-Plus) from a maximum of 24 years of
age to 25 years of age and from a total of 24 months to 36
months of service at the option of a county child welfare
agency, provided the former foster youth is completing secondary
education or is enrolled in an institution that provides
postsecondary education.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Minor and absorbable costs to the Department of Social
Services to update program requirements.
2)Unknown, potentially significant costs to counties that choose
to provide this optional service. It is unknown what
percentage of youth would be offered and utilize the extension
in THP-Plus services. However, annual costs to provide
THP-Plus services to 10% of the 2,000 youth being served
annually would be in the range of $5.4 million assuming a
monthly THP-Plus provider rate of $2,258 (weighted average
cost across the three housing models).
3)Proposition 30, passed by the voters in November 2012,
provided that legislation enacted after September 30, 2012
that increases the costs already borne by a local agency for
programs or levels of service mandated by the 2011 Realignment
legislation only applies to local agencies if the state
provides annual funding for the cost increase. This bill
contains no state funding for the extension of services.
SB 1252
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COMMENTS
1)Purpose . The John Burton Foundation asserts that this bill
will make a significant difference in the ability of former
foster youth to earn an academic degree during their
participation in the program. They maintain that many youth
in THP-Plus are very close to earning their Associate's or
Bachelor's degree at the point the program ends. By offering
additional time for youth enrolled in postsecondary education,
this bill will help former foster youth secure their degree
and help close the significant achievement gap that exists
among youth in post-secondary education.
2)Transitional Housing Program-Plus (THP-Plus) . The THP-Plus is
an optional county-based program in which county-certified
providers offer transitional housing to former foster youth
and wards who emancipated from foster care at or after age 18.
Former foster youth in this program are eligible for housing
for up to 24 months until they reach age 24. There are three
housing models provided for in this program including a
"single site" apartment complex where all participants live, a
"scattered site" of leased apartments throughout the
community, and "host families" where the participant resides
with the previous foster family or another family or adult.
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.
3)Prior Legislation . AB 12 (Beall/Bass) Chapter 559, Statutes of
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.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
SB 1252
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