California Assembly Bill ABX343 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: ABX3 43AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 28, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Evans JUNE 18, 2009  An act relating to the Budget Act of 2009.   An act to amend Section 17208 of, and to add Sections 17555 and 17561 to, the Family Code, and to amend Sections 1506, 1523.1, 1568.05, 1569.185, and 1596.803 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Sections 706.6, 9542, 9545, 10544, 10604.6, 10823,   11320.3, 11320.32, 11364, 11454.5, 11462, 11463, 11466.2, 11468.6, 12305.1, 12305.81, 12309, 14043.25, 15525, 16121, 16501.1, 16501.3, and 18358.30 of, to add Sections 11322.64, 11329.5, 12200.02, 12305.84, 12309.2, and 14021.9 to, to add and repeal Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 10545) of Part 2 of Division 9 of, to add and repeal Section 11325.71 of, to repeal Section 10830 of, and to repeal and add Section 16120 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to human   services.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 43, as amended, Evans.  Budget Act of 2009.   Human Services.   This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact statutory changes relating to the Budget Act of 2009.   (1) Existing law establishes the Department of Child Support Services within the California Health and Human Services Agency, to administer all services and perform all functions necessary to establish, collect, and distribute child support.   Existing law requires the department, among other duties, to reduce the cost of, and increase the speed and efficiency of, child support enforcement operations.   This bill, effective October 1, 2010, if the bill is enacted after October 1, 2009, or on the first day of the first month following the effective date of the bill, would require the department to impose a $25 administrative fee on a never-assisted custodial party receiving specified services from the child support program, if the annual amount of child support payments collected on behalf of the custodial party is $500 or more.  Existing law requires the Department of Child Support Services to administer all services and perform all functions necessary to establish, collect, and distribute child support, and requires the department and the local child support agency to promptly and effectively collect and enforce child support obligations.   This bill would require an appropriation made available in the annual Budget Act for the purposes of augmenting funding for local child support agencies in the furtherance of their revenue collection responsibilities to be subject to specified requirements, including, but not limited to, requiring each local child support agency to submit an early intervention plan to the department, and requiring the department to report to the fiscal committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2010, to track and evaluate the impact of the budget augmentation on revenue collections and cost-effectiveness.   By placing new responsibilities on local child support agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.   This bill would require the department and the Office of the Chief Information Officer to jointly produce an annual report to be submitted to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on the ongoing implementation of the California Child Support Automation System (CCSAS), as specified.   (2) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to charge an application fee for the initial licensure and renewal of a license to operate community care facilities, residential care facilities for persons with chronic, life-threatening illness, residential care facilities for the elderly, and child day care facilities. These fees are used by the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the licensing and related activities of the department.   This bill would increase these fee schedules, as prescribed.   (3) Under existing law, the state, through the State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments, is required to establish and support a public system of statewide child welfare services.   Existing law also establishes that a case plan, which is required to be adopted by the county for each child receiving child welfare services, such as dependent children and wards of the juvenile court and children in foster care, and which includes prescribed information, is the foundation and central unifying tool in child welfare services.   This bill, effective January 1, 2010, would require Effective January 1, 2010, a case plan shall ensure the educational stability of the child while in foster care, as specified.   (4) The Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act establishes the Community-Based Services Network, administered by the California Department of Aging, which, among other things, requires the department to enter into contracts with local area agencies on aging to carry out the requirements of various community-based services programs. Among these programs are the Alzheimer's Day Care-Resource Center Program and the Linkages Program.   The Alzheimer's Day Care-Resource Center Program is required to provide access to specialized day care resource centers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related disorders, and to provide support to their families and caregivers.   The Linkages Program is required to provide care and case management services to frail elderly and functionally impaired adults in order to help prevent or delay placement in nursing facilities.   Under the Alzheimer's Day Care-Resource Center Program, direct services contractors provide a program of specialized day care for participants with dementia. Existing law imposes requirements on these direct services contractor as a condition of eligibility to receive funding under the program.   This bill would delete certain of the requirements applicable to the direct services contractors under the Alzheimer's Day Care-Resource Center Program, and instead would encourage a direct services contractor to perform these activities to the extent possible, within their resources.   This bill would require the department, by a specified date, to issue specified revised documentation to contractors regarding prioritization of low-income individuals under the Linkages Program, and would require the contractors to give these individuals priority for enrollment subsequent to the provision of the revised documentation.   (5) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to ensure that performance outcomes for specified public social services programs are monitored at the state and county levels, as specified. Existing law requires the department, if it finds that a county is experiencing significantly worsened outcomes, to report this finding to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, as specified. Under existing law, if the state is subject to a fiscal penalty for failure to achieve the outcomes required by federal law, counties that failed to meet the federal requirements are required to share in the federal penalty.   This bill would relieve counties from the imposition of a penalty pursuant to these provisions for outcomes achieved from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, inclusive, as specified.   Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature that the annual Budget Act appropriate state and federal funds in a single allocation to counties for the support of administrative activities undertaken by the counties to provide benefit payments to recipients of aid under the CalWORKs program.   This bill would provide for the allocation of funds received by the state from the federal Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs, in accordance with the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), to pay county costs for certain wage subsidy programs and nonrecurrent short-term benefit programs, as defined, notwithstanding the provisions of the existing allocation. The bill would revise the definition of needy families for purposes of these provisions. The bill would make these provisions inoperative October 1, 2010, unless the Director of Social Services determines that federal law authorizes federal reimbursement beyond that date.   (6) Existing law requires the Office of Systems Integration in the State Department of Social Services to implement a statewide automated welfare system for 6 specified public assistance programs, and requires statewide implementation of the system to be achieved through 4 designated county consortia.   This bill would authorize the county consortia to make designated changes with respect to expenditures within the consortia's approved annual budget, as specified.   (7) Existing law requires the department and the Health and Welfare Data Center to design, implement, and maintain a statewide fingerprint imaging system for use in connection with the determination of eligibility for benefits under designated social services programs, including the CalWORKs program.   This bill would eliminate these provisions.   (8) Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program for the allocation of federal funds received through the TANF program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families.   Existing law requires, with certain exceptions, that an individual participate in work activities, as defined, in order to remain eligible for CalWORKs benefits.   This bill would add to those individuals exempted from participating in welfare-to-work activities certain parents or other relatives who have primary responsibility for caring for one or more children, as specified. The bill would authorize counties to provide and discontinue additional participation exemptions, as prescribed. The bill would make these provisions inoperative as of January 1, 2012.   Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, with respect to counties that implement a welfare-to-work plan that includes designated subsidized work activities, to pay the county 50% of the participant's wage subsidy, subject to specified conditions.   This bill would make the above provisions inoperative from the date that the bill takes effect until September 30, 2010, unless the department makes specified determinations concerning the provisions relating to the allocation of funds received from the federal Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs.   Existing law provides for funding under the CalWORKs program for designated mental health and substance abuse treatment services.   This bill would give counties the option to redirect funding from and to the amounts appropriated for CalWORKs mental health employment assistance services and CalWORKs substance abuse treatment services, from and to other specified CalWORKs employment services.   Existing law provides that a parent or caretaker relative shall not be eligible for CalWORKs aid when he or she has received aid for a cumulative total of 60 months. Existing law excludes months in which certain conditions exist from being counted as a month of receipt of aid for these purposes.   This bill would add to the conditions that establish an exclusion from the 60-month requirement months in which a recipient is excused for good cause from welfare-to-work activities because he or she lacks necessary support services, as specified. The bill would also exclude, until July 1, 2011, months in which the recipient is exempt from participation due to caretaking responsibilities that impair the recipient's ability to be regularly employed. To the extent that the bill would expand CalWORKs eligibility, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.   State funds are continuously appropriated to pay for a share of costs under the CalWorks program.   This bill would provide that no appropriation would be made for purposes of this bill.   (9) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to administer a voluntary Temporary Assistance Program (TAP) to provide cash assistance and other benefits to specified current and future CalWORKs recipients who meet the exemption criteria for participation in welfare-to-work activities and are not single parents who have a child under one year of age. Existing law requires that the TAP commence on or before April 1, 2010.   This bill would extend the date by which the TAP shall commence to October 1, 2010.   (10) Existing law, through the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP), which is a part of the CalWORKs program, provides aid on behalf of eligible children who are placed in the home of a relative caretaker. The program is funded by state and county funding and available federal funds. Existing law requires the rate paid on behalf of children eligible for a Kin-GAP payment to equal 100% of the rate for children placed in a licensed or approved foster home under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program.   Existing law establishes the rate to be paid for 24-hour out-of-home care and supervision provided to children who are both consumers of regional center services and recipients of AFDC-FC benefits, with this rate to be known as a dual agency rate.   This bill, effective October 1, 2009, or, if the bill becomes effective after October 1, 2009, effective on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the bill, would require a child's Kin-GAP rate to be the amount of the dual agency rate if the child, while in foster care, received, a dual agency rate immediately prior to his or her enrollment in the Kin-GAP program. The bill also would require, effective October 1, 2009, or, if the bill becomes effective after October 1, 2009, effective on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the bill, a child receiving designated early intervention services who is receiving AFDC-FC benefits immediately prior to his or her enrollment in the Kin-GAP program, to be considered and assessed for a dual agency rate. It would require his or her Kin-GAP rate to be set at the amount of the dual agency rate.   Because the Kin-GAP program is administered by the counties, this bill would increase county duties, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.   (11) Existing law provides for the AFDC-FC program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care. Under existing law, foster care providers licensed as group homes have rates established by classifying each group home program and applying a standardized schedule of rates. An adjusted schedule of rates is applicable to group home programs that receive AFDC-FC payments for services performed during the 2002-03 to 2008-09, inclusive, fiscal years.   This bill would extend application of the adjusted schedule of rates through the 2009-10 fiscal year, as specified.   This bill would revise RCL point ranges for group home programs that receive AFDC-FC payments for services performed during 2009-10 fiscal year, as specified.   Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the bill becomes operative after October 1, 2009, effective on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the bill, this bill would reduce by 10% the standardized schedule of rates for group homes, the rates of licensed group home providers whose rates are not established under the standardized schedule, and foster family agency rates.   Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to implement intensive treatment foster care programs for eligible children. Existing law establishes standard rate schedule of service and rate levels for these programs, and provides for the annual adjustment of these rates, as specified.   This bill, effective October 1, 2009, or, if the bill becomes operative after October 1, 2009, effective on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the bill, would reduce by 10% the standardized rates applicable to intensive treatment foster care programs.   Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to perform or have performed group home program and fiscal audits, as needed, and requires group home programs to maintain specified information affecting ratesetting and AFDC-FC payments for a period not less than 5 years. Existing law prohibits the department from reducing a group home's AFDC-FC rate or rate classification level, or from establishing an overpayment based upon a nonprovisional program audit, for a period of less than one year.   This bill would delete the provision prohibiting the department from reducing a group home's AFDC-FC rate or rate classification level (RCL) for a period of less than one year under the above circumstances, except under designated circumstances when the provider's audited RCL is no more than 3 levels below the paid RCL.   Existing law requires the Director of Social Services to establish administrative procedures to review group home audit findings, and authorizes a group home provider to request a hearing to examine any disputed audit finding, as specified. Under existing law, the director is required to take one of 3 specified actions within 120 days of submission of a proposed hearing decision.   This bill would require the proposed decision to take effect by operation of law if the director fails to take action within the prescribed time period.   (12) Existing law provides for the State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (SSP), which requires the State Department of Social Services to contract with the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments to SSP recipients to supplement Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments made available pursuant to the federal Social Security Act.   Under existing law, benefit payments under the SSP are calculated by establishing the maximum level of nonexempt income and federal SSI and state SSP benefits for each category of eligible recipient. The state SSP payment is the amount, when added to the nonexempt income and SSI benefits available to the recipient, which would be required to provide the maximum benefit payment.   This bill, effective October 1, 2009, or if the bill becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the bill, would reduce the SSI/SSP maximum aid payment for a married couple to equal the minimum amount required by the federal Social Security Act in order to maintain eligibility for federal funding, as specified. The bill would reduce the maximum aid payment for an individual by 0.6%, as specified. This bill would exempt specified payment categories from these reductions.   (13) Existing law provides for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, under which, either through employment by the recipient, by or through contract by the county, by the creation of a public authority, or pursuant to a contract with a nonprofit consortium, qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons receive services enabling them to remain in their own homes.   Existing law provides for the payment of a supplementary benefit under the IHSS program to any eligible aged, blind, or disabled person who is receiving Medi-Cal personal care services and who would otherwise be deemed a categorically needy recipient under the IHSS program.   This bill would limit this supplementary payment to individuals who meet existing criteria and who are eligible to receive the supplementary payment on June 30, 2009. The bill would reduce the supplementary payment by 50% effective October 1, 2009. The bill would provide for reinstatement, as specified, of recipients who erroneously lose this benefit on or after July 1, 2009.   Existing law prohibits a person from providing supportive services if he or she has been convicted of specified crimes in the previous 10 years. Under existing law, the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services are required to develop a provider enrollment form that each person seeking to provide supportive services shall complete, sign under penalty of perjury, and submit to the county, containing designated statements relating to the provider's criminal history.   This bill would revise the required contents of the provider enrollment form, and would designate the form as an application to render services under the Medi-Cal program, consistent with a specified provision of law, and would make related changes.   Existing law requires the department to develop a uniform needs assessment tool, as specified, in order to ensure that in-home supportive services are delivered in all counties in a uniform manner.   This bill would, commencing September 1, 2009, and subject to prescribed exceptions, require a recipient of IHSS services to be assigned a Functional Index Score, as defined, and would require a determination of eligibility for services to be based upon these scores, as specified.   This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to convene a stakeholder group and begin a process with the group to develop and issue a report evaluating the implementation of IHSS quality assurance and fraud prevention and detection activities enacted since 2004. The bill would require the department to provide this report to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2010.   (14) Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income persons receive health care benefits. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid provisions.   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal Drug Treatment Program (Drug Medi-Cal), under which each county enters into contracts with the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs for the provision of various drug treatment services to Medi-Cal recipients, or the department directly arranges for the provision of these services if a county elects not to do so.   This bill would reduce the rates for Drug Medi-Cal services by 10% for the 2009-10 fiscal year, and, for the 2010-11 fiscal year and thereafter, by the lesser of 10% or the rates applicable in the 2009-10 fiscal year, adjusted as specified.   (15) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a Work Incentive Nutritional Supplement (WINS) program, under which each county is required to provide a $40 monthly additional food assistance benefit for each eligible food stamp household, as defined. The bill would require the state to pay the counties 100% of the cost of WINS benefits, using funds that qualify for the state's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program maintenance of effort requirements, as specified. Existing law prohibits WINS benefits from being paid before October 1, 2009, and requires full implementation of the program on or before April 1, 2010.   This bill would extend the time for payment of WINS benefits to commence to October 1, 2011, and the time for full implementation of the program to April 1, 2012.   Existing law authorizes the director to implement the WINS program by all-county letters by March 1, 2009, pending the adoption of emergency regulations.   This bill would extend the time for issuance of all-county letters to March 1, 2011.   Existing law requires the department to convene a workgroup on or before December 1, 2008, comprised of designated representatives, to consider the progress of the WINS automation effort in tandem with a preassistance employment readiness system (PAERS) program and any other program options that may provide offsetting benefits to the caseload reduction credit in the CalWORKs program. Existing law prohibits full implementation of the WINS program until the workgroup is convened.   This bill would extend the date by which the department is required to establish the WINS/PAERS workgroup to December 1, 2010, and would make conforming changes.   (16) Existing law provides for the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP), to be established and administered by the State Department of Social Services or the county, for the purpose of benefitting children residing in foster homes by providing the stability and security of permanent homes. The program provides for the payment by the department and counties, of cash assistance to eligible families that adopt eligible children. Existing law sets forth the conditions under which a child is eligible for AAP benefits, and requires the department to actively seek and make maximum use of available federal funds for purposes of the program.   Under existing law, in accordance with the adoption assistance agreement, the adoptive family is paid an amount of aid based on the child's needs otherwise covered in AFDC-FC payments and the circumstance of the adopting parents, not to exceed the foster care maintenance payment that would have been paid based on the age related state-approved foster family home care rate, and any applicable specialized care increment, for a child placed in a licensed or approved family home, as specified.   This bill would revise the conditions under which a child would be eligible for AAP benefits, including specifying conditions under which an applicable child, as defined, would be eligible to receive federal funding.   This bill would require that with respect to adoption assistance agreements executed on or after January 1, 2010, adoption assistance benefits would be increased based on specified needs of the child, as specified.   (17) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a program of public health nursing in the child welfare services program, and specifies the duties that the foster care public health nurse is authorized to perform.   This bill would make the duties of the foster care public health nurse mandatory, and would add to those duties documenting that each child in foster care receives specified health screenings.   (18) Existing law establishes the Department of Community Services and Development to perform various functions, including coordinating and assisting community action agencies with respect to antipoverty and community services programs.   This bill, notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, would require the eligibility threshold for the use of additional Community Service Block Grant funds received under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to be increased to 200% of the federal poverty level exclusively and only through the term and use of those funds, as determined by the Department of Community Services and Development, or any other department through which these federal funds are administered by the state.   (19) This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to consult with designated stakeholders, to determine how best to ensure that existing best practices for family search and engagement and participatory case planning, including, but not limited to, training or technical assistance, are institutionalized statewide. The bill would require the department to provide information at future budget hearings regarding the implementation of these efforts, including available outcome data.   (20) This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to develop a risk management form, with input from the counties and specified stakeholders, relating to the provisions of aid for specified personal assistance services. The bill would require the department to implement the form on a trail basis in 3 counties prior to statewide implementation.   (21) This bill would provide for the implementation of its provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions, and would provide for the adoption of emergency regulations, with respect to certain provisions of the bill.   (22) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.   (23) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.  The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on December 19, 2008. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on December 19, 2008, pursuant to the California Constitution. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no   yes  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 17208 of the   Family Code   is amended to read:  17208. (a) The department shall reduce the cost of, and increase the speed and efficiency of, child support enforcement operations. It is the intent of the Legislature to operate the child support enforcement program through local child support agencies without a net increase in state General Fund or county general fund costs, considering all increases to the General Fund as a result of increased collections and welfare recoupment. (b) The department shall maximize the use of federal funds available for the costs of administering a child support services department, and to the maximum extent feasible, obtain funds from federal financial incentives for the efficient collection of child support, to defray the remaining costs of administration of the department consistent with effective and efficient support enforcement.  (c) Effective October 1, 2010, the Department of Child Support Services shall impose an administrative service fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25) on a never-assisted custodial party receiving services from the California child support program for order establishment, enforcement, and collection services provided. The annual amount of child support payments collected on behalf of the custodial party must be five hundred dollars ($500) or more before an administrative service fee is imposed pursuant to this subdivision. The fee shall be deducted from the custodial party's collection payment at the time the collection payments for that year have reached levels specified by the department.   SEC. 2.   Section 17555 is added to the   Family Code   , to read:   17555. (a) Any appropriation made available in the annual Budget Act for the purposes of augmenting funding for local child support agencies in the furtherance of their revenue collection responsibilities shall be subject to all of the following requirements: (1) Each local child support agency shall submit to the department an early intervention plan with all components to take effect upon receipt of their additional allocation as a result of this proposal. (2) Funds shall be distributed to counties based on their performance on the following two federal performance measures: (A) Measure 3: Collections on Current Support. (B) Measure 4: Cases with Collections on Arrears. (3) The department shall submit an interim report to the fiscal committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2010, to track and evaluate the impact of the augmentation on revenue collections and cost-effectiveness, with an additional oral report to be provided during the spring subcommittee review process. (4) A local child support agency shall be required to use and ensure that 100 percent of the new funds allocated are dedicated to maintaining caseworker staffing levels in order to stabilize child support collections. (5) At the end of each fiscal year that this augmentation is in effect, the department shall provide a report on the cost-effectiveness of this augmentation, including an assessment of caseload changes over time. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to review the results of this augmentation and the level of related appropriation during the legislative budget review process.   SEC. 3.   Section 17561 is added to the  Family Code   , to read:   17561. The Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Department of Child Support Services, beginning in 2010, shall jointly produce an annual report to be submitted on March 1, to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on the ongoing implementation of the California Child Support Automation System (CCSAS), including all of the following components: (a) A clear breakdown of funding elements for past, current, and future years. (b) Descriptions of active functionalities and a description of their usefulness in child support collections by local child support agencies. (c) A review of current considerations relative to federal law and policy. (d) A policy narrative on future, planned changes to the CCSAS and how those changes will advance activities for workers, collections for the state, and payments for recipient families.   SEC. 4.   Section 1506 of the   Health and Safety Code   is amended to read:  1506. (a) (1) Any holder of a valid license issued by the department that authorizes the licensee to engage in any foster family agency functions, may use only a certified family home that has been certified by that agency or a licensed foster family home approved for this use by the licensing county pursuant to Section 1506.5. (2) Any home selected and certified for the reception and care of children by that licensee shall not, during the time it is certified and used only by that agency for these placements or care, be subject to Section 1508. A certified family home may not be concurrently licensed as a foster family home or as any other licensed residential facility. (3) A child with a developmental disability who is placed in a certified family home by a foster family agency that is operating under agreement with the regional center responsible for that child may remain in the certified family home after the age of 18 years. The determination regarding whether and how long he or she may remain as a resident after the age of 18 years shall be made through the agreement of all parties involved, including the resident, the foster parent, the foster family agency social worker, the resident's regional center case manager, and the resident's parent, legal guardian, or conservator, as appropriate. This determination shall include a needs and service plan that contains an assessment of the child's needs to ensure continued compatibility with the other children in placement. The needs and service plan shall be completed no more than six months prior to the child's eighteenth birthday. The assessment shall be documented and maintained in the child's file with the foster family agency. (b) (1) A foster family agency shall certify to the department that the home has met the department's licensing standards. A foster family agency may require a family home to meet additional standards or be compatible with its treatment approach. (2) The foster family agency shall issue a certificate of approval to the certified family home upon its determination that it has met the standards established by the department and before the placement of any child in the home. The certificate shall be valid for a period not to exceed one year. The annual recertification shall require a certified family home to complete at least 12 hours of structured applicable training or continuing education. At least one hour of training during the first six months following initial certification shall be dedicated to meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 11174.1 of the Penal Code. (3) If the agency determines that the home no longer meets the standards, it shall notify the department and the local placing agency. (c) The department shall develop licensing regulations differentiating between foster family agencies that provide treatment of children in foster families and those that provide nontreatment services. (d) As used in this chapter, "certified family home" means a family residence certified by a licensed foster family agency and issued a certificate of approval by that agency as meeting licensing standards, and used only by that foster family agency for placements. (e) (1) Requirements for social work personnel for a foster family agency shall be a master's degree from an accredited or state approved graduate school in social work or social welfare, or equivalent education and experience, as determined by the state department. (2) Persons who possess a master's degree from an accredited or state approved graduate school in any of the following areas, or equivalent education and experience, as determined by the state department, shall be considered to be qualified to perform social work activities in a foster family agency: (A) Marriage, family, and child counseling. (B) Child psychology. (C) Child development. (D) Counseling psychology. (E) Social psychology. (F) Clinical psychology. (G) Educational psychology, consistent with the scope of practice as described in Section 4986.10 of the Business and Professions Code. (H) Education, with emphasis on counseling. (f) (1) In addition to the degree specifications in subdivision (e), all of the following coursework and field practice or experience, as defined in departmental regulations, shall be required of all new hires for the position of social work personnel effective January 1, 1995: (A) At least three semester units of field practice at the master' s level or six months' full-time equivalent experience in a public or private social service agency setting. (B) At least nine semester units of coursework related to human development or human behavior, or, within the first year of employment, experience working with children and families as a major responsibility of the position under the supervision of a supervising social worker. (C) At least three semester units in working with minority populations or six months of experience in working with minority populations or training in cultural competency and working with minority populations within the first six months of employment as a condition of employment. (D) At least three semester units in child welfare or at least six months of experience in a public or private child welfare social services setting for a nonsupervisory social worker. A supervising social worker shall have two years' experience in a public or private child welfare social services setting. (2) (A) Persons who do not meet the requirements specified in subdivision (e) or (f) may apply for an exception as provided for in subdivisions (g) and (h). (B) Exceptions granted by the department prior to January 1, 1995, shall remain in effect. (3) (A) Persons who are hired as social work personnel on or after January 1, 1995, who do not meet the requirements listed in this subdivision shall be required to successfully meet those requirements in order to be employed as social work personnel in a foster family agency. (B) Employees who were hired prior to January 1, 1995, shall not be required to meet the requirements of this subdivision in order to remain employed as social work personnel in a foster family agency. (4) Coursework and field practice or experience completed to fulfill the degree requirements of subdivision (e) may be used to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision. (g) Individuals seeking an exception to the requirements of subdivision (e) or (f) based on completion of equivalent education and experience shall apply to the department by the process established by the department. (h) The State Department of Social Services shall be required to complete the process for the exception to minimum education and experience requirements described in subdivisions (e) and (f) within 30 days of receiving the exception application of social work personnel or supervising social worker qualifications from the foster family agency. (i) The department shall review the feasibility of instituting a licensure category to cover foster homes that are established specifically to care for and supervise adults with developmental disabilities, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to prevent the institutionalization of those individuals. (j) For purposes of this section, "social work personnel" means supervising social workers as well as nonsupervisory social workers.  (k) Pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) Section 11463 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, foster family agencies shall employ a minimum of one full-time social work supervisor for every eight social workers, or fraction thereof, in the agency.   SEC. 5.   Section 1523.1 of the   Health and Safety Code   is amended to read:  1523.1. (a) An application fee adjusted by facility and capacity shall be charged by the department for the issuance of a license. After initial licensure, a fee shall be charged by the department annually on each anniversary of the effective date of the license. The fees are for the purpose of financing the activities specified in this chapter. Fees shall be assessed as follows:  Fee Schedule   Initial   Facility Type Capacity Application Annual   Foster Family   and   $2,500 $1,250  Adoption   Agencies   1-15 $150 $75   16-30 $250 $125   31-60 $500 $250   Adult Day   Programs 61-75 $626 $313   76-90 $750 $375   91-120 $1,000 $500   121+ $1,250 $625   1-3 $375 $375   Other Community 4-6 $750 $375   Care Facilities 7-15 $1,126 $563   16-30 $1,500 $750   31-49 $1,876 $938   50-74 $2,252 $1,126   75-100 $2,628 $1,314   101-150 $3,004 $1,502   151-200 $3,502 $1,751   201-250 $4,000 $2,000   251-300 $4,500 $2,250   301-350 $5,000 $2,500   351-400 $5,500 $2,750   401-500 $6,500 $3,250   501-600 $7,500 $3,750   601-700 $8,500 $4,250   701+ $10,000 $5,000   Fee Schedule   Initial   Facility Type Capacity Application Annual   Foster Family   and   $2,750 $1,375   Adoption   Agencies   1-15 $165 $83   16-30 $275 $138   31-60 $550 $275   Adult Day   Programs 61-75 $689 $344   76-90 $825 $413   91-120 $1,100 $550   121+ $1,375 $688  1-3 $413 $413   Other Community 4-6 $825 $413   Care Facilities 7-15 $1,239 $619   16-30 $1,650 $825   31-49 $2,064 $1,032   50-74 $2,477 $1,239   75-100 $2,891 $1,445   101-150 $3,304 $1,652   151-200 $3,852 $1,926   201-250 $4,400 $2,200   251-300 $4,950 $2,475   301-350 $5,500 $2,750   351-400 $6,050 $3,025   401-500 $7,150 $3,575   501-600 $8,250 $4,125   601-700 $9,350 $4,675   701+ $11,000 $5,500  (b) (1) In addition to fees set forth in subdivision (a), the department shall charge the following fees: (A) A fee that represents 50 percent of an established application fee when an existing licensee moves the facility to a new physical address. (B) A fee that represents 50 percent of the established application fee when a corporate licensee changes who has the authority to select a majority of the board of directors. (C) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) when an existing licensee seeks to either increase or decrease the licensed capacity of the facility. (D) An orientation fee of fifty dollars ($50) for attendance by any individual at a department-sponsored orientation session. (E) A probation monitoring fee equal to the annual fee, in addition to the annual fee for that category and capacity for each year a license has been placed on probation as a result of a stipulation or decision and order pursuant to the administrative adjudication procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (F) A late fee that represents an additional 50 percent of the established annual fee when any licensee fails to pay the annual licensing fee on or before the due date as indicated by postmark on the payment. (G) A fee to cover any costs incurred by the department for processing payments including, but not limited to, bounced check charges, charges for credit and debit transactions, and postage due charges. (H) A plan of correction fee of two hundred dollars ($200) when any licensee does not implement a plan of correction on or prior to the date specified in the plan. (2) Foster family homes shall be exempt from the fees imposed pursuant to this subdivision. (3) Foster family agencies shall be annually assessed  eighty dollars ($80)   eighty-eight dollars ($88)  for each home certified by the agency. (4) No local jurisdiction shall impose any business license, fee, or tax for the privilege of operating a facility licensed under this chapter which serves six or fewer persons. (c) (1) The revenues collected from licensing fees pursuant to this section shall be utilized by the department for the purpose of ensuring the health and safety of all individuals provided care and supervision by licensees and to support activities of the licensing program, including, but not limited to, monitoring facilities for compliance with licensing laws and regulations pursuant to this chapter, and other administrative activities in support of the licensing program, when appropriated for these purposes. The revenues collected shall be used in addition to any other funds appropriated in the Budget Act in support of the licensing program. (2) The department shall not utilize any portion of these revenues sooner than 30 days after notification in writing of the purpose and use of this revenue, as approved by the Director of Finance, to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the chairpersons of the committee in each house that considers appropriations for each fiscal year. The department shall submit a budget change proposal to justify any positions or any other related support costs on an ongoing basis. (d) A facility may use a bona fide business check to pay the license fee required under this section. (e) The failure of an applicant or licensee to pay all applicable and accrued fees and civil penalties shall constitute grounds for denial or forfeiture of a license.  SEC. 6.   Section 1568.05 of the   Health and Safety Code   is amended to read:  1568.05. (a) An application fee adjusted by facility and capacity, shall be charged by the department for a license to operate a residential care facility  for persons with chronic life-threatening illness  . After initial licensure, a fee shall be charged by the department annually, on each anniversary of the effective date of the license. The fees are for the purpose of financing the activities specified in this chapter. Fees shall be assessed as follows:  Fee Schedule   Initial   Capacity Application Annual   1-6 $500 $250 plus $10   per bed   7-15 $626 $313 plus $10   per bed   16-25 $750 $375 plus $10   per bed   26-50 $876 $438 plus $10   per bed   51+ $876 $438 plus $10   per bed   Fee Schedule   Initial   Capacity Application Annual   1-6 $550 $275 plus $10   per bed   7-15 $689 $344 plus $10   per bed   16-25 $825 $413 plus $10   per bed   26+ $964 $482 plus $10   per bed  (b) (1) In addition to fees set forth in subdivision (a), the department shall charge the following fees: (A) A fee that represents 50 percent of an established application fee when an existing licensee moves the facility to a new physical address. (B) A fee that represents 50 percent of the established application fee when a corporate licensee changes who has the authority to select a majority of the board of directors. (C) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) when an existing licensee seeks to either increase or decrease the licensed capacity of the facility. (D) An orientation fee of fifty dollars ($50) for attendance by any individual at a department-sponsored orientation session. (E) A probation monitoring fee equal to the annual fee, in addition to the annual fee for that category and capacity for each year a license has been placed on probation as a result of a stipulation or decision and order pursuant to the administrative adjudication procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (F) A late fee that represents an additional 50 percent of the established annual fee when any licensee fails to pay the annual licensing fee on or before the due date as indicated by postmark on the payment. (G) A fee to cover any costs incurred by the department for processing payments including, but not limited to, bounced check charges, charges for credit and debit transactions, and postage due charges. (H) A plan of correction fee of two hundred dollars ($200) when any licensee does not implement a plan of correction on or prior to the date specified in the plan. (2) No local governmental entity shall impose any business license, fee, or tax for the privilege of operating a facility licensed under this chapter which serves six or fewer persons. (c) All fees collected pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be deposited in the Technical Assistance Fund. (d) The revenues collected from licensing fees pursuant to this section shall be utilized by the department for the purpose of ensuring the health and safety of all individuals provided care and supervision by licensees and to support activities of the licensing program, including, but not limited to, monitoring facilities for compliance with licensing laws and regulations pursuant to this chapter, and other administrative activities in support of the licensing program, when appropriated for these purposes. The revenues collected shall be used in addition to any other funds appropriated in the Budget Act in support of the licensing program. (e) The department shall not utilize any portion of the revenues collected pursuant to this section sooner than 30 days after notification in writing of the purpose and use of this revenue, as approved by the Director of Finance, to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the chairpersons of the committee in each house that considers appropriations for each fiscal year. The department shall submit a budget change proposal to justify any positions or any other related support costs on an ongoing basis. (f) Fees established pursuant to this section shall not be effective unless licensing fees are established for all adult residential facilities licensed by the department. (g) A residential care facility may use a bona fide business check to pay the license fee required under this section. (h) The failure of an applicant for licensure or a licensee to pay all applicable and accrued fees and civil penalties shall constitute grounds for denial or forfeiture of a license.  SEC. 7.   Section 1569.18   5 of the   Health and Safety Code   is amended to read:  1569.185. (a) An application fee adjusted by facility and capacity shall be charged by the department for the issuance of a license to operate a residential care facility for the elderly. After initial licensure, a fee shall be charged by the department annually on each anniversary of the effective date of the license. The fees are for the purpose of financing activities specified in this chapter. Fees shall be assessed as follows:  Fee Schedule   Initial   Capacity Application Annual   1-3 $375 $375   4-6 $750 $375   7-15 $1,126 $563   16-30 $1,500 $750   31-49 $1,876 $938   50-74 $2,252 $1,126   75-100 $2,628 $1,314   101-150 $3,004 $1,502   151-200 $3,502 $1,751   201-250 $4,000 $2,000   251-300 $4,500 $2,250   301-350 $5,000 $2,500   351-400 $5,500 $2,750   401-500 $6,500 $3,250   501-600 $7,500 $3,750   601-700 $8,500 $4,250   701+ $10,000 $5,000   Fee Schedule   Initial   Capacity Application Annual   1-3 $413 $413   4-6 $825 $413   7-15 $1,239 $619   16-30 $1,650 $825   31-49 $2,064 $1,032   50-74 $2,477 $1,239   75-100 $2,891 $1,445   101-150 $3,304 $1,652   151-200 $3,852 $1,926   201-250 $4,400 $2,200   251-300 $4,950 $2,475   301-350 $5,500 $2,750   351-400 $6,050 $3,025   401-500 $7,150 $3,575   501-600 $8,250 $4,125   601-700 $9,350 $4,675   701+ $11,000 $5,500  (b) (1) In addition to fees set forth in subdivision (a), the department shall charge the following fees: (A) A fee that represents 50 percent of an established application fee when an existing licensee moves the facility to a new physical address. (B) A fee that represents 50 percent of the established application fee when a corporate licensee changes who has the authority to select a majority of the board of directors. (C) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) when an existing licensee seeks to either increase or decrease the licensed capacity of the facility. (D) An orientation fee of fifty dollars ($50) for attendance by any individual at a department-sponsored orientation session. (E) A probation monitoring fee equal to the annual fee, in addition to the annual fee for that category and capacity for each year a license has been placed on probation as a result of a stipulation or decision and order pursuant to the administrative adjudication procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (F) A late fee that represents an additional 50 percent of the established annual fee when any licensee fails to pay the annual licensing fee on or before the due date as indicated by postmark on the payment. (G) A fee to cover any costs incurred by the department for processing payments including, but not limited to, bounced check charges, charges for credit and debit transactions, and postage due charges. (H) A plan of correction fee of two hundred dollars ($200) when any licensee does not implement a plan of correction on or prior to the date specified in the plan. (2) No local jurisdiction shall impose any business license, fee, or tax for the privilege of operating a facility licensed under this chapter which serves six or fewer persons. (c) (1) The revenues collected from licensing fees pursuant to this section shall be utilized by the department for the purpose of ensuring the health and safety of all individuals provided care or supervision by licensees and to support the activities of the licensing programs, including, but not limited to, monitoring facilities for compliance with licensing laws and regulations pursuant to this chapter, and other administrative activities in support of the licensing program, when appropriated for these purposes. The revenues collected shall be used in addition to any other funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act in support of the licensing program. (2) The department shall not utilize any portion of these revenues sooner than 30 days after notification in writing of the purpose and use, as approved by the Department of Finance, to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the chairpersons of the committee in each house that considers appropriations for each fiscal year. The department shall submit a budget change proposal to justify any positions or any other related support costs on an ongoing basis. (d) A residential care facility for the elderly may use a bona fide business check to pay the license fee required under this section. (e) The failure of an applicant for licensure or a licensee to pay all applicable and accrued fees and civil penalties shall constitute grounds for denial or forfeiture of a license.  SEC. 8.   Section 1596.803 of the   Health and Safety Code   is amended to read:  1596.803. (a) An application fee adjusted by facility and capacity shall be charged by the department for the issuance of a license to operate a child day care facility. After initial licensure, a fee shall be charged by the department annually, on each anniversary of the effective date of the license. The fees are for the purpose of financing activities specified in this chapter. Fees shall be assessed as follows:  Fee Schedule   Original Annual   Facility Type Capacity Application Fee   Family Day Care 1-8 $60 $60   9-14 $115 $115   Day Care Centers 1-30 $400 $200   31-60 $800 $400   61-75 $1,000 $500   76-90 $1,200 $600   91-120 $1,600 $800   121+ $2,000 $1,000   Fee Schedule   Annual   Original   Facility Type Capacity Application Fee   Family Day Care 1-8 $66 $66   9-14 $127 $127   Day Care Centers 1-30 $440 $220   31-60 $880 $440   61-75 $1,100 $550   76-90 $1,320 $660   91-120 $1,760 $880   121+ $2,200 $1,100  (b) (1) In addition to fees set forth in subdivision (a), the department shall charge the following fees: (A) A fee that represents 50 percent of an established application fee when an existing licensee moves the facility to a new physical address. (B) A fee that represents 50 percent of the established application fee when a corporate licensee changes who has the authority to select a majority of the board of directors. (C) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) when an existing licensee seeks to either increase or decrease the licensed capacity of the facility. (D) An orientation fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) for attendance by any individual at a department-sponsored family child day care home orientation session, and a fifty dollar ($50) orientation fee for attendance by any individual at a department-sponsored child day care center orientation session. (E) A probation monitoring fee equal to the annual fee, in addition to the annual fee for that category and capacity for each year a license has been placed on probation as a result of a stipulation or decision and order pursuant to the administrative adjudication procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (F) A late fee that represents an additional 50 percent of the established annual fee when any licensee fails to pay the annual licensing fee on or before the due date as indicated by postmark on the payment. (G) A fee to cover any costs incurred by the department for processing payments including, but not limited to, bounced check charges, charges for credit and debit transactions, and postage due charges. (H) A plan of correction fee of two hundred dollars ($200) when any licensee does not implement a plan of correction on or prior to the date specified in the plan. (2) No local jurisdiction shall impose any business license, fee, or tax for the privilege of operating a small family day care home licensed under this act. (c) (1) The revenues collected from licensing fees pursuant to this section shall be utilized by the department for the purpose of ensuring the health and safety of all individuals provided care and supervision by licensees, and to support the activities of the licensing program, including, but not limited to, monitoring facilities for compliance with licensing laws and regulations pursuant to this act, and other administrative activities in support of the licensing program, when appropriated for these purposes. The revenues collected shall be used in addition to any other funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act in support of the licensing program. (2) The department shall not utilize any portion of these revenues sooner than 30 days after notification in writing of the purpose and use, as approved by the Department of Finance, to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the chairpersons of the committee in each house that considers appropriations for each fiscal year. The department shall submit a budget change proposal to justify any positions or any other related support costs on an ongoing basis. (d) A child day care facility may use a bona fide business or personal check to pay the license fee required under this section. (e) The failure of an applicant for licensure or a licensee to pay all applicable and accrued fees and civil penalties shall constitute grounds for denial or forfeiture of a license.  SEC. 9.   Section 706.6 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  706.6. A case plan prepared as required by Section 706.5 shall be submitted to the court. It shall either be attached to the social study or incorporated as a separate section within the social study. The case plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: (a) A description of the circumstances that resulted in the minor being placed under the supervision of the probation department and in foster care. (b) An assessment of the minor's and family's strengths and needs and the type of placement best equipped to meet those needs. (c) A description of the type of home or institution in which the minor is to be placed, including a discussion of the safety and appropriateness of the placement. An appropriate placement is a placement in the least restrictive, most family-like environment, in closest proximity to the minor's home, that meets the minor's best interests and special needs.  (d) Effective January 1, 2010, a case plan shall ensure the educational stability of the child while in foster care and shall include both of the following:   (1) Assurances that the placement takes into account the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement.   (2) An assurance that the placement agency has coordinated with appropriate local educational agencies to ensure that the child remains in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement, or, if remaining in that school is not in the best interests of the child, assurances by the placement agency and the local educational agency to provide immediate and appropriate enrollment in a new school and to provide all of the child's educational records to the new school.   (d)   (e)  Specific time-limited goals and related activities designed to enable the safe return of the minor to his or her home, or in the event that return to his or her home is not possible, activities designed to result in permanent placement or emancipation. Specific responsibility for carrying out the planned activities shall be assigned to one or more of the following: (1) The probation department. (2) The minor's parent or parents or legal guardian or guardians, as applicable. (3) The minor. (4) The foster parents or licensed agency providing foster care.  (e)   (f)  The projected date of completion of the case plan objectives and the date services will be terminated.  (f)   (g)  Scheduled visits between the minor and his or her family and an explanation if no visits are made.  (g)   (h) (1) When placement is made in a foster family home, group home, or other child care institution that is either a substantial distance from the home of the minor's parent or legal guardian or out-of-state, the case plan shall specify the reasons why the placement is the most appropriate and is in the best interest of the minor. (2) When an out-of-state group home placement is recommended or made, the case plan shall comply with Section 727.1 and Section 7911.1 of the Family Code. In addition, documentation of the recommendation of the multidisciplinary team and the rationale for this particular placement shall be included. The case plan shall also address what in-state services or facilities were used or considered and why they were not recommended.  (h)   (i)  If applicable, efforts to make it possible to place siblings together, unless it has been determined that placement together is not in the best interest of one or more siblings.  (i)   (j)  A schedule of visits between the minor and the probation officer, including a monthly visitation schedule for those children placed in group homes.  (j)   (k)  Health and education information about the minor, school records, immunizations, known medical problems, and any known medications the minor may be taking, names and addresses of the minor' s health and educational providers; the minor's grade level performance; assurances that the minor's placement in foster care takes into account proximity to the school in which the minor was enrolled at the time of placement; and other relevant health and educational information.  (k)   (l)  When out-of-home services are used and the goal is reunification, the case plan shall describe the services that were provided to prevent removal of the minor from the home, those services to be provided to assist in reunification and the services to be provided concurrently to achieve legal permanency if efforts to reunify fail.  (l)   (m)  The updated case plan prepared for a permanency planning hearing shall include a recommendation for a permanent plan for the minor. If, after considering reunification, adoptive placement, legal guardianship, or permanent placement with a fit and willing relative the probation officer recommends placement in a planned permanent living arrangement, the case plan shall include documentation of a compelling reason or reasons why termination of parental rights is not in the minor's best interest. For purposes of this subdivision, a "compelling reason" shall have the same meaning as in subdivision (c) of Section 727.3.  (m)   (n) Each updated case plan shall include a description of the services that have been provided to the minor under the plan and an evaluation of the appropriateness and effectiveness of those services.  (n)   (o)  A statement that the parent or legal guardian, and the minor have had an opportunity to participate in the development of the case plan, to review the case plan, to sign the case plan, and to receive a copy of the plan, or an explanation about why the parent, legal guardian, or minor was not able to participate or sign the case plan.  (o)   (p)  For a minor in out-of-home care who is 16 years of age or older, a written description of the programs and services, which will help the minor prepare for the transition from foster care to independent living.  SEC. 10.   Section 9542 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  9542. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the purpose of the Alzheimer's Day Care-Resource Center Program is to provide access to specialized day care resource centers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-related disorders and support to their families and caregivers. (b) The following definitions shall govern the construction of this section: (1) "Participant" means an individual with Alzheimer's disease or a disease of a related type, particularly the participant in the moderate to severe stages, whose care needs and behavioral problems may make it difficult for the individual to participate in existing care programs. (2) "Other dementia-related disorders" means those irreversible brain disorders that result in the symptoms described in paragraph (3). This shall include, but is not limited to, multi-infarct dementia and Parkinson's disease. (3) "Care needs" or "behavioral problems" means the manifestations of symptoms that may include, but need not be limited to, memory loss, aphasia (communication disorder), becoming lost or disoriented, confusion and agitation, with the potential for combativeness, and incontinence. (4) "Alzheimer's day care resource center" means a center developed pursuant to this section to provide a program of specialized day care for participants with dementia. (c) The department shall adopt policies and guidelines to carry out the purposes of this section, and the adoption thereof shall not be subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (d) In order to be eligible to receive funds under this section, a direct services contract applicant shall do all of the following: (1) Provide a program and services to meet the special care needs of, and address the behavioral problems of, participants. (2) Provide adequate and appropriate staffing to meet the nursing, psychosocial, and recreational needs of participants. (3) Provide physical facilities that include the safeguards necessary to protect the participants' safety. (4) Provide a program for assisting individuals who cannot afford the entire cost of the program. This may include, but need not be limited to, utilizing additional funding sources to provide supplemental aid and allowing family members to participate as volunteers at the applicant's facility. (5) Utilize volunteers and volunteer aides and provide adequate training for those volunteers. (6) Provide a match of not less than 25 percent of the direct services contract amount consisting of cash or in-kind contributions, identify other potential sources of funding for the applicant's facility, and outline plans to seek additional funding to remain solvent. (7) Maintain family and caregiver support groups. (8) Encourage family members and caregivers to provide transportation to and from the applicant's facility for participants. (9) Concentrate on participants in the moderate to severe ranges of disability. (10) Provide or arrange for a noon meal to participants.  (11) Establish contact with local educational programs, such as nursing and gerontology programs, to provide onsite training to students.   (12) Provide services to assist family members, including counseling and referral to other resources.   (13)   (11)  Serve as model centers available to other service providers for onsite training in the care of these patients.  (14) Involve the center in community outreach activities and provide educational and informational materials to the community.   (15)   (12)  Maintain a systematic means of capturing and reporting all required community-based services program data.  (e) To the extent possible within their resources, direct services contract applicants are encouraged to:   (1) Establish contact with local educational programs, such as nursing and gerontology programs, to provide onsite training to students.   (2) Provide services to assist family members, including counseling and referrals to other resources.   (3) Involve the center in community outreach activities and provide educational and informational materials to the community.   (e)   (f)  A direct services contractor shall be licensed as an adult day program, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code, or as an adult day health care center, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1570.7 of the Health and Safety Code, and shall be subject to the requirements of this division, including this chapter, for purposes of operating an Alzheimer's day care resource center. If the direct services contractor surrenders its adult day program or adult day health care center license, or if the license has been terminated as a result of noncompliance with applicable licensure or certification standards, these actions shall also serve to terminate the direct services contractor's Alzheimer's day care resource center contract.  (f)   (g)  An Alzheimer's day care resource center that was not licensed as an adult day program or adult day health care center prior to January 1, 2005, shall be required to be so licensed by January 1, 2008. A direct services program that qualifies to operate as an Alzheimer's day care resource center after January 1, 2005, shall be required to be licensed as an adult day program or adult day health care center.  (g)   (h)  Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent existing adult day care services, including adult day health care centers, from developing a specialized program under this chapter. The applicants shall meet all of the requirements for direct services contractors in this chapter and satisfactorily demonstrate that the direct services contract funding award shall be used to develop a distinct specialized program for this target population.  SEC. 11.   Section 9545 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  9545. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the purpose of the Linkages Program shall be to provide care and case management services to frail elderly and functionally impaired adults  , with priority for enrollment given to low-income individuals,  to help prevent or delay placement in nursing facilities. For purposes of this section, "care or case management" means all of the following: (1) As appropriate, ongoing care or case management to frail elderly and functionally impaired adults to help prevent or delay placement in nursing facilities. (2) Client assessment, in conjunction with the development of a service plan with the participant and other appropriate persons, to provide for needs identified by the assessment. (3) Authorization and arrangement for the purchase of services, or referral, with followup, to volunteer, informal, or third-party payer services. Contractors shall maximize to the fullest extent possible the use of existing services resources before using program funds to purchase services for clients. Any benefits received as a result of these purchases either shall not be considered income for purposes of programs provided for under Division 9 (commencing with Section 10000) or shall not be considered an alternative resource pursuant to Section 12301. (4) Service and participant monitoring to determine that the services obtained are appropriate to need, of acceptable quality, and provided in a timely manner. (5) Followup with clients, including periodic contact and initiation of an interim assessment, if deemed necessary, prior to scheduled reassessment. (6) Assistance to older individuals entering or returning home from nursing facilities and who need help to make the transition. (7) Comprehensive and timely information, when necessary, to individuals and their families about the availability of community resources, to assist functionally impaired adults and the frail elderly to maintain the maximum independence permitted by their functional ability. (8) Short-term specialized assistance, including timely one-time-only assistance in securing community resources, counseling, and the arrangement of an action plan, when there is a temporary probable threat to the ability of the frail elderly person or functionally impaired adult to remain in the most independent living arrangement permitted by his or her functional ability. (b) Contractors of the Linkages Program shall have experience in community long-term care services and capability to serve the frail elderly and functionally impaired adults, and where applicable, ensure separateness of the programs and demonstrate protective measures to avoid conflict of interest. (c) Contractors of the Linkages Program shall have a systematic means of capturing and reporting all required community-based services program data. (d) (1) Each county shall deposit funds collected pursuant to Section 1465.5 of the Penal Code in its general fund, to be available for use only for the support of services provided under this chapter in that county, including county administrative costs not exceeding 10 percent of the funds collected, except as otherwise provided in this subdivision. A county may join with other counties to establish and fund a program of services under this chapter. (2) Funds utilized pursuant to this section shall not supplant, be offset against, or in any way reduce funds otherwise appropriated for the support of services provided under this chapter.  (e) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, by October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subdivision becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision, the department shall issue a revised program manual, program memorandum, or similar instructions to contractors regarding the prioritization of low-income individuals.   (2) Effective November 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subdivision is enacted after November 1 effective on the first day of the first month following the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision, contractors shall give priority for enrollment to low-income individuals.   SEC. 12.   Section 10544 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  10544. (a) If the department finds that a county is experiencing significantly worsened outcomes, it shall report this finding to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, the Assembly Committee on Budget, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, and the Assembly Committee on Human Services. (b) If the state does not achieve the outcomes required by federal law and, as a result, is subject to a fiscal penalty, the penalty shall be shared equally by the state and the counties after exhaustion of all reasonable and available federal administrative remedies. If a county's single allocation pursuant to Section 15204.2 is reduced by the state to offset the county's share of any federal penalty imposed pursuant to this section, the county shall be required to utilize county general funds to replace the offset amount, so that total funding remains equal to the county's single allocation. These funds shall be in addition to the funds required to meet the maintenance-of-effort requirement pursuant to Section 15204.4. Only those counties that have failed to meet the federal requirements shall be required to share in the fiscal penalty imposed on the state. Those counties' share of the penalty imposed on the state shall equal 50 percent of that penalty. Each county's share of the penalty shall be based, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association, on the county's degree of performance that contributes to the failure to meet the federal requirement. (c) A county may be provided relief, in whole or in part, from a penalty imposed pursuant to subdivision (b) if the department determines that there were circumstances beyond the control of the county. A county may also be provided relief based on the degree of success or progress in meeting federal requirements, and, to the extent that there are differences between state and federal program requirements, the degree of success in meeting state participation requirements. Any adjustment made pursuant to this subdivision shall be reported to the Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. If a county is granted relief, that portion of the total penalty shall not be imposed on the other counties that failed to meet the federal requirements.  (d) As a result of caseload increases and limits on welfare-to-work resources, no penalty shall be imposed on a county pursuant to subdivision (b) for outcomes achieved from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011, inclusive. Counties shall not be required to submit data to the state that is not necessary for federal data reporting and is solely used to calculate county-specific work participation rates, during the period beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2011.   (d)   (e)     (1)  A county that fails, without good cause, to submit accurate and timely data used to measure work participation, as required by the department, shall be deemed to have failed to meet applicable federal requirements. For purposes of this subdivision, good cause shall include, but shall not be limited to, the lack of accurate, timely, and complete instructions from the department.  (2) Due to the caseload increase and limits on welfare-to-work resources, this section shall not be operative for nonfederal data reporting during the period beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2011.   (f) Subdivision (d) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) shall in no way interfere with or limit the data provided by every county each month to the department for caseload characteristics, status, activities, and expenditures. This includes cases received, approved, denied, restored, or discontinued, the type of activities a client is participating in, or the client's status, such as compliant, sanctioned, good cause, and exempt.   (e)   (g)  The amendments made to subdivision (b) by the amendment of this section in 2006 by Chapter 75 of the Statutes of 2006, clarify existing law, as enacted by Assembly Bill 1542 (Ch. 270, Stats. 1997).  SEC. 13.   Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 10545) is added to Part 2 of Division 9 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   CHAPTER 1.7. EMERGENCY CONTINGENCY FUND FOR STATE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILY PROGRAMS 10545. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Department of Social Services shall pay counties for base year costs of the county, in accordance with Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), which establishes the Emergency Contingency Fund for State Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs, to provide for both of the following: (A) Wage subsidy programs for purposes of public or private subsidized employment. (B) Nonrecurrent short-term benefit programs, as defined in subdivision (d). (2) After consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the State Department of Social Services shall develop a methodology for allocating the funds provided in paragraph (1) among counties. (3) The payment described in paragraph (1) shall be in addition to the single allocation required in Section 15204.2 and shall not exceed the amount budgeted by the State Department of Social Services for purposes of Section 11322.63 in the 2008-09 fiscal year and CalWORKs grant savings accomplished via subsidized employment programs. (b) (1) Notwithstanding Section 15204.2 or any other provision of law, the State Department of Social Services, in accordance with Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), shall reimburse a county for 80 percent of the amounts that exceed the base year costs that are paid to the county under subdivision (a) and are expended by that county for the benefit of needy families, as defined in subdivision (c), for either of the following purposes: (A) Wage subsidy programs for purposes of public or private subsidized employment. (B) Nonrecurrent short-term benefit programs, as defined in subdivision (d). (2) Notwithstanding Section 15204.2 or any other provision of law, the State Department of Social Services, in accordance with Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), shall reimburse a community college district for 80 percent of the amounts expended in excess of base year costs by that community college district for wage subsidy programs conducted in accordance with Article 5 (commencing with Section 79200) of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code. (3) Notwithstanding Section 15204.2 or any other provision of law, the State Department of Social Services, in accordance with Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), shall reimburse a county for 80 percent of the amounts expended by that county for basic assistance for families receiving assistance under the CalWORKs program, provided that the reimbursement shall only be provided for basic assistance to which the family is not otherwise entitled under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3. (c) Notwithstanding Section 11250 or any other provision of law, exclusively for purposes of funds provided under this section and exclusively for purposes of providing nonassistance services pursuant to Section 601(a)(1) and (2) of Title 42 of the United States Code, "needy families" also includes a family in which the income of the family is less than 200 percent of the current federal poverty level guidelines applicable to a family of the size involved if the family is any of the following: (1) A family in which a minor child is living with a parent or adult relative caregiver, including a noncustodial parent who does not reside with the minor child. (2) A woman in the third trimester of pregnancy. (3) A family in which a minor child is temporarily absent for a period of time, not to exceed 12 months, due to child abuse and neglect, and the parent or parents of the child are engaged in family reunification services. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of this section, "nonrecurrent short-term benefits" means benefits that meet all of the following requirements: (1) The benefits are designed to deal with a specific crisis situation or episode of need. (2) The benefits are not intended to meet recurrent or ongoing needs. (3) The benefits will not extend beyond four months. (e) The funds paid or reimbursed to counties pursuant to this section shall be used only for purposes for which federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (42 U.S.C. Sec. 601 et seq.) block grant funds may be used. (f) A county that receives payment for a welfare-to-work participant's wage subsidy in accordance with Section 11322.63 may not also receive reimbursement for that same wage subsidy expense under this section. (g) The reimbursement authorized in this section shall only be available to the extent that funds are provided to the state in accordance with Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), and to the extent that those funds are appropriated for the purposes of this section by the Legislature. (h) (1) The reimbursement authorized in subdivision (b) shall be provided to counties to the extent that the state receives funding under Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) that is based on county expenditures described in subdivision (b). (2) If the state receives advance funding under Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) based on expenditures described in subdivision (b), the state shall provide that advance funding to counties and community colleges based on the most current projected expenditures of the State Department of Social Services. 10545.1. (a) If the federal Government Accountability Office or any other appropriate agency finds that a county received reimbursement under this chapter for expenses that are not allowable under Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), or that a county expended federal funds provided pursuant to this chapter in a manner inconsistent with this federal law, that county shall reimburse the State Department of Social Services for those disallowed expenses and any monetary penalty imposed by that federal agency. (b) A determination made in accordance with subdivision (a) is subject to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Government Code. 10545.2. (a) This chapter shall become inoperative on October 1, 2010, unless the State Department of Social Services determines that federal law authorizes the federal reimbursement described in subdivision (b) beyond October 1, 2010, in which case, this chapter shall become inoperative as of the date those federal reimbursements become unavailable. (b) This section shall not limit the claiming, payment, reimbursement, or reconciliation of funds relating to expenditures made prior to the inoperative date of this chapter, as long as all requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) are met. (c) This chapter shall be repealed on the date that it becomes inoperative pursuant to subdivision (a).   SEC. 14.   Section 10604.6 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  10604.6. (a) The department shall pay only those assistance claims for federal or state reimbursement under this division  which   that  are filed with the department within 18 months after the end of the calendar quarter in which the costs are paid. (b) Any claim  which   that  is filed after the time specified in subdivision (a) may be paid only if an exception under federal law applies to that claim.  (c) The department may change the 18-month time limit specified in subdivision (a), as deemed necessary by the department to comply with federal changes that affect time limits.   SEC. 15.   Section 10823 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , as amended by Section 27 of Chapter 759 of the Statutes of 2008, is amended to read:  10823. (a) (1) The Office of Systems Integration shall implement a statewide automated welfare system for the following public assistance programs: (A) The CalWORKs program. (B) The Food Stamp Program. (C) The Medi-Cal  Program.   program.  (D) The foster care program. (E) The refugee program. (F) County medical services programs. (2) Statewide implementation of the statewide automated welfare system for the programs listed in paragraph (1) shall be achieved through no more than four county consortia, including the Interim Statewide Automated Welfare System Consortium, and the Los Angeles Eligibility, Automated Determination, Evaluation, and Reporting System. (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Office of Systems Integration shall migrate the 35 counties that currently use the Interim Statewide Automated Welfare System into the C-IV system within the following timeline: (A) Complete Migration System Test and begin User Acceptance Testing on or before June 30, 2009. (B) Complete implementation in at least five counties by February 28, 2010. (C) Complete implementation in at least 14 additional counties on or before May 31, 2010. (D) Complete implementation in all 35 counties on or before August 31, 2010. (E) Decommission the Interim Statewide Automated Welfare System on or before January 31, 2011. (b) Nothing in subdivision (a) transfers program policy responsibilities related to the public assistance programs specified in subdivision (a) from the State Department of Social Services or the State Department of Health Services to the Office of Systems Integration. (c) On February 1 of each year, the Office of Systems Integration shall provide an annual report to the appropriate committees of the Legislature on the statewide automated welfare system implemented under this section. The report shall address the progress of state and consortia activities and any significant schedule, budget, or functionality changes in the project.  (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Statewide Automated Welfare System consortia shall have the authority to expend within approved annual state budgets for each system as follows:   (1) Make changes within any line item, provided that the change does not create additional project costs in the current or in a future budget year.   (2) Make a change of up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or 10 percent of the total for the line item from which the funds are derived, whichever is greater, between line items with notice to the Office of Systems Integration, provided that the change does not create additional project costs in the current or in a future budget year.   (3) Make requests to the Office of Systems Integration for changes between line items of greater than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or 10 percent of the total for the line item from which the funds are derived, which do not increase the total cost in the current or a future budget year. The Office of Systems Integration shall take action to approve or deny the request within 10 days.   SEC. 16.   Section 10830 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , as amended by Section 241 of Chapter 179 of the Statutes of 2008, is repealed.   10830. (a) The department and the Health and Welfare Data Center shall design, implement, and maintain a statewide fingerprint imaging system for use in connection with the determination of eligibility for benefits under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Act (CalWORKs) program under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 excluding Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC), and the Food Stamp Program under Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6. (b) (1) Every applicant for, or recipient of, aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3, excluding the AFDC-FC program and Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6, other than dependent children or persons who are physically unable to be fingerprint imaged, shall, as a condition of eligibility for assistance, be required to be fingerprint imaged. (2) A person subject to paragraph (1) shall not be eligible for the CalWORKs program or the Food Stamp Program until fingerprint images are provided, except as provided in subdivision (e). Ineligibility may extend to an entire case of a person who refuses to provide fingerprint images. (c) The department may adopt emergency regulations to implement this section specifying the statewide fingerprint imaging requirements and exemptions to the requirements in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The initial adoption of any emergency regulations implementing this section, as added during the 1996 portion of the 1995-96 Regular Session, shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. Emergency regulations adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days. (d) Persons required to be fingerprint imaged pursuant to this section shall be informed that fingerprint images obtained pursuant to this section shall be used only for the purpose of verifying eligibility and preventing multiple enrollments in the CalWORKs program or the Food Stamp Program. The department, county welfare agencies, and all others shall not use or disclose the data collected and maintained for any purpose other than the prevention or prosecution of fraud. Fingerprint imaging information obtained pursuant to this section shall be confidential under Section 10850. (e) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the fingerprint imaging required under this chapter shall be scheduled only during the application appointment or other regularly scheduled appointments. No other special appointment shall be required. No otherwise eligible individual shall be ineligible to receive benefits under this chapter due to a technical problem occurring in the fingerprint imaging system or as long as the person consents to and is available for fingerprint imaging at a mutually agreed-upon time, not later than 60 days from the initial attempt to complete fingerprint imaging. (2) During the first nine months following implementation, recipients may be scheduled for separate appointments to complete the fingerprint imaging required by this section. Notice shall be mailed first class by the department to recipients at least 10 days prior to the appointment, and shall include procedures for the recipient to reschedule the scheduled appointment within 30 days. (f) If the fingerprint image of an applicant or recipient of aid to which this section applies matches another fingerprint image on file, the county shall notify the applicant or recipient. In the event that a match is appealed, the fingerprint image match shall be verified by a trained individual and any matching case files reviewed prior to the denial of benefits. Upon confirmation that the applicant or recipient is receiving or attempting to receive multiple CalWORKs program checks, a county fraud investigator shall be notified.   SEC. 17.   Section 11320.3 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11320.3. (a) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or if otherwise exempt, every individual, as a condition of eligibility for aid under this chapter, shall participate in welfare-to-work activities under this article. (2) Individuals eligible under Section 11331.5 shall be required to participate in the Cal-Learn Program under Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 11331) during the time that article is operative, in lieu of the welfare-to-work requirements, and subdivision (b) shall not apply to that individual. (b) The following individuals shall not be required to participate for so long as the condition continues to exist: (1) An individual under 16 years of age. (2) (A) A child attending an elementary, secondary, vocational, or technical school on a full-time basis. (B) A person who is 16 or 17 years of age, or a person described in subdivision (d) who loses this exemption, shall not requalify for the exemption by attending school as a required activity under this article. (C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (B), a person who is 16 or 17 years of age who has obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent and is enrolled or is planning to enroll in a postsecondary education, vocational, or technical school training program shall also not be required to participate for so long as the condition continues to exist. (D) For purposes of subparagraph (C), a person shall be deemed to be planning to enroll in a postsecondary education, vocational, or technical school training program if he or she, or his or her parent, acting on his or her behalf, submits a written statement expressing his or her intent to enroll in such a program for the following term. The exemption from participation shall not continue beyond the beginning of the term, unless verification of enrollment is provided or obtained by the county. (3) An individual who meets either of the following conditions: (A) The individual is disabled as determined by a doctor's verification that the disability is expected to last at least 30 days and that it significantly impairs the recipient's ability to be regularly employed or participate in welfare-to-work activities, provided that the individual is actively seeking appropriate medical treatment. (B) The individual is of advanced age. (4) A nonparent caretaker relative who has primary responsibility for providing care for a child and is either caring for a child who is a dependent or ward of the court or caring for a child in a case in which a county determines the child is at risk of placement in foster care, and the county determines that the caretaking responsibilities are beyond those considered normal day-to-day parenting responsibilities such that they impair the caretaker relative's ability to be regularly employed or to participate in welfare-to-work activities. (5) An individual whose presence in the home is required because of illness or incapacity of another member of the household and whose caretaking responsibilities impair the recipient's ability to be regularly employed or to participate in welfare-to-work activities. (6) A parent or other relative who meets the criteria in subparagraph (A) or (B). (A) (i) The parent or other relative has primary responsibility for personally providing care to a child six months of age or under, except that, on a case-by-case basis, and based on criteria developed by the county, this period may be reduced to the first 12 weeks after the birth or adoption of the child, or increased to the first 12 months after the birth or adoption of the child. An individual may be exempt only once under this clause. (ii) An individual who received an exemption pursuant to clause (i) shall be exempt for a period of 12 weeks, upon the birth or adoption of any subsequent children, except that this period may be extended on a case-by-case basis to six months, based on criteria developed by the county. (iii) In making the determination to extend the period of exception under clause (i) or (ii), the following may be considered: (I) The availability of child care. (II) Local labor market conditions. (III) Other factors determined by the county. (B) In a family eligible for aid under this chapter due to the unemployment of the principal wage earner, the exemption criteria contained in subparagraph (A) shall be applied to only one parent.  (7) A parent or other relative who has primary responsibility for personally providing care to one child who is from 12 to 23 months of age, inclusive, or two or more children who are under six years of age.   (7)   (8)  A woman who is pregnant and for whom it has been medically verified that the pregnancy impairs her ability to be regularly employed or participate in welfare-to-work activities or the county has determined that, at that time, participation will not readily lead to employment or that a training activity is not appropriate. (c) Any individual not required to participate may choose to participate voluntarily under this article, and end that participation at any time without loss of eligibility for aid under this chapter, if his or her status has not changed in a way that would require participation. (d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a custodial parent who is under 20 years of age and who has not earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, and who is not exempt or whose only basis for exemption is subparagraph (A) of paragraph (6) of subdivision (b), shall be required to participate solely for the purpose of earning a high school diploma or its equivalent. During the time that Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 11331) is operative, this subdivision shall only apply to a custodial parent who is 19 years of age. (2) Section 11325.25 shall apply to a custodial parent who is 18 or 19 years of age and who is required to participate under this article. (e) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), the county may determine that participation in education activities for the purpose of earning a high school diploma or equivalent is inappropriate for an 18 or 19 year old custodial parent only if that parent is reassigned pursuant to an evaluation under Section 11325.25, or, at appraisal is already in an educational or vocational training program that is approvable as a self-initiated program as specified in Section 11325.23. If that determination is made, the parent shall be allowed to continue participation in the self-initiated program subject to Section 11325.23. During the time that Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 11331) is operative, this subdivision shall only apply to a custodial parent who is 19 years of age. (f) A recipient shall be excused from participation for good cause when the county has determined there is a condition or other circumstance that temporarily prevents or significantly impairs the recipient's ability to be regularly employed or to participate in welfare-to-work activities. The county welfare department shall review the good cause determination for its continuing appropriateness in accordance with the projected length of the condition, or circumstance, but not less than every three months. The recipient shall cooperate with the county welfare department and provide information, including written documentation, as required to complete the review. Conditions that may be considered good cause include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Lack of necessary supportive services. (2) In accordance with Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 11495), the applicant or recipient is a victim of domestic violence, but only if participation under this article is detrimental to or unfairly penalizes that individual or his or her family. (3) Licensed or license-exempt child care for a child 10 years of age or younger is not reasonably available during the individual's hours of training or employment including commuting time, or arrangements for child care have broken down or have been interrupted, or child care is needed for a child who meets the criteria of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11323.2, but who is not included in the assistance unit. For purposes of this paragraph, "reasonable availability" means child care that is commonly available in the recipient's community to a person who is not receiving aid and that is in conformity with the requirements of Public Law 104-193. The choices of child care shall meet either licensing requirements or the requirements of Section 11324. This good cause criterion shall include the unavailability of suitable special needs child care for children with identified special needs, including, but not limited to, disabilities or chronic illnesses.  (g) County welfare departments shall have the option to provide participation exemptions, and to discontinue those exemptions, to additional categories of individuals not otherwise exempt under subdivision (b). A county shall notify the department of any additional exemption categories adopted pursuant to this subdivision.   (h) (1) Paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) and subdivision (g) shall be implemented notwithstanding Sections 11322.4, 11322.7, 11325.6, and 11327, and shall become inoperative on July 1, 2011.   (2) When paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) and subdivision (g) become inoperative, the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California, shall develop a process to assist clients with reengagement in welfare-to-work activities, such as notifying clients of the expiration of exemptions, potential reassessments, and identifying necessary supportive services, as well as a reasonable timeline to reengage clients.   SEC. 18.   Section 11320.32 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11320.32. (a) The department shall administer a voluntary Temporary Assistance Program (TAP) for current and future CalWORKs recipients who meet the exemption criteria for work participation activities set forth in Section 11320.3, and are not single parents who have a child under the age of one year. Temporary Assistance Program recipients shall be entitled to the same assistance payments and other benefits as recipients under the CalWORKs program. The purpose of this program is to provide cash assistance and other benefits to eligible families without any federal restrictions or requirements and without any adverse impact on recipients. The Temporary Assistance Program shall commence no later than  April 1, 2010   October 1, 2011  . (b) CalWORKs recipients who meet the exemption criteria for work participation activities set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3, and are not single parents with a child under the age of one year, shall have the option of receiving grant payments, child care, and transportation services from the Temporary Assistance Program. The department shall notify all CalWORKs recipients and applicants meeting the exemption criteria specified in subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3, except for single parents with a child under the age of one year, of their option to receive benefits under the Temporary Assistance Program. Absent written indication that these recipients or applicants choose not to receive assistance from the Temporary Assistance Program, the department shall enroll CalWORKs recipients and applicants into the program. However, exempt volunteers shall remain in the CalWORKs program unless they affirmatively indicate, in writing, their interest in enrolling in the Temporary Assistance Program. A Temporary Assistance Program recipient who no longer meets the exemption criteria set forth in Section 11320.3 shall be enrolled in the CalWORKs program. (c) Funding for grant payments, child care, transportation, and eligibility determination activities for families receiving benefits under the Temporary Assistance Program shall be funded with General Fund resources that do not count toward the state's maintenance of effort requirements under clause (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 609 of Title 42 of the United States Code, up to the caseload level equivalent to the amount of funding provided for this purpose in the annual Budget Act. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that recipients shall have and maintain access to the hardship exemption and the services necessary to begin and increase participation in welfare-to-work activities, regardless of their county of origin, and that the number of recipients exempt under subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3 not significantly increase due to factors other than changes in caseload characteristics. All relevant state law applicable to CalWORKs recipients shall also apply to families funded under this section. Nothing in this section modifies the criteria for exemption in Section 11320.3. (e) To the extent that this section is inconsistent with federal regulations regarding implementation of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, the department may amend the funding structure for exempt families to ensure consistency with these regulations, not later than 30 days after providing written notification to the chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairs of the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature.  SEC. 19.   Section 11322.64 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   11322.64. (a) Section 11322.63 shall be inoperative during the period commencing on the day the act that added this section takes effect until September 30, 2010, inclusive, unless the State Department of Social Services determines that Section 10545 is suspended, implementation of Section 10545 is significantly delayed, or counties are otherwise prevented by the state or federal government from receiving reimbursement for subsidized employment expenditures that are authorized and in compliance with Section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). (b) In accordance with subdivision (a), the deadline for the report required by subdivision (c) of Section 11322.63 shall be extended by two years.   SEC. 20.   Section 11325.71 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   11325.71. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 11325.7 and subdivision (e) of Section 11325.8, counties shall have the option to redirect funding, both from and to, the amounts appropriated for CalWORKs mental health employment assistance services and CalWORKs substance abuse treatment services, from and to other CalWORKs employment services that are necessary for individuals to participate in welfare-to-work activities. This section shall not be construed to limit a welfare-to-work participant' s access to mental health or substance abuse treatment services that would otherwise be available under Section 11325.7 or 11325.8, to the extent the participant is not provided good cause or determined to be exempt from welfare-to-work requirements. (b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2011, and, as of January 1, 2012, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, which becomes effective on or before January 1, 2012, deletes or extends that date on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.   SEC. 21.   Section 11329.5 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   11329.5. With respect to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of, and subdivision (g) of Section 11320.3, Section 11325.71, and paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) and subdivisions (d) and (f) of Section 10544, as added by the act that adds this section, the Legislature finds and declares all of the following, but only for the operative period of these added provisions: (a) Due to the significant General Fund revenue decline for the 2009-10 fiscal year, funding has been reduced for the CalWORKs program. (b) Due to the federal funding available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (ARRA) for CalWORKs grants, reductions in 2009-10 are being achieved in the county single allocation. (c) Reduced funding and increased caseload for CalWORKs will result in insufficient resources to provide the full range of welfare-to-work services in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the limited resources for CalWORKs services be effectively utilized, as established in paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3 of Welfare and Institutions Code. (e) It is the further intent of the Legislature to provide additional flexibility to address funding constraints, as established in subdivision (g) of Section 11320.3 and Section 11325.71, in addition to the existing flexibility provided under subdivision (f) of Section 11320.3. (f) It is the further intent of the Legislature to minimize disruption of welfare-to-work services for individuals already participating, and prioritize exemptions and good cause for applicants. (g) Funding and caseload factors will result in circumstances beyond the control of the counties in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years, and that relief should be provided for federal penalties that may result.   SEC. 22.   Section 11364 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11364.  (a)    Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 11450, the rate paid on behalf of children eligible for a Kin-GAP payment shall equal 100 percent of the rate for children placed in a licensed or approved home as specified in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, of Section 11461.  For   (b)     For  a child eligible for a Kin-GAP payment who is a teen parent, the rate shall include the two hundred dollar ($200) monthly payment made to the relative caregiver in a whole family foster home pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 11465, where prior to entering the Kin-GAP program, the relative was receiving foster care benefits on behalf of the child as a whole family foster home.  In addition, effective   (c)     Effective  October 1, 2006, the rate paid for a child eligible for a Kin-GAP payment shall be increased by an amount equal to the clothing allowances, as set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 11461, to which the child would have been entitled while in foster care, including any applicable rate adjustments.  In addition, effective   (d)     Effective  October 1, 2006, if a child, while in foster care, received a specialized care increment, immediately prior to his or her enrollment in the Kin-GAP Program, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 11461, the Kin-GAP rate shall be adjusted by the specialized care increment amount, including any applicable rate adjustments.  (e) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subdivision becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision, if a child, while in foster care, received a dual agency rate, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 11464, immediately prior to his or her enrollment in the Kin-GAP Program, the Kin-GAP rate shall be the amount of the dual agency rate, including any applicable rate adjustments under paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 11464.   (f) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subdivision become effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision if a child, while in foster care, is receiving services under the California Early Start Intervention Services Act, and is receiving AFDC-FC benefits as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 11464, immediately prior to his or her enrollment in the Kin-GAP Program, the child shall be considered and assessed for a dual agency rate, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 11464, if the child becomes a regional center client. The Kin-GAP rate shall be the amount of the dual agency rate, including any applicable rate adjustments under paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 11464.   SEC. 23.   Section 11454.5 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code  is amended to read:  11454.5. (a) Any month in which the following conditions exist shall not be counted as a month of receipt of aid for the purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 11454: (1) The recipient is exempt from participation under Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 11320) due to disability, or advanced age in accordance with paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3, or due to caretaking responsibilities that impair the recipient's ability to be regularly employed, in accordance with paragraph (4) or (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3. (2) The recipient is eligible for, participating in, or exempt from, the Cal-Learn Program provided for pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 11331) or is participating in another teen parent program approved by the department. (3) The cost of the cash aid provided to the recipient for the month is fully reimbursed by child support, whether collected in that month or any subsequent month. (4) The family is a former recipient of cash aid under this chapter and currently receives only child care, case management, or supportive services pursuant to Section 11323.2 or Article 15.5 (commencing with Section 8350) of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of the Education Code. (5) To the extent provided by federal law, the recipient lived in Indian country, as defined by federal law, or an Alaskan native village in which at least 50 percent of the adults living in the Indian country or in the village are not employed.  (6) The recipient has been excused from participation for good cause pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11320.3.  (7) The recipient is exempt from participation due to caretaking responsibilities that impair the recipient's ability to be regularly employed, or is otherwise exempt, in accordance with paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) or subdivision (g) of Section 11320.3. This paragraph shall become inoperative on July 1, 2011.  (b) In cases where a lump-sum diversion payment is provided in lieu of cash aid under Section 11266.5, the month in which the payment is made or the months calculated pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 11266.5 shall count against the limits specified in Section 11454.  SEC. 24.   Section 11462 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11462. (a) (1) Effective July 1, 1990, foster care providers licensed as group homes, as defined in departmental regulations, including public child care institutions, as defined in Section 11402.5, shall have rates established by classifying each group home program and applying the standardized schedule of rates. The department shall collect information from group providers beginning January 1, 1990, in order to classify each group home program. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), foster care providers licensed as group homes shall have rates established only if the group home is organized and operated on a nonprofit basis as required under subdivision (h) of Section 11400. The department shall terminate the rate effective January 1, 1993, of any group home not organized and operated on a nonprofit basis as required under subdivision (h) of Section 11400. (3) (A) The department shall determine, consistent with the requirements of this chapter and other relevant requirements under law, the rate classification level (RCL) for each group home program on a biennial basis. Submission of the biennial rate application shall be made according to a schedule determined by the department. (B) The department shall adopt regulations to implement this paragraph. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or readoption of a regulation authorized by this paragraph is deemed to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement to describe specific facts showing the need for immediate action. (b) A group home program shall be initially classified, for purposes of emergency regulations, according to the level of care and services to be provided using a point system developed by the department and described in the report, "The Classification of Group Home Programs under the Standardized Schedule of Rates System," prepared by the State Department of Social Services, August 30, 1989. (c) The rate for each RCL has been determined by the department with data from the AFDC-FC Group Home Rate Classification Pilot Study. The rates effective July 1, 1990, were developed using 1985 calendar year costs and reflect adjustments to the costs for each fiscal year, starting with the 1986-87 fiscal year, by the amount of the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to the methodology described in Section 11453. The data obtained by the department using 1985 calendar year costs shall be updated and revised by January 1, 1993. (d) As used in this section, "standardized schedule of rates" means a listing of the 14 rate classification levels, and the single rate established for each RCL. (e) Except as specified in paragraph (1), the department shall determine the RCL for each group home program on a prospective basis, according to the level of care and services that the group home operator projects will be provided during the period of time for which the rate is being established. (1) (A) For new and existing providers requesting the establishment of an RCL, and for existing group home programs requesting an RCL increase, the department shall determine the RCL no later than 13 months after the effective date of the provisional rate. The determination of the RCL shall be based on a program audit of documentation and other information that verifies the level of care and supervision provided by the group home program during a period of the two full calendar months or 60 consecutive days, whichever is longer, preceding the date of the program audit, unless the group home program requests a lower RCL. The program audit shall not cover the first six months of operation under the provisional rate. Pending the department's issuance of the program audit report that determines the RCL for the group home program, the group home program shall be eligible to receive a provisional rate that shall be based on the level of care and service that the group home program proposes it will provide. The group home program shall be eligible to receive only the RCL determined by the department during the pendency of any appeal of the department's RCL determination. (B) A group home program may apply for an increase in its RCL no earlier than two years from the date the department has determined the group home program's rate, unless the host county, the primary placing county, or a regional consortium of counties submits to the department in writing that the program is needed in that county, that the provider is capable of effectively and efficiently operating the proposed program, and that the provider is willing and able to accept AFDC-FC children for placement who are determined by the placing agency to need the level of care and services that will be provided by the program. (C) To ensure efficient administration of the department's audit responsibilities, and to avoid the fraudulent creation of records, group home programs shall make records that are relevant to the RCL determination available to the department in a timely manner. Except as provided in this section, the department may refuse to consider, for purposes of determining the rate, any documents that are relevant to the determination of the RCL that are not made available by the group home provider by the date the group home provider requests a hearing on the department's RCL determination. The department may refuse to consider, for purposes of determining the rate, the following records, unless the group home provider makes the records available to the department during the fieldwork portion of the department's program audit: (i) Records of each employee's full name, home address, occupation, and social security number. (ii) Time records showing when the employee begins and ends each work period, meal periods, split shift intervals, and total daily hours worked. (iii) Total wages paid each payroll period. (iv) Records required to be maintained by licensed group home providers under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations that are relevant to the RCL determination. (D) To minimize financial abuse in the startup of group home programs, when the department's RCL determination is more than three levels lower than the RCL level proposed by the group home provider, and the group home provider does not appeal the department's RCL determination, the department shall terminate the rate of a group home program 45 days after issuance of its program audit report. When the group home provider requests a hearing on the department's RCL determination, and the RCL determined by the director under subparagraph (E) is more than three levels lower than the RCL level proposed by the group home provider, the department shall terminate the rate of a group home program within 30 days of issuance of the director's decision. Notwithstanding the reapplication provisions in subparagraph (B), the department shall deny any request for a new or increased RCL from a group home provider whose RCL is terminated pursuant to this subparagraph, for a period of no greater than two years from the effective date of the RCL termination. (E) A group home provider may request a hearing of the department' s RCL determination under subparagraph (A) no later than 30 days after the date the department issues its RCL determination. The department's RCL determination shall be final if the group home provider does not request a hearing within the prescribed time. Within 60 days of receipt of the request for hearing, the department shall conduct a hearing on the RCL determination. The standard of proof shall be the preponderance of the evidence and the burden of proof shall be on the department. The hearing officer shall issue the proposed decision within 45 days of the close of the evidentiary record. The director shall adopt, reject, or modify the proposed decision, or refer the matter back to the hearing officer for additional evidence or findings within 100 days of issuance of the proposed decision. If the director takes no action on the proposed decision within the prescribed time, the proposed decision shall take effect by operation of law. (2) Group home programs that fail to maintain at least the level of care and services associated with the RCL upon which their rate was established shall inform the department. The department shall develop regulations specifying procedures to be applied when a group home fails to maintain the level of services projected, including, but not limited to, rate reduction and recovery of overpayments. (3) The department shall not reduce the rate, establish an overpayment, or take other actions pursuant to paragraph (2) for any period that a group home program maintains the level of care and services associated with the RCL for children actually residing in the facility. Determinations of levels of care and services shall be made in the same way as modifications of overpayments are made pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 11466.2. (4) A group home program that substantially changes its staffing pattern from that reported in the group home program statement shall provide notification of this change to all counties that have placed children currently in care. This notification shall be provided whether or not the RCL for the program may change as a result of the change in staffing pattern. (f) (1) The standardized schedule of rates for the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 fiscal years is: FY 2002-03, 2003- Rate Point Ranges 04, 2004-05, 2005- 06, 2006-07, and Classification 2007-08 Level Standard Rate 1 Under 60 $1,454 2 60- 89 1,835 3 90-119 2,210 4 120-149 2,589 5 150-179 2,966 6 180-209 3,344 7 210-239 3,723 8 240-269 4,102 9 270-299 4,479 10 300-329 4,858 11 330-359 5,234 12 360-389 5,613 13 390-419 5,994 14 420 & Up 6,371 (2) (A) For group home programs that receive AFDC-FC payments for services performed during the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08,  and  2008-09  , and 2009-   10  fiscal years, the adjusted RCL point ranges below shall be used for establishing the biennial rates for existing programs, pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and in performing program audits and in determining any resulting rate reduction, overpayment assessment, or other actions pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e): Adjusted Point Rate Ranges for the 2002-03, Classification 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08,  and 2008-09 Fiscal   2008-09, and 2009-  Level  10     Fiscal  Years   1 Under 54 2 54- 81 3 82-110 4 111-138 5 139-167 6 168-195 7 196-224 8 225-253 9 254-281 10 282-310 11 311-338 12 339-367 13 368-395 14 396 & Up (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), foster care providers operating group homes during the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08,  and  2008-09  , and 2009-10  fiscal years shall remain responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the children placed in their programs in accordance with existing applicable provisions of the Health and Safety Code and community care licensing regulations, as contained in Title 22 of the Code of California Regulations. (C) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to program audits of group home programs with provisional rates established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). For those program audits, the RCL point ranges in paragraph (1) shall be used.  (D) Rates applicable for the 2009-10 fiscal year pursuant to the act that adds this subparagraph shall be applied retroactively to July 1, 2009.   (3) (A) For group home programs that receive AFDC-FC payments for services performed during 2009-10, the following further adjusted RCL point ranges shall be used for establishing the biennial rates for existing programs, pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), and in performing program audits and in determining any resulting rate reduction, overpayment assessment, or other action pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e):   Further Adjusted Point Ranges for 2009-10 Fiscal Year:   Further Adjusted   Point Ranges 2009-   Level 10 Fiscal Years   1 Under 39   2 39- 64   3 65- 90   4 91-115   5 116-141   6 142-167   7 168-192   8 193-218   9 219-244   10 245-270   11 271-295   12 296-321   13 322-347   14 348 & Up   (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), foster care providers operating group homes during the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 fiscal years shall remain responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the children placed in their programs in accordance with existing applicable care licensing regulations, as contained in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.   (C) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to program audits of group home programs with provisional rates established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). For those program audits, the RCL point ranges in paragraph (1) shall be used.  (D) Adjusted point ranges applicable for the 2009-10 fiscal year pursuant to this paragraph shall be applied retroactively to July 1, 2009.  (g) (1) (A) For the 1999-2000 fiscal year, the standardized rate for each RCL shall be adjusted by an amount equal to the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to the methodology described in Section 11453. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates, subject to further adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (B). (B) In addition to the adjustment in subparagraph (A), commencing January 1, 2000, the standardized rate for each RCL shall be increased by 2.36 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates. (2) Beginning with the 2000-01 fiscal year, the standardized schedule of rates shall be adjusted annually by an amount equal to the CNI computed pursuant to Section 11453, subject to the availability of funds. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates. (3) Effective January 1, 2001, the amount included in the standard rate for each Rate Classification Level (RCL) for the salaries, wages, and benefits for staff providing child care and supervision or performing social work activities, or both, shall be increased by 10 percent. This additional funding shall be used by group home programs solely to supplement staffing, salaries, wages, and benefit levels of staff specified in this paragraph. The standard rate for each RCL shall be recomputed using this adjusted amount and the resultant rates shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates. The department may require a group home receiving this additional funding to certify that the funding was utilized in accordance with the provisions of this section. (4) Effective January 1, 2008, the amount included in the standard rate for each RCL for the wages for staff providing child care and supervision or performing social work activities, or both, shall be increased by 5 percent, and the amount included for the payroll taxes and other employer-paid benefits for these staff shall be increased from 20.325 percent to 24 percent. The standard rate for each RCL shall be recomputed using these adjusted amounts, and the resulting rates shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.  (5) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this paragraph becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this paragraph, the new standardized schedule of rates as provided for in paragraph (4) shall be reduced by 10 percent, and the resulting rates shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.   (6) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this paragraph becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this paragraph, the rates of licensed group home providers, whose rates are not established under the standardized schedule of rates, shall be reduced by 10 percent.  (h) The standardized schedule of rates pursuant to subdivisions (f) and (g) shall be implemented as follows: (1) Any group home program that received an AFDC-FC rate in the prior fiscal year at or above the standard rate for the RCL in the current fiscal year shall continue to receive that rate. (2) Any group home program that received an AFDC-FC rate in the prior fiscal year below the standard rate for the RCL in the current fiscal year shall receive the RCL rate for the current year. (i) (1) The department shall not establish a rate for a new program of a new or existing provider, or for an existing program at a new location of an existing provider, unless the provider submits a letter of recommendation from the host county, the primary placing county, or a regional consortium of counties that includes all of the following: (A) That the program is needed by that county. (B) That the provider is capable of effectively and efficiently operating the program. (C) That the provider is willing and able to accept AFDC-FC children for placement who are determined by the placing agency to need the level of care and services that will be provided by the program. (D) That, if the letter of recommendation is not being issued by the host county, the primary placing county has notified the host county of its intention to issue the letter and the host county was given the opportunity 30 days to respond to this notification and to discuss options with the primary placing county. (2) The department shall encourage the establishment of consortia of county placing agencies on a regional basis for the purpose of making decisions and recommendations about the need for, and use of, group home programs and other foster care providers within the regions. (3) The department shall annually conduct a county-by-county survey to determine the unmet placement needs of children placed pursuant to Section 300 and Section 601 or 602, and shall publish its findings by November 1 of each year. (j) The department shall develop regulations specifying ratesetting procedures for program expansions, reductions, or modifications, including increases or decreases in licensed capacity, or increases or decreases in level of care or services. (k) (1) For the purpose of this subdivision, "program change" means any alteration to an existing group home program planned by a provider that will increase the RCL or AFDC-FC rate. An increase in the licensed capacity or other alteration to an existing group home program that does not increase the RCL or AFDC-FC rate shall not constitute a program change. (2) For the 1998-99, 1999-2000, and 2000-01 fiscal years, the rate for a group home program shall not increase, as the result of a program change, from the rate established for the program effective July 1, 2000, and as adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g), except as provided in paragraph (3). (3) (A) For the 1998-99, 1999-2000, and 2000-01 fiscal years, the department shall not establish a rate for a new program of a new or existing provider or approve a program change for an existing provider that either increases the program's RCL or AFDC-FC rate, or increases the licensed capacity of the program as a result of decreases in another program with a lower RCL or lower AFDC-FC rate that is operated by that provider, unless both of the following conditions are met: (i) The licensee obtains a letter of recommendation from the host county, primary placing county, or regional consortium of counties regarding the proposed program change or new program. (ii) The county determines that there is no increased cost to the General Fund. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the department may grant a request for a new program or program change, not to exceed 25 beds, statewide, if both of the following conditions are met: (i) The licensee obtains a letter of recommendation from the host county, primary placing county, or regional consortium of counties regarding the proposed program change or new program. (ii) The department determines that the new program or program change will result in a reduction of referrals to state hospitals during the 1998-99 fiscal year. (l) General unrestricted or undesignated private charitable donations and contributions made to charitable or nonprofit organizations shall not be deducted from the cost of providing services pursuant to this section. The donations and contributions shall not be considered in any determination of maximum expenditures made by the department. (m) The department shall, by October 1 of each year, commencing October 1, 1992, provide the Joint Legislative Budget Committee with a list of any new departmental requirements established during the previous fiscal year concerning the operation of group homes, and of any unusual, industrywide increase in costs associated with the provision of group care that may have significant fiscal impact on providers of group homes care. The committee may, in fiscal year 1993-94 and beyond, use the list to determine whether an appropriation for rate adjustments is needed in the subsequent fiscal year.  SEC. 25.   Section 11463 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11463. (a) (1) The department, with the advice, assistance, and cooperation of the counties and foster care providers, shall develop, implement, and maintain a ratesetting system for foster family agencies. (2) No county shall be reimbursed for any percentage increases in payments, made on behalf of AFDC-FC funded children who are placed with foster family agencies, that exceed the percentage cost-of-living increase provided in any fiscal year beginning on January 1, 1990, as specified in subdivision (c) of Section 11461. (b) The department shall develop regulations specifying the purposes, types, and services of foster family agencies, including the use of those agencies for the provision of emergency shelter care. A distinction, for ratesetting purposes, shall be drawn between foster family agencies that provide treatment of children in foster families and those that provide nontreatment services. (c) The department shall develop and maintain regulations specifying the procedure for the appeal of department decisions about the setting of an agency's rate. (d) On and after July 1, 1998, the schedule of rates, and the components used in the rate calculations specified in the department' s regulations, for foster family agencies shall be increased by 6 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies. (e) (1) On and after July 1, 1999, the schedule of rates and the components used in the rate calculations specified in the department' s regulations for foster family agencies shall be adjusted by an amount equal to the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to Section 11453, rounded to the nearest dollar, subject to the availability of funds. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies, subject to further adjustment pursuant to paragraph (2). (2) In addition to the adjustment specified in paragraph (1), commencing January 1, 2000, the schedule of rates and the components used in the rate calculations specified in the department's regulations for foster family agencies shall be increased by 2.36 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies. (f) For the 1999-2000 fiscal year, foster family agency rates that are not determined by the schedule of rates set forth in the department's regulations, shall be increased by the same percentage as provided in subdivision (e). (g) For the 2000-01 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, without a county share of cost, notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 15200, the foster family agency rate shall be supplemented by one hundred dollars ($100) for clothing per year per child in care, subject to the availability of funds. The supplemental payment shall be used to supplement, and shall not be used to supplant, any clothing allowance paid in addition to the foster family agency rate. (h) In addition to the adjustment made pursuant to subdivision (e), the component for social work activities in the rate calculation specified in the department's regulations for foster family agencies shall be increased by 10 percent, effective January 1, 2001. This additional funding shall be used by foster family agencies solely to supplement staffing, salaries, wages, and benefit levels of staff performing social work activities. The schedule of rates shall be recomputed using the adjusted amount for social work activities. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies. The department may require a foster family agency receiving this additional funding to certify that the funding was utilized in accordance with the provisions of this section. (i) The increased rate provided by subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 11461 shall not be used to compute the monthly amount that may be paid to licensed foster family agencies for the placement of children in certified foster homes.  (j) (1) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subdivision becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision, the total foster family agency rate by age group in effect as of January 1, 2008, paid to licensed foster family agencies for the placement of children in certified foster family homes, shall be reduced by 10 percent.   (2) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subdivision becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision, foster family agencies shall employ a minimum of one full-time social work supervisor for every eight social workers or fraction thereof in the agency.   (j)   (k)  (1) The department shall determine, consistent with the requirements of this section and other relevant requirements under law, the rate category for each foster family agency on a biennial basis. Submission of the biennial rate application shall be according to a schedule determined by the department. (2) The department shall adopt regulations to implement this subdivision. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or readoption of a regulation authorized by this subdivision is deemed to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement to describe specific facts showing the need for immediate action.  SEC. 26.   Section 11466.2 of the  Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11466.2. (a) (1) The department shall perform or have performed group home program and fiscal audits as needed. Group home programs shall maintain all child-specific, programmatic, personnel, fiscal, and other information affecting group home ratesetting and AFDC-FC payments for a period not less than five years. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the department shall not  reduce a group home program's AFDC-FC rate or RCL, or  establish an overpayment based upon a nonprovisional program audit  , for a period of less than one year   conducted on less than a one-year audit period  .  (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the department may conduct audits covering a period of less than 12 months. Based upon the findings of these audits, the department may reduce a group home program's AFDC-FC rate or RCL pursuant to this paragraph.   (A) In an audit of a period of less than 12 months, if a provider' s audited RCL is no more than three levels below the paid RCL, the provider's rate and RCL will be reduced to the audited RCL. The provider will be allowed the opportunity to bring a program into compliance with the paid RCL.   (B) In an audit of a period of less than 12 months, if the provider's audited RCL is more than three levels below the paid RCL, the department shall conduct an audit as identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11466.2. The provider will be allowed the opportunity to bring a program into compliance with the paid RCL.   (C) A group home provider may request a hearing of the department' s RCL determination under subparagraph (A) no later than 30 days after the date the department issues its RCL determination. The department's RCL determination shall be final if the group home provider does not request a hearing within the prescribed time. Within 60 days of receipt of the request for hearing, the department shall conduct a hearing on the RCL determination. The standard of proof shall be the preponderance of the evidence and the burden of proof shall be on the department. The hearing officer shall issue the proposed decision within 45 days of the close of the evidentiary record. The director shall adopt, reject, or modify the proposed decision, or refer the matter back to the hearing officer for additional evidence or findings within 100 days of issuance of the proposed decision. If the director takes no action on the proposed decision within the prescribed time, the proposed decision shall take effect by operation of law.  (b) (1) The department shall develop regulations to correct a group home program's RCL, and to adjust the rate and to recover any overpayments resulting from an overstatement of the projected level of care and services. (2) The department shall modify the amount of the overpayment pursuant to paragraph (1) in cases where the level of care and services provided per child in placement equals or exceeds the level associated with the program's RCL. In making this modification, the department shall determine whether services other than child care supervision were provided to children in placement in an amount that is at least proportionate, on a per child basis, to the amount projected in the group home's rate application. In cases where these services are provided in less than a proportionate amount, staffing for child care supervision in excess of its proportionate share shall not be substituted for  non-child   nonchild  care supervision staff hours. (c) (1) In any audit conducted by the department, the department, or other public or private audit agency with which the department contracts, shall coordinate with the department's licensing and ratesetting entities so that a consistent set of standards, rules, and auditing protocols are maintained. The department, or other public or private audit agency with which the department contracts, shall make available to all group home providers, in writing, any standards, rules, and auditing protocols to be used in those audits. (2) The department shall provide exit interviews with providers whenever deficiencies found are explained and the opportunity exists for providers to respond. The department shall adopt regulations specifying the procedure for the appeal of audit findings.  SEC. 27.   Section 11468.6 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  11468.6. (a) The director shall establish administrative procedures to review group home audit findings. (b) A group home provider, including an RCL 13 or an RCL 14 provider, may request a hearing to examine any disputed audit finding that results in an overpayment or adjustment to the provider's rate, or that reduces the provider's overall RCL point total pursuant to Section 11462. The administrative review process established in this section shall not examine issues regarding the authority of the department to set rates, determine RCL points, conduct audits, or collect overpayments from a group home provider. (c) The administrative appeal process established pursuant to this section shall commence with an informal hearing, and provide for a formal administrative hearing of the informal level appeal record and decision by a hearing officer appointed by the director. The department shall make every effort to contract with the State Department of Health Services to conduct the informal hearings required by this subdivision during the first year of implementation of this section. (d) An amended audit report may be issued by the department for the fiscal period or periods for which the proceedings are pending under this section, if at the time of the hearing, the group home provider submits additional documentation or evidence that was not available to the department at the time of the audit. The proceedings shall be suspended for a period not exceeding 120 days while the department completes an amended audit and the provider identifies any additional disputes that result from an amended audit report. Additional audit findings included in an amended audit report may also be included in the proceedings at the request of the provider. (e) Within 120 days after submission of a proposed decision, the director shall do one of the following: (1) Adopt the proposed decision with or without reading or hearing the record. (2) Reject the proposed decision and adopt an alternative decision based upon the documentary and electronically recorded record, with or without taking additional evidence. (3) Refer the matter to the same or a different hearing officer to take additional evidence. If the case is so assigned, the hearing officer shall, within 90 days, prepare a proposed decision, based upon the additional evidence and the documentary and electronically recorded record of the prior hearing. The director may then take one of the actions described in this subdivision in regard to the new proposed decision. The director may return a proposed decision twice on the same appeal.  (4) If the director fails to take action on the proposed decision within 120 days after the submission of the proposed decision, the proposed decision shall take effect by operation of law.  (f) (1) The director's decision shall be final when the decision is mailed to the parties. However, the director retains jurisdiction to correct clerical errors. (2) Copies of the final decision of the director and the hearing officer's proposed decision, if it was not adopted by the director, shall be mailed by certified mail to the parties. (g) The group home provider may request review of the final decision of the director pursuant to this section in accordance with Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure within six months of the issuance of the director's final decision. SEC. 28.   Section 12200.02 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   12200.02. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and except as provided in subdivision (b), commencing October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this section becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this section: (1) The maximum aid payment for a married couple, in accordance with Section 12200, shall be reduced to equal the minimum amount required by the federal Social Security Act in order to maintain eligibility for federal funding under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act, contained in Subchapter 19 (commencing with Section 1396) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code. (2) (A) The maximum aid payment under this article for an individual, in accordance with Section 12200, shall be reduced by 0.6 percent. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), in no event shall payments under this paragraph be reduced below the level required by the federal Social Security Act in order to maintain eligibility for federal funding under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act, contained in Subchapter 19 (commencing with Section 1396) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the reductions required by this section shall not apply to payments made pursuant to subdivisions (e), (g), and (h) of Section 12200.   SEC. 29.   Section 12305.1 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  12305.1. (a)  (1)    Any aged, blind, or disabled individual who received Medi-Cal personal care services pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 14132.95 before July 1, 2009, and who continues to receive those services, and who would otherwise be deemed a categorically needy recipient pursuant to Section 12305, is eligible to receive a supplementary payment under this article to be used towards the purchase of personal care services. Additionally, any aged, blind, or disabled individual who received services pursuant to Section 14132.951 before July 1, 2009, and who continues to receive those services, and who would otherwise be deemed a categorically needy recipient pursuant to Section 12305 is eligible to receive a supplementary payment under this article to be used towards the purchase of services under Section 14132.951.  Supplementary payments shall be available only to those individuals who meet the criteria set forth in this subdivision, and are eligible to receive a supplementary payment as of June 30, 2009.   (2) Effective on the first day of the first month after the effective date of the act that adds this paragraph, individuals who meet the above criteria for supplementary payments shall have their supplementary payment reduced by 50 percent.   (3) The department shall allow counties to utilize a local X-27 SPEC transaction to reimburse excess share of cost paid by recipients who, on or after July 1, 2009, lose their state buyout erroneously and are eligible for reinstatement. The department shall obtain the information necessary from the county to reinstate these individuals as expeditiously as possible.  (b) A supplementary payment pursuant to this section shall be the difference between the following amounts: (1) A beneficiary's excess income as determined under Section 12304.5. (2) The beneficiary's nonexempt income as determined pursuant to Section 14005.7, in excess of the income levels for maintenance need pursuant to Section 14005.12. (c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), no supplementary payment shall be made pursuant to this section unless the amount specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) is larger than the amount specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b). (d) In the event of a final judicial determination by any court of appellate jurisdiction or a final determination by the Administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that supplemental payments to medically needy persons not receiving services pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 14132.95 or Section 14132.951 must be made, then this section and subdivision (p) of Section 14132.95 shall cease to be operative on the first day of the month that begins after the expiration of a period of 30 days subsequent to a notification in writing by the Director of Finance to the chairperson of the committee in each house that considers appropriations, the chairpersons of the committees and the appropriate subcommittees in each house that consider the State Budget, and the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.  SEC. 30.   Section 12305.81 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  12305.81. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person shall not be eligible to provide or receive payment for providing supportive services for 10 years following a conviction for, or incarceration following a conviction for, fraud against a government health care or supportive services program, including Medicare, Medicaid, or services provided under Title V, Title XX, or Title XXI of the federal Social Security Act or a violation of subdivision (a) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or Section 368 of the Penal Code, or similar violations in another jurisdiction. The department and the State Department of Health  Care  Services shall develop a provider enrollment form that each person seeking to provide supportive services shall complete, sign under penalty of perjury, and submit to the county.  Submission of the form shall include copies of the original documentation verifying the provider's identity, and shall be considered as an application to render services under the Medi-Cal program consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 14043.1. A provider may submit the form to the county by mail or in person. The form shal   l be further revised with input from the counties, public authorities, and stakeholders representing recipients and providers.  The form shall contain statements to the following effect: (1) A person who, in the last 10 years, has been convicted for, or incarcerated following conviction for, fraud against a government health care or supportive services program is not eligible to be enrolled as a provider or to receive payment for providing supportive services. (2) An individual who, in the last 10 years, has been convicted for, or incarcerated following conviction for, a violation of subdivision (a) of Section 273a of the Penal Code or Section 368 of the Penal Code, or similar violations in another jurisdiction, is not eligible to be enrolled as a provider or to receive payment for providing supportive services. (3) A statement declaring that the person has not, in the last 10 years, been convicted or incarcerated following conviction for a crime involving fraud against a government health care or supportive services program. (4) A statement declaring that he or she has not, in the last 10 years, been convicted for, or incarcerated following conviction for, a violation of subdivision (a) of Section 273a of the Penal Code or Section 368 of the Penal Code, or similar violations in another jurisdiction. (5) The person agrees to reimburse the state for any overpayment paid to the person as determined in accordance with Section 12305.83, and that the amount of any overpayment, individually or in the aggregate, may be deducted from any future warrant to that person for services provided to any recipient of supportive services, as authorized in Section 12305.83.  (b) The department shall include the text of subdivision (a) of Section 273a of the Penal Code and Section 368 of the Penal Code on the provider enrollment form.   (c)   (b)  A public authority or nonprofit consortium that is notified by the department or the State Department of Health  Care  Services that a supportive services provider is ineligible to receive payments under this chapter or under Medi-Cal law shall exclude that provider from its registry.  (d)   (c)  A public authority or nonprofit consortium that determines that a registry provider is not eligible to provide supportive services based on the requirements of subdivision (a) shall report that finding to the department.  SEC. 31.   Section 12305.84 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   12305.84. (a) Upon enactment of this section, the department shall convene a stakeholder group and begin a process with this group to develop and issue a report evaluating the implementation of the quality assurance and fraud prevention and detection activities enacted from 2004 to the present. The department shall include and collaborate with the State Department of Health Care Services, the California State Association of Counties, the County Welfare Directors Association, and stakeholders representing consumers and providers. (b) The department shall provide this report to the Legislature on or before December 31, 2010. (c) The stakeholder group shall: (1) Review the annual error reports issued and state-level quality assurance activities to date required by Section 12305.7 and review and evaluate the implementation of county quality assurance activities required by Section 12305.71, including a review of the number of instances, amounts, and causes of overpayments and underpayments identified by quality assurance activity at the state and county level from enactment to date. (2) Review information available regarding prevention and early detection of fraud, the latter as defined by Section 12305.81. (3) Collect and review information regarding referrals of suspected fraud to the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to Section 12305.82, and subsequent investigative efforts, including cost-benefit information regarding these efforts, as well as the number of fraud cases handled locally. (4) Collect and review information regarding final convictions for fraud, including all of the following: (A) The amount of funds involved in the conviction. (B) The basis of the fraud conviction, including whether it involved services not provided or falsified consumers or providers, or both. (C) Aggregate information regarding the number and source of individuals responsible, including, but not limited to, state employees, IHSS providers, consumers, county workers, or others. (5) Provide recommendations on options for preventing errors and fraud for both the state and county levels, and recommendations for early detection strategies to combat fraud in the program.   SEC. 32.   Section 12309 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  12309. (a) In order to assure that in-home supportive services are delivered in all counties in a uniform manner, the department shall develop a uniform needs assessment tool. (b) (1) Each county shall, in administering this article, use the uniform needs assessment tool developed pursuant to subdivision (a) in collecting and evaluating information. (2) For purposes of paragraph (1), "information" includes, but is not limited to, all of the following: (A) The recipient's living environment. (B) Alternative resources. (C) The recipient's functional abilities. (c) (1) The uniform needs assessment tool developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall evaluate the recipient's functioning in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. (2) The recipient's functioning shall be quantified, using the general hierarchical five-point scale for ranking each function, as specified in subdivision (d). (d) The recipient's functioning ranks shall be as follows: (1) Rank one. A recipient's functioning shall be classified as rank one if his or her functioning is independent, and he or she is able to perform the function without human assistance, although the recipient may have difficulty in performing the function, but the completion of the function, with or without a device or mobility aid, poses no substantial risk to his or her safety. (2) Rank two. A recipient's functioning shall be classified as rank two if he or she is able to perform a function, but needs verbal assistance, such as reminding, guidance, or encouragement. (3) Rank three. A recipient's functioning shall be classified as rank three if he or she can perform the function with some human assistance, including, but not limited to, direct physical assistance from a provider. (4) Rank four. A recipient's functioning shall be classified as rank four if he or she can perform a function, but only with substantial human assistance. (5) Rank five. A recipient's functioning shall be classified as rank five if he or she cannot perform the function, with or without human assistance.  (e) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, individuals shall be eligible for each domestic or related service only if assessed at a rank four or five, as defined in subdivision (d), in the activity of daily living relating to that service. The activities of daily living that relate to domestic and related services are defined in regulations and include housework, laundry, shopping and errands, meal preparation, and meal cleanup. The rank for each domestic and related service shall be determined based on an assessment of need for supportive services by the county, in accordance with this section and the hourly task guidelines as defined by Section 12301.2. This paragraph does not apply to individuals meeting one of the conditions specified in paragraph (2).   (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to individuals authorized to receive either protective supervision pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 12300 and Section 12301.21 or paramedical services pursuant to Section 12300.1, or to individuals authorized to receive over 120 hours of services per month pursuant to Section 12301.2.   (f) A recipient shall be assigned a functional index score. The functional index score for a recipient shall be a weighted average based on the individual functional index rankings, as described in subdivision (d), to provide a single measure of a recipient's relative dependence on human assistance for performance of activities of daily living that are used in the assessment of services provided pursuant to this article.   (g) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement and administer this section through all-county letters or similar instruction from the department until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing this section no later than July 1, 2010. The department may readopt any emergency regulation authorized by this section that is the same as or substantially equivalent to an emergency regulation previously adopted under this section.   (2) The initial adoption of emergency regulations implementing this section and one readoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this subdivision shall be exempt from review and approval by the Office of Administrative Law. The initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this subdivision shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and each shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days, by which time final regulations may be adopted.   (h) Subdivisions (e) to (g), inclusive, shall become operative on the first day of the first month following the effective date of the act that adds this subdivision.   SEC. 33.   Section 12309.2 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   12309.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in subdivision (b), and pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 12309, eligibility for in-home supportive services provided pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 shall also include functional index scores calculated pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 12309, as follows: (1) Individuals with a functional index score of 2.0 and above shall be eligible to receive all appropriate in-home supportive services provided pursuant to this article. (2) Individuals with a functional index score below 2.0 shall not be eligible for any in-home supportive services provided pursuant to this article. (3) Paragraph (2) shall not apply to individuals authorized to receive protective supervision pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 12300 and Section 12301.21 or paramedical services pursuant to Section 12300.1, or to individuals authorized to receive over 120 hours of services per month pursuant to Section 12301.2. (b) The department shall modify the notice of action forms to inform individuals of their functional rank and functional index score. The form shall be modified no later than September 1, 2009. (c) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement and administer this section through all-county letters or similar instruction from the department until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing this section no later than July 1, 2010. The department may readopt any emergency regulation authorized by this section that is the same as or substantially equivalent to an emergency regulation previously adopted under this section. (2) The initial adoption of emergency regulations implementing this section and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this subdivision shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be exempt from review and approval by the Office of Administrative Law. The initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and each shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days, by which time final regulations may be adopted. (d) This section shall become operative on the first day of the first month following the effective date of the act that adds this section.   SEC. 34.   Section 14021.9 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   14021.9. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the 2009-10 fiscal year, a 10-percent reduction shall be applied to rates for Drug Medi-Cal services developed by the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs pursuant to Section 11758.42 of the Health and Safety Code and Sections 14021.35, 14021.5, and 14021.6. (b) For the 2010-11 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, rates for Drug Medi-Cal services shall be the lower of the following: (1) The rates developed by the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs pursuant to Section 11758.42 of the Health and Safety Code and Sections 14021.35, 14021.5, and 14021.6. (2) The rates applicable in the 2009-10 fiscal year pursuant to subdivision (a), adjusted for the cumulative growth in the Implicit Price Deflator for the Costs of Goods and Services to Governmental Agencies, as reported by the Department of Finance. (c) The rate reductions applicable for the 2009-10 fiscal year pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be applied retroactively to July 1, 2009.   SEC. 35.   Section 14043.25 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  14043.25. (a) The application form for enrollment, the provider agreement, and all attachments or changes to either, shall be signed under penalty of perjury. (b) The department may require that the application form for enrollment, the provider agreement, and all attachments or changes to either, submitted by an applicant or provider licensed pursuant to Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and Professions Code, the Osteopathic Initiative Act, or the Chiropractic Initiative Act, be notarized. (c) Application forms for enrollment, provider agreements, and all attachments or changes to either, submitted by an applicant or provider not subject to subdivision (b) shall be notarized.  This subdivision shall not apply with respect to providers under the In-Home Supportive Services program.   SEC. 36.   Section 15525 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  15525. (a) The State Department of Social Services shall establish a Work Incentive Nutritional Supplement (WINS) program pursuant to this section. (b) Under the WINS program established pursuant to subdivision (a), each county shall provide a forty dollar ($40) per month additional food assistance benefit for each eligible food stamp household, as defined in subdivision (d). (c) The state shall pay to the counties 100 percent of the cost of WINS benefits, using funds that qualify for the state's maintenance of effort requirements under Section 609(a)(7)(B)(i) of Title 42 of the United States Code. (d) For purposes of this section, an "eligible food stamp household" is a household that meets all of the following criteria: (1) Receives benefits pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6. (2) Has no household member receiving CalWORKs benefits pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200). (3) Contains at least one child under 18 years of age, unless the household contains a child who meets the requirements of Section 11253. (4) Has at least one parent or caretaker relative determined to be "work eligible" as defined in Section 261.2(n) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations and Section 607 of Title 42 of the United States Code. (5) Meets the federal work participation hours requirement set forth in Section 607 of Title 42 of the United States Code for subsidized or unsubsidized employment, and provides documentation that the household has met the federal work requirements. (e) (1) In accordance with federal law, federal food stamp benefits (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6), federal supplemental security income benefits, state supplemental security program benefits, public social services, as defined in Section 10051, and county aid benefits (Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000)), shall not be reduced as a consequence of the receipt of the WINS benefit paid under this chapter. (2) Benefits paid under this chapter shall not count toward the federal 60-month time limit on aid as set forth in Section 608(a)(7) (A) of Title 42 of the United States Code. Payment of WINS benefits shall not commence before October 1,  2009   2011  , and full implementation of the program shall be achieved on or before April 1,  2010   2012  . (f) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and Section 10554), until emergency regulations are filed with the Secretary of State pursuant to paragraph (2), the State Department of Social Services may implement this section through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director. The director may provide for individual county phase-in of this section to allow for the orderly implementation based upon standards established by the director, including the operational needs and requirements of the counties. Implementation of the automation process changes shall include issuance of an all-county letter or similar instructions to counties by March 1,  2009   2011  . (2) The department may adopt regulations to implement this chapter. The initial adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation authorized by this section is deemed to address an emergency, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted for that purpose from the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code. After the initial adoption, amendment, or repeal of an emergency regulation pursuant to this paragraph, the department may request approval from the Office of Administrative Law to readopt the regulation as an emergency regulation pursuant to Section 11346.1 of the Government Code. (g) (1) The department shall not fully implement this section until the department convenes a workgroup of advocates, legislative staff, county representatives, and other stakeholders to consider the progress of the WINS automation effort in tandem with a pre-assistance employment readiness system (PAERS) program and any other program options that may provide offsetting benefits to the caseload reduction credit in the CalWORKs program. The department shall convene this workgroup on or before December 1,  2008   2010  . (2) A PAERS program shall be considered in light of current and potential federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) statutes and regulations and how other states with pre-assistance or other caseload offset options are responding to federal changes. (3) The consideration of program options shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the potential impacts on helping clients to obtain self-sufficiency, increasing the federal work participation rate, increasing the caseload reduction credit, requirements and efficiency of county administration, and the well-being of CalWORKs recipients. (4) If the workgroup concludes that adopting a PAERS program or other program option pursuant to this section would, on balance, be favorable for California and its CalWORKs recipients, the department, in consultation with the workgroup, shall prepare a proposal by March 31,  2009   2011  , for consideration during the regular legislative budget subcommittee process in  2009   2011  . (5) To meet the requirements of this subdivision, the department may use its TANF reauthorization workgroups.  SEC. 37.   Section 16120 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is repealed.   16120. A child shall be eligible for Adoption Assistance Program benefits if all of the conditions specified in subdivisions (a) through (g), inclusive, are met or if the conditions specified in subdivision (h) are met. (a) The child has at least one of the following characteristics that are barriers to his or her adoption: (1) Adoptive placement without financial assistance is unlikely because of membership in a sibling group that should remain intact or by virtue of race, ethnicity, color, language, age of three years or older, or parental background of a medical or behavioral nature that can be determined to adversely affect the development of the child. (2) Adoptive placement without financial assistance is unlikely because the child has a mental, physical, emotional, or medical disability that has been certified by a licensed professional competent to make an assessment and operating within the scope of his or her profession. This paragraph shall also apply to children with a developmental disability as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 4512, including those determined to require out-of-home nonmedical care as described in Section 11464. (b) The need for adoption subsidy is evidenced by an unsuccessful search for an adoptive home to take the child without financial assistance, as documented in the case file of the prospective adoptive child. The requirement for this search shall be waived when it would be against the best interest of the child because of the existence of significant emotional ties with prospective adoptive parents while in the care of these persons as a foster child. (c) The child meets either of the following criteria: (1) At the time a petition for an agency adoption, as defined in Section 8506 of the Family Code, or an independent adoption, as defined in Section 8524 of the Family Code, is filed, the child has met the requirements to receive federal supplemental security income benefits pursuant to Subchapter 16 (commencing with Section 1381) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as determined and documented by the federal Social Security Administration. (2) The child is the subject of an agency adoption as defined in Section 8506 of the Family Code and was any of the following: (A) Under the supervision of a county welfare department as the subject of a legal guardianship or juvenile court dependency. (B) Relinquished for adoption to a licensed California private or public adoption agency, or the department, and would have otherwise been at risk of dependency as certified by the responsible public child welfare agency. (C) Committed to the care of the department pursuant to Section 8805 or 8918 of the Family Code. (d) The child is under 18 years of age, or under 21 years of age and has a mental or physical handicap that warrants the continuation of assistance. (e) The adoptive family is responsible for the child pursuant to the terms of an adoptive placement agreement or a final decree of adoption and has signed an adoption assistance agreement. (f) The adoptive family is legally responsible for the support of the child and the child is receiving support from the adoptive parent. (g) The department or the county responsible for determining the child's Adoption Assistance Program eligibility status and for providing financial aid, and the prospective adoptive parent, prior to or at the time the adoption decree is issued by the court, have signed an adoption assistance agreement that stipulates the need for, and the amount of, Adoption Assistance Program benefits. (h) A child shall be eligible for Adoption Assistance Program benefits if the child received Adoption Assistance Program benefits with respect to a prior adoption and the child is again available for adoption because the prior adoption was dissolved and the parental rights of the adoptive parents were terminated or because the child's adoptive parents died.   SEC. 38.   Section 16120 is added to the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , to read:   16120. A child shall be eligible for Adoption Assistance Program benefits if all of the conditions specified in subdivisions (a) through (l), inclusive, are met or if the conditions specified in subdivision (m) are met. (a) It has been determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to the home of his or her parents as evidenced by a petition for termination of parental rights, a court order terminating parental rights, or a signed relinquishment. (b) The child has at least one of the following characteristics that are barriers to his or her adoption: (1) Adoptive placement without financial assistance is unlikely because of membership in a sibling group that should remain intact or by virtue of race, ethnicity, color, language, three years of age or older, or parental background of a medical or behavioral nature that can be determined to adversely affect the development of the child. (2) Adoptive placement without financial assistance is unlikely because the child has a mental, physical, emotional, or medical disability that has been certified by a licensed professional competent to make an assessment and operating within the scope of his or her profession. This paragraph shall also apply to children with a developmental disability, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 4512, including those determined to require out-of-home nonmedical care, as described in Section 11464. (c) The need for adoption subsidy is evidenced by an unsuccessful search for an adoptive home to take the child without financial assistance, as documented in the case file of the prospective adoptive child. The requirement for this search shall be waived when it would be against the best interest of the child because of the existence of significant emotional ties with prospective adoptive parents while in the care of these persons as a foster child. (d) The child is under 18 years of age, or under 21 years of age and has a mental or physical handicap that warrants the continuation of assistance. (e) The adoptive family is responsible for the child pursuant to the terms of an adoptive placement agreement or a final decree of adoption and has signed an adoption assistance agreement. (f) The adoptive family is legally responsible for the support of the child and the child is receiving support from the adoptive parent. (g) The department or the county responsible for determining the child's Adoption Assistance Program eligibility status and for providing financial aid, and the prospective adoptive parent, prior to or at the time the adoption decree is issued by the court, have signed an adoption assistance agreement that stipulates the need for, and the amount of, Adoption Assistance Program benefits. (h) The prospective adoptive parent or any adult living in the prospective adoptive home has completed the criminal background check requirements pursuant to Section 671(a)(20)(A) and (C) of Title 42 of the United States Code. (i) To be eligible for state funding, the child is the subject of an agency adoption, as defined in Section 8506 of the Family Code and was any of the following: (1) Under the supervision of a county welfare department as the subject of a legal guardianship or juvenile court dependency. (2) Relinquished for adoption to a licensed California private or public adoption agency, or another public agency operating a Title IV-E program on behalf of the state, and would have otherwise been at risk of dependency as certified by the responsible public child welfare agency. (3) Committed to the care of the department pursuant to Section 8805 or 8918 of the Family Code. (j) To be eligible for federal funding, in the case of a child who is not an applicable child for the federal fiscal year as defined in subdivision (n), the child meets any of the following criteria: (1) Prior to the finalization of an agency adoption, as defined in Section 8506 of the Family Code, or an independent adoption, as defined in Section 8524 of the Family Code, is filed, the child has met the requirements to receive federal supplemental security income benefits pursuant to Subchapter 16 (commencing with Section 1381) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as determined and documented by the federal Social Security Administration. (2) The child was removed from the home of a specified relative and the child would have been AFDC-eligible in the home of removal according to Section 606(a) or 607 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as those sections were in effect on July 16, 1996, in the month of the voluntary placement agreement or in the month court proceedings are initiated to remove the child, resulting in a judicial determination that continuation in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare. The child must have been living with the specified relative from whom he or she was removed within six months of the month the voluntary placement agreement was signed or the petition to remove was filed. (3) The child was voluntarily relinquished to a licensed public or private adoption agency, or another public agency operating a Title IV-E program on behalf of the state, and there is a petition to the court to remove the child from the home within six months of the time the child lived with a specified relative and a subsequent judicial determination that remaining in the home would be contrary to the child's welfare. (4) Title IV-E foster care maintenance was paid on behalf of the child's minor parent and covered the cost of the minor parent's child while the child was in the foster family home or child care institution with the minor parent. (k) To be eligible for federal funding, in the case of a child who is an applicable child for the federal fiscal year, as defined in subdivision (n), the child meets any of the following criteria: (1) At the time of initiation of adoptive proceedings was in the care of a public or licensed private child placement agency or Indian tribal organization pursuant to either of the following: (A) An involuntary removal of the child from the home in accordance with a judicial determination to the effect that continuation in the home would be contrary to the welfare of the child. (B) A voluntary placement agreement or a voluntary relinquishment. (2) He or she meets all medical or disability requirements of Title XVI with respect to eligibility for supplemental security income benefits. (3) He or she was residing in a foster family home or a child care institution with the child's minor parent, and the child's minor parent was in the foster family home or child care institution pursuant to either of the following: (A) An involuntary removal of the child from the home in accordance with a judicial determination to the effect that continuation in the home would be contrary to the welfare of the child. (B) A voluntary placement agreement or voluntary relinquishment. (l) The child is a citizen of the United States or a qualified alien as defined in Section 1641 of Title 8 of the United States Code. If the child is a qualified alien who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996, and is placed with an unqualified alien, the child must meet the five-year residency requirement pursuant to Section 673(a)(2)(B) of Title 42 of the United States Code, unless the child is a member of one of the excepted groups pursuant to Section 1612(b) of Title 8 of the United States Code. (m) A child shall be eligible for Adoption Assistance Program benefits if the following conditions are met: (1) The child received Adoption Assistance Program benefits with respect to a prior adoption and the child is again available for adoption because the prior adoption was dissolved and the parental rights of the adoptive parents were terminated or because the child's adoptive parents died and the child meets the special needs criteria described in subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive. (2) To receive federal funding, the citizenship requirements in subdivision (l). (n) (1) Except as provided in this subdivision, "applicable child" means a child for whom an adoption assistance agreement is entered into under this section during any federal fiscal year described in this subdivision if the child attained the applicable age for that federal fiscal year before the end of that federal fiscal year. (A) For federal fiscal year 2010, the applicable age is 16 years. (B) For federal fiscal year 2011, the applicable age is 14 years. (C) For federal fiscal year 2012, the applicable age is 12 years. (D) For federal fiscal year 2013, the applicable age is 10 years. (E) For federal fiscal year 2014, the applicable age is 8 years. (F) For federal fiscal year 2015, the applicable age is 6 years. (G) For federal fiscal year 2016, the applicable age is 4 years. (H) For federal fiscal year 2017, the applicable age is 2 years. (I) For federal fiscal year 2018 and thereafter, any age. (2) Beginning with the 2010 federal fiscal year, the term "applicable child" shall include a child of any age on the date on which an adoption assistance agreement is entered into on behalf of the child under this section if the child meets both of the following criteria: (A) He or she has been in foster care under the responsibility of the state for at least 60 consecutive months. (B) He or she meets the requirements of subdivision (k). (3) Beginning with the 2010 federal fiscal year, an applicable child shall include a child of any age on the date that an adoption assistance agreement is entered into on behalf of the child under this section, without regard to whether the child is described in paragraph (2), if the child meets all of the following criteria: (A) He or she is a sibling of a child who is an applicable child for the federal fiscal year, under subdivision (n) or paragraph (2). (B) He or she is to be placed in the same adoption placement as an "applicable child" for the federal fiscal year who is their sibling. (C) He or she meets the requirements of subdivision (k).   SEC. 39.   Section 16121 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  16121. (a) In accordance with the adoption assistance agreement, the adoptive family shall be paid an amount of aid based on the child' s needs otherwise covered in AFDC-FC payments and the circumstance of the adopting parents but that shall not exceed the foster care maintenance payment that would have been paid based on the age related state-approved foster family home care rate, and any applicable specialized care increment, for a child placed in a licensed or approved family home pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, of Section 11461.  This subdivision shall only apply to adoption assistance agreements executed before January 1, 2010.   (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for adoption assistance agreements executed on or after January 1, 2010, the adoptive family shall be paid an amount of aid based on the child' s needs otherwise covered in AFDC-FC payments and the circumstance of the adopting parents, but that amount shall not exceed the foster care maintenance payment, and any applicable specialized care increment, that the child received while placed in a licensed or approved family home pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, of Section 11461.   (2) For adoption assistance agreements executed on or after January 1, 2010, adoption assistance benefits shall not be increased based on age, as occurs for foster family homes pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, of Section 11461. This paragraph shall not preclude any reassessments of the child's needs, consistent with other provisions of this chapter.   (b) Payment   (3)     Payment  may be made on behalf of an otherwise eligible child in a state-approved group home or residential care treatment facility if the department or county responsible for determining payment has confirmed that the placement is necessary for the temporary resolution of mental or emotional problems related to a condition that existed prior to the adoptive placement. Out-of-home placements shall be in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code and other applicable statutes and regulations governing eligibility for AFDC-FC payments for placements in in-state and out-of-state facilities. The designation of the placement facility shall be made after consultation with the family by the department or county welfare agency responsible for determining the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) eligibility and authorizing financial aid. Group home or residential placement shall only be made as part of a plan for return of the child to the adoptive family, that shall actively participate in the plan. Adoption Assistance Program benefits shall not be authorized for payment of an eligible child's group home or residential treatment facility placement that exceeds an 18-month cumulative period of time for a specific episode or condition justifying that placement. (c) (1) Payments on behalf of a child who is a recipient of AAP benefits who is also a consumer of regional center services shall be based on the rates established by the State Department of Social Services pursuant to Section 11464 and subject to the process described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 16119. (2) (A) Except as provided for in subparagraph (B), this subdivision shall apply to adoption assistance agreements signed on or after July 1, 2007. (B) Rates paid on behalf of regional center consumers who are recipients of AAP benefits and for whom an adoption assistance agreement was executed before July 1, 2007, shall remain in effect, and may only be changed in accordance with Section 16119. (i) If the rates paid pursuant to adoption assistance agreements executed before July 1, 2007, are lower than the rates specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) or paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 11464, respectively, those rates shall be increased, as appropriate and in accordance Section 16119, to the amount set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) or paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 11464, effective July 1, 2007. Once set, the rates shall remain in effect and may only be changed in accordance with Section 16119. (ii) For purposes of this clause, for a child who is a recipient of AAP benefits or for whom the execution of an AAP agreement is pending, and who has been deemed eligible for or has sought an eligibility determination for regional center services pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4512, and for whom a determination of eligibility for those regional center services has been made, and for whom, prior to July 1, 2007, a maximum rate determination has been requested and is pending, the rate shall be determined through an individualized assessment and pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 35333 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations as in effect on January 1, 2007, or the rate established in subdivision (b) of Section 11464, whichever is greater. Once the rate has been set, it shall remain in effect and may only be changed in accordance with Section 16119. Other than the circumstances described in this clause, regional centers shall not make maximum rate benefit determinations for the AAP. (3) Regional centers shall separately purchase or secure the services contained in the child's IFSP or IPP, pursuant to Section 4684. (4) Regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this subdivision shall be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 or the Government Code, and for the purposes of that chapter, including Section 11349.6 of the Government Code, the adoption of these regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare. The regulations authorized by this paragraph shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days, by which time final regulations shall be adopted. (d) (1) In the event that a family signs an adoption assistance agreement where a cash benefit is not awarded, the adopting family shall be otherwise eligible to receive Medi-Cal benefits for the child if it is determined that the benefits are needed pursuant to this chapter. (2) Regional centers shall separately purchase or secure the services that are contained in the child's Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individual Program Plan (IPP) pursuant to Section 4684. (e) Subdivisions (a), (b), and (d) shall apply only to adoption assistance agreements signed on or after October 1, 1992. (f) This section shall supersede the requirements of subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of Section 35333 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.  SEC. 40.   Section 16501.1 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  16501.1. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that the foundation and central unifying tool in child welfare services is the case plan. (2) The Legislature further finds and declares that a case plan ensures that the child receives protection and safe and proper care and case management, and that services are provided to the child and parents or other caretakers, as appropriate, in order to improve conditions in the parent's home, to facilitate the safe return of the child to a safe home or the permanent placement of the child, and to address the needs of the child while in foster care. (b) (1) A case plan shall be based upon the principles of this section and shall document that a preplacement assessment of the service needs of the child and family, and preplacement preventive services, have been provided, and that reasonable efforts to prevent out-of-home placement have been made. (2) In determining the reasonable services to be offered or provided, the child's health and safety shall be the paramount concerns. (3) Reasonable services shall be offered or provided to make it possible for a child to return to a safe home environment, unless, pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (e) of Section 361.5, the court determines that reunification services shall not be provided. (4) If reasonable services are not ordered, or are terminated, reasonable efforts shall be made to place the child in a timely manner in accordance with the permanent plan and to complete all steps necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child. (c) (1) If out-of-home placement is used to attain case plan goals, the decision regarding choice of placement shall be based upon selection of a safe setting that is the least restrictive or most familylike and the most appropriate setting that is available and in close proximity to the parent's home, proximity to the child's school, consistent with the selection of the environment best suited to meet the child's special needs and best interests, or both. The selection shall consider, in order of priority, placement with relatives, tribal members, and foster family, group care, and residential treatment pursuant to Section 7950 of the Family Code. (2) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1), and taking into account other statutory considerations regarding placement, the selection of the most appropriate home that will meet the child's special needs and best interests shall also promote educational stability by taking into consideration proximity to the child's school attendance area. (d) A written case plan shall be completed within a maximum of 60 days of the initial removal of the child or of the in-person response required under subdivision (f) of Section 16501 if the child has not been removed from his or her home, or by the date of the dispositional hearing pursuant to Section 358, whichever occurs first. The case plan shall be updated, as the service needs of the child and family dictate. At a minimum, the case plan shall be updated in conjunction with each status review hearing conducted pursuant to Section 366.21, and the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 366.26, but no less frequently than once every six months. Each updated case plan shall include a description of the services that have been provided to the child under the plan and an evaluation of the appropriateness and effectiveness of those services. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that extending the maximum time available for preparing a written case plan from 30 to 60 days will afford caseworkers time to actively engage families, and to solicit and integrate into the case plan the input of the child and the child's family, as well as the input of relatives and other interested parties. (2) The extension of the maximum time available for preparing a written case plan from the 30 to 60 days shall be effective 90 days after the date that the department gives counties written notice that necessary changes have been made to the Child Welfare Services Case Management System to account for the 60-day timeframe for preparing a written case plan. (e) The child welfare services case plan shall be comprehensive enough to meet the juvenile court dependency proceedings requirements pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 300) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2. (f) The case plan shall be developed as follows: (1) The case plan shall be based upon an assessment of the circumstances that required child welfare services intervention. The child shall be involved in developing the case plan as age and developmentally appropriate. (2) The case plan shall identify specific goals and the appropriateness of the planned services in meeting those goals. (3) The case plan shall identify the original allegations of abuse or neglect, as defined in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code, or the conditions cited as the basis for declaring the child a dependent of the court pursuant to Section 300, or all of these, and the other precipitating incidents that led to child welfare services intervention. (4) The case plan shall include a description of the schedule of the social worker contacts with the child and the family or other caretakers. The frequency of these contacts shall be in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Department of Social Services. If the child has been placed in foster care out of state, the county social worker or a social worker on the staff of the social services agency in the state in which the child has been placed shall visit the child in a foster family home or the home of a relative, consistent with federal law and in accordance with the department's approved state plan. For children in out-of-state group home facilities, visits shall be conducted at least monthly, pursuant to Section 16516.5. At least once every six months, at the time of a regularly scheduled social worker contact with the foster child, the child's social worker shall inform the child of his or her rights as a foster child, as specified in Section 16001.9. The social worker shall provide the information to the child in a manner appropriate to the age or developmental level of the child. (5) (A) When out-of-home services are used, the frequency of contact between the natural parents or legal guardians and the child shall be specified in the case plan. The frequency of those contacts shall reflect overall case goals, and consider other principles outlined in this section. (B) Information regarding any court-ordered visitation between the child and the natural parents or legal guardians, and the terms and conditions needed to facilitate the visits while protecting the safety of the child, shall be provided to the child's out-of-home caregiver as soon as possible after the court order is made. (6) When out-of-home placement is made, the case plan shall include provisions for the development and maintenance of sibling relationships as specified in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) of Section 16002. If appropriate, when siblings who are dependents of the juvenile court are not placed together, the social worker for each child, if different, shall communicate with each of the other social workers and ensure that the child's siblings are informed of significant life events that occur within their extended family. Unless it has been determined that it is inappropriate in a particular case to keep siblings informed of significant life events that occur within the extended family, the social worker shall determine the appropriate means and setting for disclosure of this information to the child commensurate with the child's age and emotional well-being. These significant life events shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (A) The death of an immediate relative. (B) The birth of a sibling. (C) Significant changes regarding a dependent child, unless the child objects to the sharing of the information with his or her siblings, including changes in placement, major medical or mental health diagnoses, treatments, or hospitalizations, arrests, and changes in the permanent plan. (7) If out-of-home placement is made in a foster family home, group home, or other child care institution that is either a substantial distance from the home of the child's parent or out of state, the case plan shall specify the reasons why that placement is in the best interest of the child. When an out-of-state group home placement is recommended or made, the case plan shall, in addition, specify compliance with Section 7911.1 of the Family Code.  (8) Effective January 1, 2010, a case plan shall ensure the educational stability of the child while in foster care and shall include both of the following:   (A) An assurance that the placement takes into account the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement.   (B) An assurance that the placement agency has coordinated with appropriate local educational agencies to ensure that the child remains in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement, or, if remaining in that school is not in the best interests of the child, assurances by the placement agency and the local educational agency to provide immediate and appropriate enrollment in a new school and to provide all of the child's educational records to the new school.   (8)   (9)  (A) If out-of-home services are used, or if parental rights have been terminated and the case plan is placement for adoption, the case plan shall include a recommendation regarding the appropriateness of unsupervised visitation between the child and any of the child's siblings. This recommendation shall include a statement regarding the child's and the siblings' willingness to participate in unsupervised visitation. If the case plan includes a recommendation for unsupervised sibling visitation, the plan shall also note that information necessary to accomplish this visitation has been provided to the child or to the child's siblings. (B) Information regarding the schedule and frequency of the visits between the child and siblings, as well as any court-ordered terms and conditions needed to facilitate the visits while protecting the safety of the child, shall be provided to the child's out-of-home caregiver as soon as possible after the court order is made.  (9)   (10)  If out-of-home services are used and the goal is reunification, the case plan shall describe the services to be provided to assist in reunification and the services to be provided concurrently to achieve legal permanency if efforts to reunify fail. The plan shall also consider in-state and out-of-state placements, the importance of developing and maintaining sibling relationships pursuant to Section 16002, and the desire and willingness of the caregiver to provide legal permanency for the child if reunification is unsuccessful.  (10)   (11)  If out-of-home services are used, the child has been in care for at least 12 months, and the goal is not adoptive placement, the case plan shall include documentation of the compelling reason or reasons why termination of parental rights is not in the child's best interest. A determination completed or updated within the past 12 months by the department when it is acting as an adoption agency or by a licensed adoption agency that it is unlikely that the child will be adopted, or that one of the conditions described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 366.26 applies, shall be deemed a compelling reason.  (11)   (12)  (A) Parents and legal guardians shall have an opportunity to review the case plan, and to sign it whenever possible, and then shall receive a copy of the plan. In any voluntary service or placement agreement, the parents or legal guardians shall be required to review and sign the case plan. Whenever possible, parents and legal guardians shall participate in the development of the case plan. (B) Parents and legal guardians shall be advised that, pursuant to Section 1228.1 of the Evidence Code, neither their signature on the child welfare services case plan nor their acceptance of any services prescribed in the child welfare services case plan shall constitute an admission of guilt or be used as evidence against the parent or legal guardian in a court of law. However, they shall also be advised that the parent's or guardian's failure to cooperate, except for good cause, in the provision of services specified in the child welfare services case plan may be used in any hearing held pursuant to Section 366.21 or 366.22 as evidence.  (12)   (13)  A child shall be given a meaningful opportunity to participate in the development of the case plan and state his or her preference for foster care placement. A child who is 12 years of age or older and in a permanent placement shall also be given the opportunity to review the case plan, sign the case plan, and receive a copy of the case plan.  (13)   (14)  The case plan shall be included in the court report and shall be considered by the court at the initial hearing and each review hearing. Modifications to the case plan made during the period between review hearings need not be approved by the court if the casework supervisor for that case determines that the modifications further the goals of the plan. If out-of-home services are used with the goal of family reunification, the case plan shall consider and describe the application of subdivision (b) of Section 11203.  (14)   (15)  If the case plan has as its goal for the child a permanent plan of adoption or placement in another permanent home, it shall include a statement of the child's wishes regarding their permanent placement plan and an assessment of those stated wishes. The agency shall also include documentation of the steps the agency is taking to find an adoptive family or other permanent living arrangements for the child; to place the child with an adoptive family, an appropriate and willing relative, a legal guardian, or in another planned permanent living arrangement; and to finalize the adoption or legal guardianship. At a minimum, the documentation shall include child-specific recruitment efforts, such as the use of state, regional, and national adoption exchanges, including electronic exchange systems, when the child has been freed for adoption.  (15)   (16)  When appropriate, for a child who is 16 years of age or older, the case plan shall include a written description of the programs and services that will help the child, consistent with the child's best interests, prepare for the transition from foster care to independent living. The case plan shall be developed with the child and individuals identified as important to the child, and shall include steps the agency is taking to ensure that the child has a connection to a caring adult. (g) If the court finds, after considering the case plan, that unsupervised sibling visitation is appropriate and has been consented to, the court shall order that the child or the child's siblings, the child's current caregiver, and the child's prospective adoptive parents, if applicable, be provided with information necessary to accomplish this visitation. This section does not require or prohibit the social worker's facilitation, transportation, or supervision of visits between the child and his or her siblings. (h) The case plan documentation on sibling placements required under this section shall not require modification of existing case plan forms until the Child Welfare Services Case Management System is implemented on a statewide basis. (i) When a child who is 10 years of age or older and who has been in out-of-home placement for six months or longer, the case plan shall include an identification of individuals, other than the child' s siblings, who are important to the child and actions necessary to maintain the child's relationship with those individuals, provided that those relationships are in the best interest of the child. The social worker shall ask every child who is 10 years of age or older and who has been in out-of-home placement for six months or longer to identify individuals other than the child's siblings who are important to the child, and may ask any other child to provide that information, as appropriate. The social worker shall make efforts to identify other individuals who are important to the child, consistent with the child's best interests. (j) The child's caregiver shall be provided a copy of a plan outlining the child's needs and services. (k) On or before June 30, 2008, the department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association and other advocates, shall develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that 90 percent of foster children are visited by their caseworkers on a monthly basis by October 1, 2011, and that the majority of the visits occur in the residence of the child. The plan shall include any data reporting requirements necessary to comply with the provisions of the federal Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-288). (l) The implementation and operation of the amendments to subdivision (i) enacted at the 2005-06 Regular Session shall be subject to appropriation through the budget process and by phase, as provided in Section 366.35.  SEC. 41.   Section 16501.3 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  16501.3. (a) The  State  Department of Social Services shall establish a program of public health nursing in the child welfare services program. The purpose of the public health nursing program shall be to  identify, respond to, and  enhance the physical, mental, dental, and developmental well-being of children in the child welfare system. (b)  As a condition of receiving funds under this section, counties   Counties  shall use the services of a foster care public health nurse. The foster care public health nurse shall work with the appropriate child welfare services workers to coordinate health care services and serve as a liaison with health care professionals and other providers of health-related services. This shall include coordination with county mental health plans and local health jurisdictions, as appropriate. (c) The duties of a foster care public health nurse  may   shall  include, but need not be limited to, the following:  (1) Documenting that each child in foster care receives initial and followup health screenings that meet reasonable standards of medical practice.   (1)   (2)  Collecting health information and other relevant data on each foster child as available, receiving all collected information to determine appropriate referral and services, and expediting referrals to providers in the community for early intervention services, specialty services, dental care, mental health services, and other health-related services  required by   necessary for  the child.  (2)   (3)  Participating in medical care planning and coordinating for the child. This may include, but is not limited to, assisting case workers in arranging for comprehensive health and mental health assessments, interpreting the results of health assessments or evaluations for the purpose of case planning and coordination, facilitating the acquisition of any necessary court authorizations for procedures or medications, advocating for the health care needs of the child and ensuring the creation of linkage among various providers of care.  (3)   (4)  Providing follow-up contact to assess the child's progress in meeting treatment goals. (d) The services provided by foster care public health nurses under this section shall be limited to those for which reimbursement may be claimed under Title XIX at an enhanced rate for services delivered by skilled professional medical personnel. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this section shall be implemented only if, and to the extent that, the department determines that federal financial participation, as provided under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396 et seq.), is available. (e) Notwithstanding Section 10101 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, there shall be no required county match of the nonfederal cost of this program.  SEC. 42.   Section 18358.30 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read:  18358.30. (a) Rates for foster family agency programs participating under this chapter shall be exempt from the current AFDC-FC foster family agency ratesetting system. (b) Rates for foster family agency programs participating under this chapter shall be set according to the appropriate service and rate level based on the level of services provided to the eligible child and the certified foster family. For an eligible child placed from a group home program, the service and rate level shall not exceed the rate paid for group home placement. For an eligible child assessed by the county interagency review team or county placing agency as at imminent risk of group home placement or psychiatric hospitalization, the appropriate service and rate level for the child shall be determined by the interagency review team or county placing agency at time of placement. In all of the service and rate levels, the foster family agency programs shall: (1) Provide social work services with average caseloads not to exceed eight children per worker, except that social worker average caseloads for children in Service and Rate Level E shall not exceed 12 children per worker. (2) Pay an amount not less than one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) per child per month to the certified foster parent or parents. (3) Perform activities necessary for the administration of the programs, including, but not limited to, training, recruitment, certification, and monitoring of the certified foster parents. (4) (A) (i) Provide a minimum average range of service per month for children in each service and rate level in a participating foster family agency, represented by paid employee hours incurred by the participating foster family agency, by the in-home support counselor to the eligible child and the certified foster parents depending on the needs of the child and according to the following schedule: Service In-Home Support and Counselor Hours Rate Level Per Month A 98-114 hours B 81-97 hours C 64-80 hours D 47-63 hours (ii) Children placed at Service and Rate Level E shall receive behavior deescalation and other support services on a flexible, as needed, basis from an in-home support counselor. The foster family agency shall provide one full-time in-home support counselor for every 20 children placed at this level. (B) When the interagency review team or county placing agency and the foster family agency agree that alternative services are in the best interests of the child, the foster family agency may provide or arrange for services and supports allowable under California's foster care program in lieu of in-home support services required by subparagraph (A). These services and supports may include, but need not be limited to, activities in the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) program. (c) The department or placing county, or both, may review the level of services provided by the foster family agency program. If the level of services actually provided are less than those required by subdivision (b) for the child's service and rate level, the rate shall be adjusted to reflect the level of service actually provided, and an overpayment may be established and recovered by the department. (d) (1) On and after July 1, 1998, the standard rate schedule of service and rate levels shall be: Service Fiscal Year and 1998-99 Rate Level Standard Rate A $3,957 B $3,628 C $3,290 D $2,970 E $2,639 (2) (A) On and after July 1, 1999, the standardized schedule of rates shall be adjusted by an amount equal to the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to Section 11453, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized rate schedule, subject to further adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (B), for foster family agency programs participating under this chapter. (B) In addition to the adjustment in subparagraph (A), commencing January 1, 2000, the standardized schedule of rates shall be increased by 2.36 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new standardized rate schedule for foster family agency programs participating under this chapter. (3)  (A)    Beginning with the 2000-01 fiscal year, the standardized schedule of rates shall be adjusted annually by an amount equal to the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to Section 11453, subject to the availability of funds. The resultant amounts, rounded to the nearest dollar, shall constitute the new standard rate schedule for foster family agency programs participating under this chapter.  (B) Effective October 1, 2009, or, if the act that adds this subparagraph becomes effective after October 1, 2009, on the first day of the first month following the effective date of the act that adds this subparagraph, the rates identified in this subdivision shall be reduced by 10 percent. The resulting amounts shall constitute the new standardized schedule of rates.  (e) Rates for foster family agency programs participating under this chapter shall not exceed Service and Rate Level A at any time during an eligible child's placement. An eligible child may be initially placed in a participating intensive foster care program at any one of the five Service and Rate Levels A to E, inclusive, and thereafter placed at any level, either higher or lower, not to exceed a total of six months at any level other than Service and Rate Level E, unless it is determined to be in the best interests of the child by the child's county interagency review team or county placing agency and the child's certified foster parents. The child's county interagency placement review team or county placement agency may, through a formal review of the child's placement, extend the placement of an eligible child in a service and rate level higher than Service and Rate Level E for additional periods of up to six months each. (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the rate paid to participating foster family agency programs shall decrease as the child's need for services from the foster family agency decreases. The foster family agency shall notify the placing county and the department of the reduced services and the pilot classification model, and the rate shall be reduced accordingly. (g) It is the intent of the Legislature to prohibit any duplication of public funding. Therefore, social worker services, payments to certified foster parents, administrative activities, and the services of in-home support counselors that are funded by another public source shall not be counted in determining whether the foster family agency program has met its obligations to provide the items listed in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (b). The department shall work with other potentially affected state departments to ensure that duplication of payment or services does not occur.  SEC. 43.   Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, the eligibility threshold for the use of additional Community Services Block Grant funds received under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (ARRA), and the annual allocation of Community Services Block Grant Funds for the 2009 and 2010 federal fiscal years, as provided by ARRA, shall be increased to 200 percent of the federal poverty level exclusively and only through the term and use of these funds, as determined by the Department of Community Services and Development, or any other department through which these federal funds are administered by the state.   SEC. 44.   The State Department of Social Services shall consult with stakeholders, including at a minimum, representatives of counties, foster youth, and organizations or entities that have experience providing family search and engagement services or technical assistance, to determine how best to ensure that existing best practices for family search and engagement and participatory case planning, including, but not limited to, training or technical assistance, are institutionalized statewide. To the extent possible, the department shall also consult with birth parents or relatives, and caregivers. Beginning in 2010, the department shall provide information at future budget hearings regarding the implementation of these efforts, including any available outcome data.   SEC. 45.   The State Department of Social Services shall develop a risk management form, with input from the counties and stakeholders representing recipients and providers, no later than 90 days from the date of approval of the 1915(j) State Plan Option upon receipt of this input, and within this 90-day period, the department shall commence testing the form in three representative counties, in order to assess implementation costs and any operational issues. Counties and stakeholders shall remain informed of the results of this testing. To the extent that the actual implementation costs differ from the amount estimated in the budget, the department shall submit a revised budget to the Legislature based on actual costs to support statewide implementation.   SEC. 46.   (a) (1) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer the amendments to Sections 11320.3, 11454.5, and 10544 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and the repeal of Section 10830 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as contained in this act, through all-county letters or similar instructions from the department until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing these provisions no later than July 1, 2010. The department may readopt any emergency regulation authorized by this section that is the same as or substantially equivalent to an emergency regulation previously adopted under this section.   (2) The initial adoption of emergency regulations pursuant to this section and one readoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and each shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days, by which time final regulations may be adopted.   (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the State Department of Social Services may implement any other applicable provisions of this act through all-county letters or similar instructions from the department.   SEC. 47.   Notwithstanding the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs may allocate funds provided in Item 4200-101-3146 of the amended 2009-10 Budget Act for the Substance Abuse Offender Treatment Program by all-county letter.   SEC. 48.   No appropriation pursuant to Section 15200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall be made for purposes of this act.  SEC. 49.   If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.   SEC. 50.   This act addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation on December 19, 2008, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 10 of Article IV of the California Constitution.  SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to enact statutory changes relating to the Budget Act of 2009.  SEC. 2.   SEC. 50.  This act addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation on December 19, 2008, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 10 of Article IV of the California Constitution.