California Assembly Bill AB671 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 671AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 12, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 4, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 25, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 30, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Portantino FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to add Section 16501.4 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 671, as amended, Portantino. Child welfare services: education and training requirements. Existing law requires the establishment and support of a public system of statewide child welfare services, for the protection of children who are alleged to be abused or neglected. Existing law provides for a statewide multipurpose child welfare training program to develop and implement statewide coordinated training programs designed specifically to meet the needs of county child protective services social workers  who are  assigned emergency response, family maintenance, family reunification, permanent placement, and adoption responsibilities. This bill would specify education and training requirements for social work supervisors  and other personnel performing social work activities in a county child welfare services agency. This bill would exempt a social worker employed before   who are hired on or after  January 1,  2013, from related field practice, course work, and experience requirements, as prescribed   2016  . Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this act to improve outcomes and increase consumer protection in child welfare services by improving the educational standards of supervisors in child welfare services to ensure that each supervisor has the appropriate training, experience, and education. SEC. 2. Section 16501.4 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 16501.4. (a) (1) The educational requirements for social work supervisors for a county child welfare services agency shall be a master's degree  in social work  from an accredited or state-approved graduate school in social work or social welfare. (2) A person who possesses a master's degree from an accredited or state-approved graduate school in any of the following areas,  or   and  at least three  years   years   '  experience in child welfare as determined by the department, shall be qualified to perform supervisory social work activities in a county child welfare services 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 4989.14 of the Business and Professions Code. (H) Education, with emphasis on counseling.  (3) Commencing January 1, 2016, a person hired before January 1, 2016, without a master's degree but with equivalent education and experience, as determined by the department, shall be qualified to perform supervisory social work activities in a county child welfare services agency.  (b) The degree requirements and experience requirements described  in this section   in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a)  shall only apply to supervisors hired on or after January 1,  2013   2016  .