California Assembly Bill AB474 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 474INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Stone FEBRUARY 19, 2013 An act to amend Section 16516.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 474, as introduced, Stone. Child welfare services. Existing law requires that all foster children placed in group homes by county welfare departments or county probation departments be visited at least monthly by a county social worker or probation officer, and specifies the funding sources for these monthly visits. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to that funding provision. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 16516.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 16516.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, all foster children placed in group homes by county welfare departments or county probation departments shall be visited at least monthly by a county social worker or probation officer. Each visit shall include a private discussion between the foster child and the county social worker or probation officer. The discussion shall not be held in the presence or immediate vicinity of the group home staff. The contents of the private discussion shall not be disclosed to the group home staff, except that the social worker or probation officer may disclose information under any of the following circumstances: (1) The social worker or probation officer believes that the foster child may be in danger of harming himself or herself, or others. (2) The social worker or probation officer believes that disclosure is necessary to meet the needs of the child. (3) The child consents to disclosure of the information. (b) (1)  Prior to   Before  the 2011-12 fiscal year, notwithstanding Section 10101, the state shall pay 100 percent of the nonfederal costs associated with the monthly visitation requirement in subdivision (a) in excess of the minimum semiannual visits required under current regulations. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), beginning in the 2011-12 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter, funding and expenditures for programs and activities under this section shall be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code.