| 1 | 1 | | CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20212022 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2579Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett(Coauthors: Assembly Members Gipson and Stone)February 18, 2022 An act to add Section 16002.7 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2579, as introduced, Bennett. Child welfare: intensive family finding.Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to allocate certain funds through contracts with community-based providers or entities or through local assistance allocations to counties or Indian tribes that support new or expanded programs, services, practices, and training that build system capacity and ensure the provision of a high-quality continuum of care that is designed to support foster children in the least restrictive setting that is consistent with a childs permanency plan. Existing law requires recipients of those funds to use the funds for specified purposes, one of which may be building system capacity for intensive, child-specific recruitment, family finding and engagement, and support programs for children with complex needs. This bill would require county placing agencies, to the extent that funding is available and provided, to implement model practices for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. The bill would require a county, as a condition of receiving funds for this purpose, to submit a county plan to the department that describes, among other things, the population to be served and the expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes. The bill would require the county plan to be automatically approved if it complies with those requirements and would require the department to notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan. The bill would require counties receiving funds pursuant to these provisions to track and report outcomes achieved through the use of the funds. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar written instructions.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 16002.7 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals.(B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501.(2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:(A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children.(B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care.(b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602.(c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following:(A) The population to be served.(B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented.(C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes.(D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies.(E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support.(F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan.(d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections.(e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:(1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding.(f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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| 3 | 3 | | CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20212022 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2579Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett(Coauthors: Assembly Members Gipson and Stone)February 18, 2022 An act to add Section 16002.7 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2579, as introduced, Bennett. Child welfare: intensive family finding.Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to allocate certain funds through contracts with community-based providers or entities or through local assistance allocations to counties or Indian tribes that support new or expanded programs, services, practices, and training that build system capacity and ensure the provision of a high-quality continuum of care that is designed to support foster children in the least restrictive setting that is consistent with a childs permanency plan. Existing law requires recipients of those funds to use the funds for specified purposes, one of which may be building system capacity for intensive, child-specific recruitment, family finding and engagement, and support programs for children with complex needs. This bill would require county placing agencies, to the extent that funding is available and provided, to implement model practices for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. The bill would require a county, as a condition of receiving funds for this purpose, to submit a county plan to the department that describes, among other things, the population to be served and the expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes. The bill would require the county plan to be automatically approved if it complies with those requirements and would require the department to notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan. The bill would require counties receiving funds pursuant to these provisions to track and report outcomes achieved through the use of the funds. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar written instructions.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO |
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| 9 | 9 | | CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20212022 REGULAR SESSION |
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| 11 | 11 | | Assembly Bill |
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| 13 | 13 | | No. 2579 |
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| 15 | 15 | | Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett(Coauthors: Assembly Members Gipson and Stone)February 18, 2022 |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett(Coauthors: Assembly Members Gipson and Stone) |
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| 18 | 18 | | February 18, 2022 |
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| 20 | 20 | | An act to add Section 16002.7 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare. |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST |
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| 23 | 23 | | |
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| 24 | 24 | | ## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST |
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| 25 | 25 | | |
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| 26 | 26 | | AB 2579, as introduced, Bennett. Child welfare: intensive family finding. |
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| 27 | 27 | | |
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| 28 | 28 | | Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to allocate certain funds through contracts with community-based providers or entities or through local assistance allocations to counties or Indian tribes that support new or expanded programs, services, practices, and training that build system capacity and ensure the provision of a high-quality continuum of care that is designed to support foster children in the least restrictive setting that is consistent with a childs permanency plan. Existing law requires recipients of those funds to use the funds for specified purposes, one of which may be building system capacity for intensive, child-specific recruitment, family finding and engagement, and support programs for children with complex needs. This bill would require county placing agencies, to the extent that funding is available and provided, to implement model practices for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. The bill would require a county, as a condition of receiving funds for this purpose, to submit a county plan to the department that describes, among other things, the population to be served and the expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes. The bill would require the county plan to be automatically approved if it complies with those requirements and would require the department to notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan. The bill would require counties receiving funds pursuant to these provisions to track and report outcomes achieved through the use of the funds. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar written instructions. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to allocate certain funds through contracts with community-based providers or entities or through local assistance allocations to counties or Indian tribes that support new or expanded programs, services, practices, and training that build system capacity and ensure the provision of a high-quality continuum of care that is designed to support foster children in the least restrictive setting that is consistent with a childs permanency plan. Existing law requires recipients of those funds to use the funds for specified purposes, one of which may be building system capacity for intensive, child-specific recruitment, family finding and engagement, and support programs for children with complex needs. |
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| 32 | 32 | | This bill would require county placing agencies, to the extent that funding is available and provided, to implement model practices for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. The bill would require a county, as a condition of receiving funds for this purpose, to submit a county plan to the department that describes, among other things, the population to be served and the expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes. The bill would require the county plan to be automatically approved if it complies with those requirements and would require the department to notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan. The bill would require counties receiving funds pursuant to these provisions to track and report outcomes achieved through the use of the funds. The bill would authorize the department to implement these provisions through all-county letters or similar written instructions. |
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| 33 | 33 | | |
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| 34 | 34 | | ## Digest Key |
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| 36 | 36 | | ## Bill Text |
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| 38 | 38 | | The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 16002.7 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals.(B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501.(2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:(A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children.(B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care.(b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602.(c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following:(A) The population to be served.(B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented.(C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes.(D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies.(E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support.(F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan.(d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections.(e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:(1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding.(f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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| 40 | 40 | | The people of the State of California do enact as follows: |
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| 42 | 42 | | ## The people of the State of California do enact as follows: |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 1. Section 16002.7 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals.(B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501.(2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:(A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children.(B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care.(b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602.(c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following:(A) The population to be served.(B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented.(C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes.(D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies.(E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support.(F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan.(d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections.(e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:(1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding.(f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 1. Section 16002.7 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: |
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| 48 | 48 | | ### SECTION 1. |
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| 50 | 50 | | 16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals.(B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501.(2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:(A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children.(B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care.(b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602.(c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following:(A) The population to be served.(B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented.(C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes.(D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies.(E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support.(F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan.(d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections.(e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:(1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding.(f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals.(B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501.(2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:(A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children.(B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care.(b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602.(c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following:(A) The population to be served.(B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented.(C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes.(D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies.(E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support.(F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan.(d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections.(e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:(1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding.(f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:(A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals.(B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501.(2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:(A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children.(B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care.(b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602.(c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following:(A) The population to be served.(B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented.(C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes.(D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies.(E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support.(F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan.(d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections.(e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:(1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California.(2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding.(f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 16002.7. (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following: |
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| 60 | 60 | | (A) Adult connections are important to support transition-aged youth as they enter adulthood because they provide mentorship, counsel, and encouragement to transition-aged youth in achieving their personal goals. |
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| 61 | 61 | | |
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| 62 | 62 | | (B) Building successful family and family-like adult connections takes time and requires the support of multiple agencies working together to achieve desired outcomes. These supports include specialized permanency support services, as described in Section 16501. |
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| 64 | 64 | | (2) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following: |
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| 65 | 65 | | |
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| 66 | 66 | | (A) Identify all possible relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and other family-like adult connections who can provide direct care and emotional support to foster children. |
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| 67 | 67 | | |
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| 68 | 68 | | (B) Identify relatives and nonrelated extended family members and other family-like adult connections as early as possible, prior to entry into the foster care system, upon initial entry into care, and throughout the childs stay in foster care. |
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| 69 | 69 | | |
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| 70 | 70 | | (b) County placing agencies shall, to the extent funding is available and provided for this purpose, and pursuant to Section 16003.5, implement model practices or other strategies for intensive family finding and support for foster children, children detained but not adjudicated, and candidates for foster care. Priority shall be given to children adjudicated pursuant to Sections 300, 601, or 602. |
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| 72 | 72 | | (c) (1) A county shall, as a condition of receiving funding for intensive family finding and support pursuant to this section, submit a county plan to the department that describes all of the following: |
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| 74 | 74 | | (A) The population to be served. |
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| 76 | 76 | | (B) The model program or other strategy to be implemented. |
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| 78 | 78 | | (C) The expected outcomes and method for tracking outcomes. |
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| 80 | 80 | | (D) Planned partnership with the county behavioral health agency, and, if applicable, other local agencies. |
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| 81 | 81 | | |
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| 82 | 82 | | (E) How the county will use foster parent recruitment, retention, and support funds pursuant to Section 16003.5, if any, to provide tangible supports aligned with family finding and support. |
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| 83 | 83 | | |
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| 84 | 84 | | (F) Any other information jointly agreed upon by the department, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California. |
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| 86 | 86 | | (2) The county plans shall be submitted to the department for approval within 60 days after the date counties are notified of program requirements and expected funding allocation through all-county letter and county fiscal letter. A county plan that complies with all of the requirements of paragraph (1) shall be automatically approved. The department shall notify a county within 14 business days of receiving the county plan of any required changes to, or additional information needed for, the county plan. |
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| 88 | 88 | | (d) The department, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers, shall identify a list of model programs that may be implemented. County placing agencies may choose from the list of model programs or may implement other strategies that include extensive family finding activities and robust supports to children, relatives, and other family-like adult connections. |
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| 89 | 89 | | |
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| 90 | 90 | | (e) Counties receiving funding pursuant to this section shall do both of the following: |
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| 91 | 91 | | |
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| 92 | 92 | | (1) Develop a process to track and report outcomes on an annual basis, pursuant to a process developed by the department in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the Chief Probation Officers of California. |
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| 93 | 93 | | |
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| 94 | 94 | | (2) By November 1 of the year following the end of the fiscal year in which the county received the funding, report to the department the outcomes achieved through the use of the funding. |
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| 95 | 95 | | |
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| 96 | 96 | | (f) 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 State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department. |
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