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SB-89 Human services.(2017-2018)
Date Published: 06/27/2017 09:00 PM
SB89:v96#DOCUMENT
An act to amend Section 8212 of the Education Code, to amend Section 17706 of the Family Code, to add Section 12087.6 to the Government Code, to amend Sections 1522, 1522.41, 1529.2, and 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Sections 304.7, 11212, 11253.4, 11403, 11461.4, 11464, 11465, 12300.4, 13303, 13304, 13305, 14132.99, 16206, 16501.1, 16519.5, 16521.5, 17601.75, and 18926 of, to amend the heading of Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 10830) of Part 2 of Division 9 of, to amend and repeal Sections 10830 and 11253.45 of, to amend, repeal, and add Sections 11325.5, 11325.7, 11325.8, and 11461.3 of, to add Sections 369.6, 739.6, 10072.2, 10831, 11325.15, 11461.6, 11523, 13307, 13308, 15204.35, 18926.1, and 18926.2 to, to add Article 3.7 (commencing with Section 11340) to Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of, to add and repeal Section 18901.25 of, and to repeal Section 14124.93 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to human services, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget.
[ Approved by Governor June 27, 2017. Filed with Secretary of State June 27, 2017. ]
SB 89, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. Human services.
(1) Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to develop and administer the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program and expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program.
This bill would require the department, for any appropriation to the department for the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program in the 2017–18 fiscal year, or any fiscal year thereafter, in its contract procurement processes for single-family energy efficiency and renewable energy services, to develop new program processes and solicitations, as specified.
(2) Under existing law, the parents of a minor child are responsible for supporting the child. Existing law establishes the Department of Child Support Services, which administers all federal and state laws and regulations relating to child support enforcement obligations. Existing law requires each county to maintain a local child support agency that has responsibility for promptly and effectively enforcing child support obligations. Existing law also establishes within the state's child support program a quality assurance and performance improvement program. Existing law provides that the 10 counties with the best performance standards shall receive an additional 5% of the state's share of those counties' collections that are used to reduce or repay aid that is paid under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. Existing law requires these additional funds received by a county to be used for specified child support-related activities. Existing law suspends the payment of this additional 5% for the 2002–03 to 2016–17 fiscal years, inclusive.
This bill would extend the suspension of the additional 5% payments through the 2018–19 fiscal year.
(3) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, before and, as applicable, subsequent to issuing a license or special permit to any person to operate or manage a community care facility or a day care facility, to secure from an appropriate law enforcement agency a criminal record regarding the applicant and other specified persons, including those who will reside in the facility and employees and volunteers who have contact with the clients or children, as specified. Existing law generally prohibits the Department of Justice or the State Department of Social Services from charging a fee for fingerprinting or obtaining the criminal record of an applicant for a license or special permit to operate a community care facility providing nonmedical board, room, and care for 6 or fewer children, an applicant to operate or manage a day care facility that will serve 6 or fewer children, or an applicant for a family day care license, as specified. Existing law suspends the operation of that prohibition against charging a fee, however, through the 2016–17 fiscal year.
This bill would extend through the 2018–19 fiscal year the suspension of the prohibition against charging a fee for fingerprinting or obtaining a criminal record pursuant to the provisions described above, thereby permitting those departments to charge a fee for those services.
(4) Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income persons receive health care services. Existing law requires the Department of Child Support Services to provide payments to the local child support agency of $50 per case for obtaining 3rd-party health coverage or insurance of Medi-Cal beneficiaries, to the extent that funds are appropriated in the Budget Act. These payments are suspended for the 2003–04 to 2016–17 fiscal years, inclusive.
This bill would delete the requirement that the Department of Child Support Services provide the above-described payments to local child support agencies.
(5) Existing law authorizes only a juvenile court judicial officer to make orders regarding the administration of psychotropic medications for a dependent child or a ward who has been removed from the physical custody of his or her parent. Existing law requires that court authorization, except in an emergency situation, as specified, for the administration of psychotropic medication be based on a request from a physician, indicating the reasons for the request, a description of the child's or ward's diagnosis and behavior, the expected results of the medication, and a description of any side effects of the medication. Existing law requires the officer to approve or deny the request for authorization to administer psychotropic medication, or set the matter for hearing, as specified, within 7 court days.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services (DSS), in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), to contract for child psychiatry services to complete a record review for all authorization requests for psychotropic medications for which a second opinion review is requested by a county, as specified. The bill would require DSS to issue, by July 1, 2018, guidance regarding the second opinion review process. The bill would specify that it would not supersede any county-operated second opinion review program, or prohibit the administration of medication in an emergency, as specified. The bill would require DHCS to seek specified federal approval for purposes of the bill, and would provide that the second opinion review service required by the bill would be implemented only if, and to the extent that, any necessary federal approvals are obtained by DHCS and federal financial participation is available and is not otherwise jeopardized.
(6) Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. California's version of this program is CalWORKs. Under the CalWORKs program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, to qualified low-income families and individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria.
Under the CalWORKs program, recipients are required to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities, unless an exception applies. Existing law requires, if there is a concern that a mental disability exists that will impair the ability of a recipient to obtain employment, the recipient to be referred to the county mental health department and requires the mental health department to evaluate the recipient and determine any treatment needs. Existing law requires the county to include a plan for the development of mental health employment assistance services with the goal of treatment of mental or emotional disabilities that may limit or impair the ability of a recipient to make the transition from welfare to work, and specifies that mental health services available pursuant to these provisions include, among other things, assessment, case management, and treatment and rehabilitation services.
This bill would instead require, on and after July 1, 2017, and until July 1, 2018, the recipient to be referred to the county mental health department or a community-based provider for evaluation and determination of treatment needs. This bill would also authorize mental health services to include the provision of mental health assessment, case management, and treatment and rehabilitation services for children of CalWORKs recipients.
Existing law requires the county to include a plan for the provision of substance abuse treatment services to recipients whose substance abuse creates a barrier to employment, and requires the services to include evaluation, substance abuse treatment, employment counseling, provision of community service jobs, or other appropriate services.
This bill would authorize, on and after July 1, 2017, and until July 1, 2018, the substance abuse treatment services to include the provision of substance abuse evaluation, determination of necessary treatment, and substance abuse treatment for children of CalWORKs recipients.
The bill would require, during the 2017–18 fiscal year, the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services to work with the Department of Finance, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California to evaluate the current process by which adult and child recipients of CalWORKs benefits are referred to and receive mental health and substance abuse services through the county behavioral health system, as specified. The bill would require the departments to update the Legislature on the evaluation as part of the 2018–19 budget subcommittee hearings.
(7) Existing law, at the time a recipient enters the welfare-to-work program, requires the county to conduct an appraisal, during which the recipient is informed of the requirement to participate in allowable welfare-to-work activities and of the provision of supportive services, as specified. Existing law requires the appraisal to gather and provide information about the recipient in specified areas, including, among others, employment history, educational history, and physical and behavioral health. Existing law requires the county to utilize a standardized appraisal tool in order to assess strengths for, and barriers to, work activities. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to develop or select the tool, in consultation with stakeholders, as specified.
This bill would require the department to, among other things, expedite any necessary steps to obtain any necessary licenses to allow the Online CalWORKs Appraisal Tool (OCAT) to function as a shared service in the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) environment, and would require OCAT to become a shared service in the SAWS environment, consistent with the state's shared services strategy.
(8) Existing law establishes the Cal-Learn Program, under which a recipient of CalWORKs aid who is under 19 years of age and who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalent is required to participate in the program as a student attending school on a full-time basis. Existing law provides for a supplement to, or a reduction in, a Cal-Learn participant's aid grant based on his or her performance in school.
This bill would create the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program. The bill would provide CalWORKs recipients with a one-time education incentive award of $500 for completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent. The bill would authorize a CalWORKs recipient to apply to receive a one-time education stipend totaling $1,000 for enrollment in an education or training program leading to a career technical education program certificate, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree. The bill would require a CalWORKs recipient who applies for an education incentive award or stipend to submit evidence of completion of a high school educational program, or enrollment in an education or training program, as applicable, to the county. The bill would require the county, upon verification, as specified, to certify that the recipient is eligible for the award or stipend and to pay the recipient the award or issue the stipend, as applicable. By imposing additional administrative duties on counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(9) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to develop a research design to ensure a thorough evaluation of the direct and indirect effects of the CalWORKs program, including, among others, employment, earnings, and self-sufficiency.
This bill would additionally require the department, by July 1, 2019, to establish the California CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR) to facilitate a local accountability system that fosters continuous quality improvement in county CalWORKs programs and in the collection and dissemination by the department of best practices in service delivery. The bill would require the Cal-OAR to cover CalWORKs services provided to current and former recipients, to include the programmatic elements that each county offers as part of its CalWORKs service array and any local program components, and to consist of performance indicators, a county CalWORKs self-assessment process, and a county CalWORKs system improvement plan. By requiring counties to undertake additional duties in the implementation of the Cal-OAR, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(10) Existing law establishes the Local Revenue Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, that allocates Vehicle License Fund moneys and sales tax moneys. Existing law requires cities and counties that receive funds from the Local Revenue Fund to establish and maintain a local health and welfare trust fund comprised of specified accounts, including a family support account. Existing law requires that the funds deposited in the family support account be used by each county and city and county that receives an allocation of those funds to pay an increased county contribution toward the costs of CalWORKs grants.
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 CalWORKs benefit payments, required work activities, and supportive services, as specified.
This bill would instead require that the funds deposited in the family support account be used by each county and city and county that receives an allocation of those funds to pay an increased county contribution toward the costs of CalWORKs grants, a county contribution toward the costs of the CalWORKs single allocation, as specified, or both, as determined by the Department of Finance. By authorizing the expenditure of funds in the family support account, which is allocated and appropriated from the continuously appropriated Local Revenue Fund, for a new purpose, the bill would make an appropriation.
This bill would also require the State Department of Social Services to work with representatives of county human services agencies and the County Welfare Directors Association to develop recommendations for revising the methodology used for development of the CalWORKs single allocation annual budget, as specified.
(11) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services and the California Health and Human Services Agency Data Center to design, implement, and maintain a statewide fingerprint imaging system for use in connection with the determination of eligibility for benefits under the CalWORKs program, excluding the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care program.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to implement and maintain an automated, nonbiometric identity verification method for the CalWORKs program. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature no later than November 1, 2017, regarding options for the design, implementation, and maintenance of the verification method and to evaluate the verification method and report to the Legislature, as specified, regarding prescribed criteria. The bill would make the statewide fingerprint imaging system inoperative upon implementation of the nonbiometric identity verification method, if that implementation occurs prior to April 1, 2018, or, if the Director of Social Services requires additional time for implementation of that method, as specified, upon implementation of that method, or June 30, 2018, whichever is sooner.
(12) Existing law, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, requires foster care providers to be paid a per-child per-month rate, established by the State Department of Social Services, for the care and supervision of the child placed with the provider. Under existing law, a child who is placed in the approved home of a relative is eligible for AFDC-FC if he or she is eligible for federal financial participation in the AFDC-FC payment, as specified.
Existing law establishes the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program (ARC), in counties that choose to participate, for the purpose of making the amount paid to relative caregivers for the in-home care of children placed with them who are ineligible for AFDC-FC payments equal to the amount paid on behalf of children who are eligible for AFDC-FC payments. Existing law requires a county that has opted into the ARC Program to pay an approved relative caregiver a per child per month rate that is equal to the basic rate paid to foster care providers and that is funded, in part, through the CalWORKs program.
Existing law also generally requires a child who has been placed in the home of a relative who has been approved as a resource family to receive a grant that equals the resource family basic rate at the child's assessed level of care.
This bill would, effective July 1, 2017, make the latter provision inoperative and instead require counties to participate in the ARC Program. The bill would also extend eligibility for ARC benefits to certain nonminors. Because this bill would impose new duties on counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law specifies the manner in which ARC is funded, including by appropriating from the General Fund, for every 12-month period commencing with the period of July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, inclusive, an amount calculated pursuant to a specified formula.
This bill would delete those provisions.
Existing law establishes the Tribal Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program and requires participating tribes that opt to participate in the program to pay an approved relative caregiver a per child per month rate, as specified, in return for the care and supervision of an AFDC-FC ineligible child placed with the approved relative caregiver if the participating tribe has notified the department of its decision to participate in the program, as specified, and certain requirements are met, including that the child resides in California. Existing law authorizes a tribe, after the 2016–17 fiscal year, to participate in the program by notifying the department on or before January 1 that it intends to begin participation on or after the following July 1 and authorizes a tribe to opt out of the program by providing notice to the department and to all approved relative caregivers to whom the tribe is making payments under the program, as specified.
This bill would make various changes to that program including, among other things, by instead authorizing a tribe to begin participating in Tribal ARC on any date provided the tribe gives the department at least 60 days prior notice of that fact and by deleting the above-described provisions relating to a tribe opting out of participation in the program.
Existing law establishes a rate that is paid for 24-hour out-of-home care and supervision provided to children and eligible nonminor dependents who are both consumers of regional center services and receiving AFDC-FC. Existing law also establishes a rate that is payable for the care and supervision of a dependent infant who is living with a parent who receives AFDC-FC.
This bill would also make those rates applicable for the care and supervision provided to children and eligible nonminor dependents who are both consumers of regional center services and receiving ARC payments and for the care and supervision of a dependent infant who is living with a parent who receives ARC payments. By imposing additional administrative duties on the counties, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
Because moneys from the General Fund are continuously appropriated to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program, the bill would make an appropriation.
(13) Existing law defines "care and supervision" for purposes of AFDC-FC to include, among others, food, clothing, shelter, and daily supervision.
This bill would, commencing January 1, 2018, establish the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children (bridge program). The bill would authorize county welfare departments to administer the bridge program and distribute vouchers, or payment, for child care services for an eligible child who is placed with an approved resource family, a licensed or certified foster family, or an approved relative or nonrelative extended family member, or who is the child of a young parent involved in the child welfare system. The bill would require, for counties that choose to participate, that county welfare departments determine eligibility for the bridge program and provide monthly payment either directly to the family or to the child care provider or provide a monthly voucher for child care, in an amount that is commensurate with the regional market rate, for up to 6 months following the child's initial placement, unless the child and family are able to access long-term, subsidized child care prior to the end of the 6-month period. The bill would allow eligibility for a child care payment or voucher to be extended for 6 months, at the discretion of the county welfare department, if the child and family have been unable to access long-term, subsidized child care during the initial 6-month period. The bill would require that each child receiving a monthly child care payment or voucher be provided with a child care navigator, as specified, and would authorize the county to establish local priorities in the implementation of the bridge program.
(14) Existing law establishes the California Child Care Initiative Project for certain purposes, including increasing the availability of qualified child care programs in the state and establishing child care resource and referral programs to serve a defined geographic area.
This bill would require each child care resource and referral program to provide a child care navigator to support children in foster care, children previously in foster care upon return to their home of origin, and children of parents involved in the child welfare system. The bill would also require the child care resource and referral program to provide trauma-informed training and coaching to child care providers working with children, and children of parenting youth, in the foster care system.
(15) Existing law requires a county social worker to create a case plan for foster youth within a specified timeframe after the child is introduced into the foster care system. Existing law requires the case plan to include prescribed components, including, among other things, for youth in foster care 14 years of age and older and nonminor dependents, a document that describes the youth's rights with respect to education, health, visitation, and court participation, the right to be annually provided with copies of his or her credit reports at no cost, and the right to stay safe and avoid exploitation.
This bill would additionally require, for a youth in foster care 10 years of age and older who is in junior high, middle, or high school, and for certain nonminor dependents, the case plan to be reviewed annually, and updated as needed, to verify that the youth or nonminor dependent has received comprehensive sexual health education, as specified, and to be updated annually to indicate that a youth or nonminor dependent has been informed, among other things, that he or she may access age-appropriate, medically accurate information on reproductive and sexual health care, including, but not limited to, unplanned pregnancy prevention and abstinence. The bill would require the case plan to indicate that the youth or nonminor dependent has been informed how to consent to and access those services, including facilitating that access and assisting with any identified barriers to care, as specified. By imposing additional duties on county social workers and probation officers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires foster care providers to ensure that adolescents who remain in long-term foster care receive age-appropriate pregnancy prevention information, provided that the department develops guidelines that describe the duties and responsibilities of foster care providers and county case managers in delivering pregnancy prevention services and information.
This bill would require the department to develop a curriculum for case management workers and foster care providers that addresses certain topics related to sexual and reproductive health care, including, among others, how to document sensitive health information, including sexual and reproductive health issues, in a case plan. The bill would also require these topics to be addressed in certain additional training, including, among others, training for administrator certification programs for group homes and short-term residential therapeutic programs.
(16) Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county.
Existing federal law, except as specified, limits a participant who is an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) to 3 months of CalFresh benefits in a 3-year period unless that participant has met specified work participation requirements. Existing federal law authorizes a waiver of that time limit upon the request of a state if it is determined that the area in which the individuals reside has an unemployment rate of over 10% or does not have a sufficient number of jobs to provide employment for the individuals. Existing law directs the State Department of Social Services to annually seek a federal waiver of this limitation, and provides that an eligible county is included in this waiver unless the county declines to participate in the waiver request.
This bill would, among other things, remove the authority for a county to decline to participate in the waiver, thereby making the waiver applicable to all eligible counties. The bill would also, when a county is not eligible for a countywide waiver, authorize a county to request that the department apply for the waiver for one or more eligible subareas of the county, and would require the department to seek the waiver, as specified. The bill would, to the extent not prohibited by federal law and guidance, require the department to ensure that all recipients subject to the federal ABAWD time limit described are permitted to meet the work requirements of the time limit through all forms of work, including, but not limited to, volunteer work at a nonprofit organization or a public institution that the recipient chooses, if the county can verify the hours of participation using a process to be established by the department no later than January 1, 2018. The bill would also, to the extent not prohibited by federal law and guidance, exempt any person who is homeless from the federal ABAWD time limit. To the extent that the bill would expand eligibility for CalFresh, which is administered by counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(17) Existing law provides for the county-administered In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, administered by the State Department of Social Services and counties, and under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons are provided with supportive services. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. Existing law authorizes certain Medi-Cal recipients to receive waiver personal care services, as defined, in order to allow the recipients to remain in their own homes.
Existing law prohibits a provider of in-home supportive services or waiver personal care services, or both, from working a total number of hours within a workweek that exceeds 66 hours, as specified. Existing law prohibits the provision of services by the provider to an individual recipient from exceeding the total weekly hours of the services authorized to that recipient, except as specified.
This bill would establish 2 types of exemptions from the 66-hour workweek limit for a provider of in-home supportive services who provides services to 2 or more recipients. The bill would require the provider to meet certain conditions on or before January 31, 2016, for the first type of exemption. For the 2nd type of exemption, the bill would require each recipient to have at least one of specified circumstances that puts the recipient at serious risk of placement in out-of-home care if the services could not be provided by that provider. The bill would authorize an IHSS provider with an approved exemption to work up to 360 hours per month combined for the recipients, as specified.
This bill would require the county to inform recipients whose providers may be eligible for an exemption, as specified, about the exemptions and the application process. The bill would require the county to review the requests for consideration for the 2nd type of exemption, as specified. The bill would require the county to mail a written notification letter to the provider and the recipients of its approval or denial, with other specified information if the exemption is denied. The bill would require the county to record the number of requests received, and those approved or denied, and to submit the numbers to the State Department of Social Services. By creating new duties for counties relating to exemptions for IHSS providers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would authorize a provider or a recipient to request a review by the State Department of Social Services, independent of the county's decision, regarding the denial of the 2nd type of exemption. The bill would set forth certain terms and procedures for the review. The bill would require the department, among other things, to record the number of requests for review and those approved or denied. The bill would require the posting of the county and department numbers on the department's Internet Web site, as specified.
(18) Existing federal law authorizes the state to obtain waivers for home- and community-based services. Existing law authorizes the State Department of Health Care Services to seek an increase in the scope of these waivers, in order to enable additional nursing facility residents to transition into the community, subject to implementation of these amended waivers upon obtaining federal financial participation, and to the extent the department can demonstrate fiscal neutrality within the overall department budget.
This bill, notwithstanding the 66-hour workweek limit, would require the department to grant an exemption to a provider of an applicant or participant of the Nursing Facility/Acute Hospital Waiver or the In-Home Operations Waiver, or their successors, whose medical or behavioral needs require that the services be provided by the requested provider, if one of specified circumstances exists. For a waiver participant who enrolled in either waiver after January 31, 2016, the bill would require the department to grant a provider an exemption on a case-by-case basis, as specified. The bill would authorize a provider of in-home supportive services or waiver personal care services who is granted an exemption to work up to a total of 12 hours per day, and up to 360 hours per month, as specified. The bill would require the department to record the number of requests for exemptions, as specified. The bill would make implementation of these provisions subject to the above-described federal financial participation and fiscal neutrality. The bill would also make conforming changes to related provisions.
(19) Existing law provides for the establishment of a statewide electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system, administered by the State Department of Social Services, for the purpose of providing financial and food assistance benefits.
This bill would require the electronic benefits system to be designed to include a flexible benefit issuance mechanism that can target multiple populations with specific benefits and allows the department flexibility to provide benefits for specific populations. The bill would require the flexible benefit issuance mechanism to become operative within 9 months of the date the Department of Social Services certifies and publishes on the department's Internet Web site that the 3rd generation of electronic benefits transfer system has otherwise been fully implemented.
This bill, until July 1, 2020, would require the department to create the Safe Drinking Water Supplemental Benefit Pilot Program to provide time-limited additional CalFresh nutrition benefits to residents of prioritized disadvantaged communities that are served by public water systems that consistently fail to meet primary drinking water standards. The bill would require the benefits to be delivered through the EBT system's flexible benefit issuance mechanism. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2020, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2021.
(20) Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to the availability of funding, to contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations to provide legal services to unaccompanied undocumented minors, as defined, who are transferred to the care and custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and who are present in this state. Existing law requires that the contracts awarded meet certain conditions.
Existing policy of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and proposed policy of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), provide that certain persons who do not have legal status in the United States and who meet specified guidelines may apply for deferred action on removal from the United States, as specified.
Existing law also requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to the availability of funding, to provide grants to qualified organizations, as specified, to be used to provide persons living in California with specified services, including services to assist with the application process for initial or renewal requests of deferred action under the DACA and DAPA policies, and to provide legal training and technical assistance to other qualified organizations. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to the availability of funding, to provide grants to qualified organizations to provide free education and outreach information, services, and materials about DACA, DAPA, naturalization, or other immigration remedies. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to update the Legislature on specified information in the course of budget hearings.
This bill would expand the legal services for which grants are available to refer to "immigration remedies," as specified, and would delete the specific references to DAPA. The bill would instead authorize the department to provide grants to qualified organizations to provide legal training and technical assistance, as defined. The bill would make these services available to persons presently or formerly residing in California. The bill would require the department to update the Legislature on additional information in the course of budget hearings, including the administration of the grant program.
This bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to transfer funds appropriated for purposes of contracting with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations and providing grants to qualified organizations among any of the services provided in response to the results of requests for applications received or to changing state or federal law. The bill would require the department to provide written notification to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee of certain information following the transfer of funds among those services under those circumstances, and would require the department, subsequent to this notification, to provide written notification to the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee no less than 30 days prior to either any proposed changes that adjust the aggregate amount awarded for any particular service provided by a qualified organization awarded a grant by more than 15% or for any proposed transfers of funding between the purposes of contracting with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations and providing grants to qualified organizations. The bill would authorize a grantee whose grant was awarded prior to the effective date of the bill to provide any of the services authorized pursuant to the bill, pursuant to an agreement with the department. The bill would prohibit the use of grant funds to provide legal services, as described, to an individual who has been convicted of, or who is currently appealing a conviction for, a violent felony or a serious felony, except as specified. The bill would provide that the above-described provisions are severable.
(21) 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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
(22) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) The changes made to Sections 11212, 11253.4, 11253.45, 11403, 11461.4, 11464, 11465, and 11461.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code are consistent with the Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) enacted by Chapter 773 of Statutes of 2015 and Chapter 612 of the Statutes of 2016 and are possible because of initial state investments in the child welfare system to support the implementation of CCR.
(2) It is expected that the changes made to Sections 11212, 11253.4, 11253.45, 11403, 11461.4, 11464, 11465, and 11461.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, along with CCR and the provision of initial short-term funding provided by the state to local agencies to implement CCR, will reduce overall costs to local agencies and allow local savings to be reinvested in child welfare services.
(3) If overall costs to a local agency are reduced, annual funding by the state to the local agency will only be provided as described in Section 36 of Article XIII of the California Constitution.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature in making the changes to Sections 11212, 11253.4, 11253.45, 11403, 11461.4, 11464, 11465, and 11461.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to improve California's child welfare system and its outcomes by making the amount paid to approved relative caregivers for the in-home care of children placed with them who are ineligible for AFDC-FC payments equal to the amount paid on behalf of children who are eligible for AFDC-FC payments.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The CalWORKs program was established in 1997 by Assembly Bill 1542 (Chapter 270 of the Statutes of 1997) after the passage of the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which established lifetime limits on assistance, expectations of recipients to engage in work or worklike activities, and state level participation rate requirements. While many changes have been made to the CalWORKs program over the past two decades, these fundamental components remain in place at both the federal and state levels.
(b) In the years since CalWORKs was established, much has been learned about the far-reaching impacts of poverty on children, adults, and families, and the Legislature has taken actions to develop services and supports within CalWORKs that are intended to support families in reaching self-sufficiency and mitigating the effects of poverty. However, there has never been a systematic approach to examining the program's operations and efficacy.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce deep poverty in California, in part through the provision of high quality, effective services in the CalWORKs program.
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish an outcomes and accountability review process in the CalWORKs program that will serve to provide information on key indicators that can be used to evaluate the performance of the program toward the overarching objective of family self-sufficiency, create a framework for rigorous self-assessment, and foster continuous quality improvement in the program. Furthermore, it is the intent of the Legislature that this process be inclusive, comprehensive, and transparent in order to establish local and state accountability for the performance of the program.
Section 8212 of the Education Code is amended to read:
(a) For purposes of this article, child care resource and referral programs, established to serve a defined geographic area, shall provide the following services:
(1) (A) Identification of the full range of existing child care services through information provided by all relevant public and private agencies in the areas of service, and the development of a resource file of those services which shall be maintained and updated at least quarterly. These services shall include, but not be limited to, family day care homes, public and private day care programs, full-time and part-time programs, and infant, preschool, and extended care programs.
(B) The resource file shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
(i) Type of program.
(ii) Hours of service.
(iii) Ages of children served.
(iv) Fees and eligibility for services.
(v) Significant program information.
(2) (A) (i) Establishment of a referral process which responds to parental need for information and which is provided with full recognition of the confidentiality rights of parents. Resource and referral programs shall make referrals to licensed child day care facilities. Referrals shall be made to unlicensed care facilities only if there is no requirement that the facility be licensed. The referral process shall afford parents maximum access to all referral information. This access shall include, but is not limited to, telephone referrals to be made available for at least 30 hours per week as part of a full week of operation. Every effort shall be made to reach all parents within the defined geographic area, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(I) Toll-free telephone lines.
(II) Office space convenient to parents and providers.
(III) Referrals in languages which are spoken in the community.
(ii) Each child care resource and referral program shall publicize its services through all available media sources, agencies, and other appropriate methods.
(B) (i) Provision of information to any person who requests a child care referral of his or her right to view the licensing information of a licensed child day care facility required to be maintained at the facility pursuant to Section 1596.859 of the Health and Safety Code and to access any public files pertaining to the facility that are maintained by the State Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division.
(ii) A written or oral advisement in substantially the following form will comply with the requirements of clause (i):
"State law requires licensed child day care facilities to make accessible to the public a copy of any licensing report pertaining to the facility that documents a facility visit or a substantiated complaint investigation. In addition, a more complete file regarding a child care licensee may be available at an office of the State Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division. You have the right to access any public information in these files."
(3) (A) Maintenance of ongoing documentation of requests for service tabulated through the internal referral process. The following documentation of requests for service shall be maintained by all child care resource and referral programs:
(i) Number of calls and contacts to the child care information and referral program or component.
(ii) Ages of children served.
(iii) Time category of child care request for each child.
(iv) Special time category, such as nights, weekends, and swing shift.
(v) Reason that the child care is needed.
(B) This information shall be maintained in a manner that is easily accessible for dissemination purposes.
(4) Provision of technical assistance to existing and potential providers of all types of child care services. This assistance shall include, but not be limited to:
(A) Information on all aspects of initiating new child care services including, but not limited to, licensing, zoning, program and budget development, and assistance in finding this information from other sources.
(B) Information and resources that help existing child care services providers to maximize their ability to serve the children and parents of their community.
(C) Dissemination of information on current public issues affecting the local and state delivery of child care services.
(D) Facilitation of communication between existing child care and child-related services providers in the community served.
(5) (A) (i) Provision of a child care navigator to support children in foster care, children previously in foster care upon return to their home of origin, and children of parents involved in the child welfare system, including the children of nonminor dependents. The navigator shall work with the child's family, as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 11461.6 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and the child's social worker and child and family team to assess child care opportunities appropriate to the child's age and needs, assist the family in identifying potential opportunities for an ongoing child care subsidy, assist the caregiver in completing appropriate child care program applications, and develop an overall, long-term child care plan for the child.
(ii) As a condition of receiving funds pursuant to this subparagraph, each resource and referral program shall develop and enter into a memorandum of understanding, contract, or other formal agreement with the county child welfare agency in order to facilitate interagency communication and, to the maximum extent possible, to leverage federal funding, including administrative funding, available pursuant to Title IV–E of the federal Social Security Act, to enhance the navigation support authorized under this subparagraph, or the resource and referral program shall explain, in writing, annually, why entering into a memorandum of understanding, contract, or other formal agreement with the county child welfare agency is not practical or feasible. Navigator services provided pursuant to this subparagraph shall be made available to any child in foster care, any child previously in foster care who has returned to his or her home of origin, and any child of parents involved in the child welfare system, including any child who meets the eligibility criteria for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children established pursuant to Section 11461.6 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. Eligibility for navigator services shall not be contingent on a child's receipt of a child care payment or voucher.
(B) (i) Provision of trauma-informed training and coaching to child care providers working with children, and children of parenting youth, in the foster care system. Training shall include, but not be limited to, infant and toddler development and research-based, trauma-informed best care practices. Child care providers shall be provided with coaching to assist them in applying training techniques and strategies for working with children, and children of parenting youth, in foster care.
(ii) As a condition of receiving funds pursuant to this subparagraph, each resource and referral program, in coordination with the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, shall develop and enter into a memorandum of understanding, contract, or other formal agreement with the county child welfare agency in order to, to the maximum extent possible, leverage federal funding, including training funds, available pursuant to Title IV–E of the federal Social Security Act, to enhance the training support authorized under this subparagraph, or the resource and referral agency shall explain, in writing, annually, why entering into a memorandum of understanding, contract, or other formal agreement with the county child welfare agency is not practical or feasible.
(b) Services prescribed by this section shall be provided in order to maximize parental choice in the selection of child care to facilitate the maintenance and development of child care services and resources.
(c) (1) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, within two business days of receiving notice, remove a licensed child day care facility with a revocation or a temporary suspension order, or that is on probation from the program's referral list.
(2) A program operating pursuant to this article shall, within two business days of receiving notice, notify all entities, operating a program under Article 3 (commencing with Section 8220) and Article 15.5 (commencing with Section 8350) in the program's jurisdiction, of a licensed child day care facility with a revocation or a temporary suspension order, or that is on probation.
Section 17706 of the Family Code is amended to read:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage counties to elevate the visibility and significance of the child support enforcement program in the county. To advance this goal, effective July 1, 2000, the counties with the 10 best performance standards pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 17704 shall receive an additional 5 percent of the state's share of those counties' collections that are used to reduce or repay aid that is paid pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 11450) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The counties shall use the increased recoupment for child support-related activities that may not be eligible for federal child support funding under Part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act, including, but not limited to, providing services to parents to help them better support their children financially, medically, and emotionally.
(b) The operation of subdivision (a) shall be suspended for the 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19 fiscal years.
Section 12087.6 is added to the Government Code, to read:
12087.6.
(a) The department, for any appropriation to the department for the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program in the 2017–18 fiscal year, or any fiscal year thereafter, in its contract procurement processes for single-family energy efficiency and renewable energy services, shall develop new program processes and solicitations that do all of the following:
(1) Give weight and priority to applicants that can demonstrate that they have existing ties to the local communities they would be servicing, among the other factors considered. This shall apply to both regional administrators and direct service providers.
(2) Give preference to organizations with demonstrated performance and outcomes related to low-income energy efficiency and renewable energy services.
(3) Take appropriate measures to ensure that all potential applicants are aware of changes in procurement process pursuant to this act.
(b) The department shall consult with community stakeholders, including, but not limited to, legislative staff, in the development, design, and goals of procurements on and after July 1, 2017. This consultation shall occur at least three months prior to the release of a request for applications that would commence the procurement cycle.
Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
The Legislature recognizes the need to generate timely and accurate positive fingerprint identification of applicants as a condition of issuing licenses, permits, or certificates of approval for persons to operate or provide direct care services in a community care facility, foster family home, or a certified family home of a licensed foster family agency. Therefore, the Legislature supports the use of the fingerprint live-scan technology, as identified in the long-range plan of the Department of Justice for fully automating the processing of fingerprints and other data by the year 1999, otherwise known as the California Crime Information Intelligence System (CAL-CII), to be used for applicant fingerprints. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to require the fingerprints of those individuals whose contact with community care clients may pose a risk to the clients' health and safety. An individual shall be required to obtain either a criminal record clearance or a criminal record exemption from the State Department of Social Services before his or her initial presence in a community care facility or certified family home.
(a) (1) Before and, as applicable, subsequent to issuing a license or special permit to any person or persons to operate or manage a community care facility, the State Department of Social Services shall secure from an appropriate law enforcement agency a criminal record to determine whether the applicant or any other person specified in subdivision (b) has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or arrested for any crime specified in Section 290 of the Penal Code, or for violating Section 245, 273ab, or 273.5 of the Penal Code, subdivision (b) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department is prohibited from granting a criminal record exemption pursuant to subdivision (g).
(2) The criminal history information shall include the full criminal record, if any, of those persons, and subsequent arrest information pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code.
(3) Except during the 2003–04 to the 2018–19 fiscal years, inclusive, neither the Department of Justice nor the State Department of Social Services may charge a fee for the fingerprinting of an applicant for a license or special permit to operate a facility providing nonmedical board, room, and care for six or less children or for obtaining a criminal record of the applicant pursuant to this section.
(4) The following shall apply to the criminal record information:
(A) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the application shall be denied, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g).
(B) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b), is awaiting trial for a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the State Department of Social Services may cease processing the criminal record information until the conclusion of the trial.
(C) If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the applicant and the State Department of Social Services with a statement of that fact.
(D) If the State Department of Social Services finds after licensure that the licensee, or any other person specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the license may be revoked, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g).
(E) An applicant and any other person specified in subdivision (b) shall submit fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice for the purpose of searching the criminal records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in addition to the criminal records search required by this subdivision. If an applicant and all other persons described in subdivision (b) meet all of the conditions for licensure, except receipt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal offender record information search response for the applicant or any of the persons described in subdivision (b), the department may issue a license if the applicant and each person described in subdivision (b) has signed and submitted a statement that he or she has never been convicted of a crime in the United States, other than a traffic infraction, as prescribed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 42001 of the Vehicle Code. If, after licensure, or the issuance of a certificate of approval of a certified family home by a foster family agency, the department determines that the licensee or any other person specified in subdivision (b) has a criminal record, the department may revoke the license, or require a foster family agency to revoke the certificate of approval, pursuant to Section 1550. The department may also suspend the license or require a foster family agency to suspend the certificate of approval pending an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 1550.5.
(F) The State Department of Social Services shall develop procedures to provide the individual's state and federal criminal history information with the written notification of his or her exemption denial or revocation based on the criminal record. Receipt of the criminal history information shall be optional on the part of the individual, as set forth in the agency's procedures. The procedure shall protect the confidentiality and privacy of the individual's record, and the criminal history information shall not be made available to the employer.
(G) Notwithstanding any other law, the department is authorized to provide an individual with a copy of his or her state or federal level criminal offender record information search response as provided to that department by the Department of Justice if the department has denied a criminal background clearance based on this information and the individual makes a written request to the department for a copy specifying an address to which it is to be sent. The state or federal level criminal offender record information search response shall not be modified or altered from its form or content as provided by the Department of Justice and shall be provided to the address specified by the individual in his or her written request. The department shall retain a copy of the individual's written request and the response and date provided.
(b) (1) In addition to the applicant, this section shall be applicable to criminal record clearances and exemptions for the following persons:
(A) Adults responsible for administration or direct supervision of staff.
(B) Any person, other than a client, residing in the facility or certified family home.
(C) Any person who provides client assistance in dressing, grooming, bathing, or personal hygiene. Any nurse assistant or home health aide meeting the requirements of Section 1338.5 or 1736.6, respectively, who is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee, and who has been certified or recertified on or after July 1, 1998, shall be deemed to meet the criminal record clearance requirements of this section. A certified nurse assistant and certified home health aide who will be providing client assistance and who falls under this exemption shall provide one copy of his or her current certification, prior to providing care, to the community care facility. The facility shall maintain the copy of the certification on file as long as care is being provided by the certified nurse assistant or certified home health aide at the facility or certified family home. Nothing in this paragraph restricts the right of the department to exclude a certified nurse assistant or certified home health aide from a licensed community care facility or certified family home pursuant to Section 1558.
(D) Any staff person, volunteer, or employee who has contact with the clients.
(E) If the applicant is a firm, partnership, association, or corporation, the chief executive officer or other person serving in like capacity.
(F) Additional officers of the governing body of the applicant, or other persons with a financial interest in the applicant, as determined necessary by the department by regulation. The criteria used in the development of these regulations shall be based on the person's capability to exercise substantial influence over the operation of the facility.
(2) The following persons are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1):
(A) A medical professional as defined in department regulations who holds a valid license or certification from the person's governing California medical care regulatory entity and who is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee if all of the following apply:
(i) The criminal record of the person has been cleared as a condition of licensure or certification by the person's governing California medical care regulatory entity.
(ii) The person is providing time-limited specialized clinical care or services.
(iii) The person is providing care or services within the person's scope of practice.
(iv) The person is not a community care facility licensee or an employee of the facility.
(B) A third-party repair person or similar retained contractor if all of the following apply:
(i) The person is hired for a defined, time-limited job.
(ii) The person is not left alone with clients.
(iii) When clients are present in the room in which the repair person or contractor is working, a staff person who has a criminal record clearance or exemption is also present.
(C) Employees of a licensed home health agency and other members of licensed hospice interdisciplinary teams who have a contract with a client or resident of the facility and are in the facility at the request of that client or resident's legal decisionmaker. The exemption does not apply to a person who is a community care facility licensee or an employee of the facility.
(D) Clergy and other spiritual caregivers who are performing services in common areas of the community care facility or who are advising an individual client at the request of, or with the permission of, the client or legal decisionmaker, are exempt from fingerprint and criminal background check requirements imposed by community care licensing. This exemption does not apply to a person who is a community care licensee or employee of the facility.
(E) Members of fraternal, service, or similar organizations who conduct group activities for clients if all of the following apply:
(i) Members are not left alone with clients.
(ii) Members do not transport clients off the facility premises.
(iii) The same organization does not conduct group activities for clients more often than defined by the department's regulations.
(3) In addition to the exemptions in paragraph (2), the following persons in foster family homes, certified family homes, and small family homes are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1):
(A) Adult friends and family of the licensed or certified foster parent, who come into the home to visit for a length of time no longer than defined by the department in regulations, provided that the adult friends and family of the licensee or certified parent are not left alone with the foster children. However, the licensee or certified parent, acting as a reasonable and prudent parent, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 362.04 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, may allow his or her adult friends and family to provide short-term care to the foster child and act as an appropriate occasional short-term babysitter for the child.
(B) Parents of a foster child's friend when the foster child is visiting the friend's home and the friend, licensed or certified foster parent, or both are also present. However, the licensee or certified parent, acting as a reasonable and prudent parent, may allow the parent of the foster child's friend to act as an appropriate short-term babysitter for the child without the friend being present.
(C) Individuals who are engaged by any licensed or certified foster parent to provide short-term care to the child for periods not to exceed 24 hours. Caregivers shall use a reasonable and prudent parent standard in selecting appropriate individuals to act as appropriate occasional short-term babysitters.
(4) In addition to the exemptions specified in paragraph (2), the following persons in adult day care and adult day support centers are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1):
(A) Unless contraindicated by the client's individualized program plan (IPP) or needs and service plan, a spouse, significant other, relative, or close friend of a client, or an attendant or a facilitator for a client with a developmental disability if the attendant or facilitator is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee. This exemption applies only if the person is visiting the client or providing direct care and supervision to the client.
(B) A volunteer if all of the following applies:
(i) The volunteer is supervised by the licensee or a facility employee with a criminal record clearance or exemption.
(ii) The volunteer is never left alone with clients.
(iii) The volunteer does not provide any client assistance with dressing, grooming, bathing, or personal hygiene other than washing of hands.
(5) (A) In addition to the exemptions specified in paragraph (2), the following persons in adult residential and social rehabilitation facilities, unless contraindicated by the client's individualized program plan (IPP) or needs and services plan, are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1): a spouse, significant other, relative, or close friend of a client, or an attendant or a facilitator for a client with a developmental disability if the attendant or facilitator is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee. This exemption applies only if the person is visiting the client or providing direct care and supervision to that client.
(B) Nothing in this subdivision shall prevent a licensee from requiring a criminal record clearance of any individual exempt from the requirements of this section, provided that the individual has client contact.
(6) Any person similar to those described in this subdivision, as defined by the department in regulations.
(c) (1) Subsequent to initial licensure, a person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempted from fingerprinting shall obtain either a criminal record clearance or an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g) from the State Department of Social Services prior to employment, residence, or initial presence in the facility. A person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting shall be fingerprinted and shall sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal convictions. The licensee shall submit fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, through the Department of Justice, for a state and federal level criminal offender record information search, or comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h). These fingerprint images and related information shall be sent by electronic transmission in a manner approved by the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining a permanent set of fingerprints, and shall be submitted to the Department of Justice by the licensee. A licensee's failure to prohibit the employment, residence, or initial presence of a person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting and who has not received either a criminal record clearance or an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g) or to comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), as required in this section, shall result in the citation of a deficiency and the immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. The department may assess civil penalties for continued violations as permitted by Section 1548. The fingerprint images and related information shall then be submitted to the Department of Justice for processing. Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard for this purpose, the Department of Justice shall verify receipt of the fingerprints.
(2) Within 14 calendar days of the receipt of the fingerprint images, the Department of Justice shall notify the State Department of Social Services of the criminal record information, as provided for in subdivision (a). If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the licensee and the State Department of Social Services with a statement of that fact within 14 calendar days of receipt of the fingerprint images. Documentation of the individual's clearance or exemption from disqualification shall be maintained by the licensee and be available for inspection. If new fingerprint images are required for processing, the Department of Justice shall, within 14 calendar days from the date of receipt of the fingerprints, notify the licensee that the fingerprints were illegible, the Department of Justice shall notify the State Department of Social Services, as required by Section 1522.04, and shall also notify the licensee by mail, within 14 days of electronic transmission of the fingerprints to the Department of Justice, if the person has no criminal history recorded. A violation of the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1522.04 shall result in the citation of a deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. The department may assess civil penalties for continued violations as permitted by Section 1548.
(3) Except for persons specified in subdivision (b) who are exempt from fingerprinting, the licensee shall endeavor to ascertain the previous employment history of persons required to be fingerprinted. If it is determined by the State Department of Social Services, on the basis of the fingerprint images and related information submitted to the Department of Justice, that subsequent to obtaining a criminal record clearance or exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g), the person has been convicted of, or is awaiting trial for, a sex offense against a minor, or has been convicted for an offense specified in Section 243.4, 273a, 273ab, 273d, 273g, or 368 of the Penal Code, or a felony, the State Department of Social Services shall notify the licensee to act immediately to terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the community care facility, or bar the person from entering the community care facility. The State Department of Social Services may subsequently grant an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g). If the conviction or arrest was for another crime, except a minor traffic violation, the licensee shall, upon notification by the State Department of Social Services, act immediately to either (A) terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the community care facility, or bar the person from entering the community care facility; or (B) seek an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g). The State Department of Social Services shall determine if the person shall be allowed to remain in the facility until a decision on the exemption from disqualification is rendered. A licensee's failure to comply with the department's prohibition of employment, contact with clients, or presence in the facility as required by this paragraph shall result in a citation of deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550.
(4) The department may issue an exemption from disqualification on its own motion pursuant to subdivision (g) if the person's criminal history indicates that the person is of good character based on the age, seriousness, and frequency of the conviction or convictions. The department, in consultation with interested parties, shall develop regulations to establish the criteria to grant an exemption from disqualification pursuant to this paragraph.
(5) Concurrently with notifying the licensee pursuant to paragraph (3), the department shall notify the affected individual of his or her right to seek an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g). The individual may seek an exemption from disqualification only if the licensee terminates the person's employment or removes the person from the facility after receiving notice from the department pursuant to paragraph (3).
(d) (1) Before and, as applicable, subsequent to issuing a license or certificate of approval to any person or persons to operate a foster family home or certified family home as described in Section 1506, the State Department of Social Services or other approving authority shall secure California and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history information to determine whether the applicant or any person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or arrested for any crime specified in subdivision (c) of Section 290 of the Penal Code, for violating Section 245, 273ab, or 273.5, subdivision (b) of Section 273a, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a, of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department is prohibited from granting a criminal record exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). The State Department of Social Services or other approving authority shall not issue a license or certificate of approval to any foster family home or certified family home applicant who has not obtained both a California and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal record clearance or exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g).
(2) The criminal history information shall include the full criminal record, if any, of those persons.
(3) Neither the Department of Justice nor the State Department of Social Services may charge a fee for the fingerprinting of an applicant for a license, special permit, or certificate of approval described in this subdivision. The record, if any, shall be taken into consideration when evaluating a prospective applicant.
(A) If the applicant or other persons specified in subdivision (b) who are not exempt from fingerprinting have convictions that would make the applicant's home unfit as a foster family home or a certified family home, the license, special permit, certificate of approval, or presence shall be denied.
(B) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting is awaiting trial for a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the State Department of Social Services or other approving authority may cease processing the criminal record information until the conclusion of the trial.
(C) For purposes of this subdivision, a criminal record clearance provided under Section 8712 of the Family Code may be used by the department or other approving agency.
(D) To the same extent required for federal funding, an applicant for a foster family home license or for certification as a family home, and any other person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting, shall submit a set of fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, through the Department of Justice, for a state and federal level criminal offender record information search, in addition to the criminal records search required by subdivision (a).
(5) Any person specified in this subdivision shall, as a part of the application, be fingerprinted and sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal convictions or arrests for any crime against a child, spousal or cohabitant abuse, or any crime for which the department cannot grant an exemption if the person was convicted and shall submit these fingerprints to the licensing agency or other approving authority.
(6) (A) Subsequent to initial licensure or certification, a person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting shall obtain both a California and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal record clearance, or an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g), prior to employment, residence, or initial presence in the foster family or certified family home. A foster family home licensee or foster family agency shall submit fingerprint images and related information of persons specified in subdivision (b) who are not exempt from fingerprinting to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, through the Department of Justice, for a state and federal level criminal offender record information search, or to comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h). A foster family home licensee's or a foster family agency's failure to either prohibit the employment, residence, or initial presence of a person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting and who has not received either a criminal record clearance or an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g), or comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), as required in this section, shall result in a citation of a deficiency, and the immediate civil penalties of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. A violation of the regulation adopted pursuant to Section 1522.04 shall result in the citation of a deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the foster family home licensee or the foster family agency pursuant to Section 1550. The State Department of Social Services may assess penalties for continued violations, as permitted by Section 1548. The fingerprint images shall then be submitted to the Department of Justice for processing.
(B) Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed envelope for this purpose, the Department of Justice shall verify receipt of the fingerprints. Within five working days of the receipt of the criminal record or information regarding criminal convictions from the Department of Justice, the department shall notify the applicant of any criminal arrests or convictions. If no arrests or convictions are recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the foster family home licensee or the foster family agency with a statement of that fact concurrent with providing the information to the State Department of Social Services.
(7) If the State Department of Social Services or other approving authority finds that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting, has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the application or presence shall be denied, unless the director grants an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g).
(8) If the State Department of Social Services or other approving authority finds after licensure or the granting of the certificate of approval that the licensee, certified foster parent, or any other person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting, has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the license or certificate of approval may be revoked by the department or the foster family agency, whichever is applicable, unless the director grants an exemption from disqualification pursuant to subdivision (g). A licensee's failure to comply with the department's prohibition of employment, contact with clients, or presence in the facility as required by paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550.
(e) (1) The State Department of Social Services shall not use a record of arrest to deny, revoke, or terminate any application, license, employment, or residence unless the department investigates the incident and secures evidence, whether or not related to the incident of arrest, that is admissible in an administrative hearing to establish conduct by the person that may pose a risk to the health and safety of any person who is or may become a client.
(2) The department shall not issue a criminal record clearance to a person who has been arrested for any crime specified in Section 290 of the Penal Code, or for violating Section 245, 273ab, or 273.5, or subdivision (b) of Section 273a, of the Penal Code, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department is prohibited from granting a criminal record exemption pursuant to subdivision (g), prior to the department's completion of an investigation pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) The State Department of Social Services is authorized to obtain any arrest or conviction records or reports from any law enforcement agency as necessary to the performance of its duties to inspect, license, and investigate community care facilities and individuals associated with a community care facility.
(f) (1) For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, a conviction means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action that the State Department of Social Services is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, when the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal, or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a of the Penal Code permitting the person to withdraw his or her plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the record of a conviction, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the court or by a judge of the court in which the conviction occurred, shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the arrest disposition report certified by the Department of Justice, or documents admissible in a criminal action pursuant to Section 969b of the Penal Code, shall be prima facie evidence of the conviction, notwithstanding any other law prohibiting the admission of these documents in a civil or administrative action.
(2) For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the department shall consider criminal convictions from another state or federal court as if the criminal offense was committed in this state.
(g) (1) After review of the record, the director may grant an exemption from disqualification for a license or special permit as specified in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), or for a license, special permit, or certificate of approval as specified in paragraphs (4), (7), and (8) of subdivision (d), or for employment, residence, or presence in a community care facility as specified in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subdivision (c), if the director has substantial and convincing evidence to support a reasonable belief that the applicant and the person convicted of the crime, if other than the applicant, are of good character as to justify issuance of the license or special permit or granting an exemption for purposes of subdivision (c). Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, an exemption shall not be granted pursuant to this subdivision if the conviction was for any of the following offenses:
(A) (i) An offense specified in Section 220, 243.4, or 264.1, subdivision (a) of Section 273a, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (1) of Section 273a, Section 273ab, 273d, 288, or 289, subdivision (c) of Section 290, or Section 368, of the Penal Code, or was a conviction of another crime against an individual specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code.
(ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), the director may grant an exemption regarding the conviction for an offense described in paragraph (1), (2), (7), or (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, if the employee or prospective employee has been rehabilitated as provided in Section 4852.03 of the Penal Code, has maintained the conduct required in Section 4852.05 of the Penal Code for at least 10 years, and has the recommendation of the district attorney representing the employee's county of residence, or if the employee or prospective employee has received a certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. This clause shall not apply to foster care providers, including relative caregivers, nonrelated extended family members, or any other person specified in subdivision (b), in those homes where the individual has been convicted of an offense described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code.
(B) A felony offense specified in Section 729 of the Business and Professions Code or Section 206 or 215, subdivision (a) of Section 347, subdivision (b) of Section 417, or subdivision (a) of Section 451 of the Penal Code.
(C) Under no circumstances shall an exemption be granted pursuant to this subdivision to any foster care provider applicant if that applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b) in those homes, has a felony conviction for either of the following offenses:
(i) A felony conviction for child abuse or neglect, spousal abuse, crimes against a child, including child pornography, or for a crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide, but not including other physical assault and battery. For purposes of this subparagraph, a crime involving violence means a violent crime specified in clause (i) of subparagraph (A), or subparagraph (B).
(ii) A felony conviction, within the last five years, for physical assault, battery, or a drug- or alcohol-related offense.
(iii) This subparagraph shall not apply to licenses or approvals wherein a caregiver was granted an exemption to a criminal conviction described in clause (i) or (ii) prior to the enactment of this subparagraph.
(iv) This subparagraph shall remain operative only to the extent that compliance with its provisions is required by federal law as a condition for receiving funding under Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.).
(2) The department shall not prohibit a person from being employed or having contact with clients in a facility on the basis of a denied criminal record exemption request or arrest information unless the department complies with the requirements of Section 1558.
(h) (1) For purposes of compliance with this section, the department may permit an individual to transfer a current criminal record clearance, as defined in subdivision (a), from one facility to another, as long as the criminal record clearance has been processed through a state licensing district office, and is being transferred to another facility licensed by a state licensing district office. The request shall be in writing to the State Department of Social Services, and shall include a copy of the person's driver's license or valid identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, or a valid photo identification issued by another state or the United States government if the person is not a California resident. Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed envelope for this purpose, the State Department of Social Services shall verify whether the individual has a clearance that can be transferred.
(2) The State Department of Social Services shall hold criminal record clearances in its active files for a minimum of three years after an employee is no longer employed at a licensed facility in order for the criminal record clearance to be transferred.
(3) The following shall apply to a criminal record clearance or exemption from the department or a county office with department-delegated licensing authority:
(A) A county office with department-delegated licensing authority may accept a clearance or exemption from the department.
(B) The department may accept a clearance or exemption from any county office with department-delegated licensing authority.
(C) A county office with department-delegated licensing authority may accept a clearance or exemption from any other county office with department-delegated licensing authority.
(4) With respect to notifications issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code concerning an individual whose criminal record clearance was originally processed by the department or a county office with department-delegated licensing authority, all of the following shall apply:
(A) The Department of Justice shall process a request from the department or a county office with department-delegated licensing authority to receive the notice only if all of the following conditions are met:
(i) The request shall be submitted to the Department of Justice by the agency to be substituted to receive the notification.
(ii) The request shall be for the same applicant type as the type for which the original clearance was obtained.
(iii) The request shall contain all prescribed data elements and format protocols pursuant to a written agreement between the department and the Department of Justice.
(B) (i) On or before January 7, 2005, the department shall notify the Department of Justice of all county offices that have department-delegated licensing authority.
(ii) The department shall notify the Department of Justice within 15 calendar days of the date on which a new county office receives department-delegated licensing authority or a county's delegated licensing authority is rescinded.
(C) The Department of Justice shall charge the department, a county office with department-delegated licensing authority, or a county child welfare agency with criminal record clearance and exemption authority, a fee for each time a request to substitute the recipient agency is received for purposes of this paragraph. This fee shall not exceed the cost of providing the service.
(5) (A) A county child welfare agency with authority to secure clearances pursuant to Section 16504.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and to grant exemptions pursuant to Section 361.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code may accept a clearance or exemption from another county with criminal record and exemption authority pursuant to these sections.
(B) With respect to notifications issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code concerning an individual whose criminal record clearance was originally processed by a county child welfare agency with criminal record clearance and exemption authority, the Department of Justice shall process a request from a county child welfare agency with criminal record and exemption authority to receive the notice only if all of the following conditions are met:
(iii) The request shall contain all prescribed data elements and format protocols pursuant to a written agreement between the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Justice.
(i) The full criminal record obtained for purposes of this section may be used by the department or by a licensed adoption agency as a clearance required for adoption purposes.
(j) If a licensee or facility is required by law to deny employment or to terminate employment of any employee based on written notification from the state department that the employee has a prior criminal conviction or is determined unsuitable for employment under Section 1558, the licensee or facility shall not incur civil liability or unemployment insurance liability as a result of that denial or termination.
(k) The State Department of Social Services may charge a fee for the costs of processing electronic fingerprint images and related information.
(l) Amendments to this section made in the 1999 portion of the 1999–2000 Regular Session shall be implemented commencing 60 days after the effective date of the act amending this section in the 1999 portion of the 1999–2000 Regular Session, except that those provisions for the submission of fingerprints for searching the records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be implemented 90 days after the effective date of that act.
Section 1522.41 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
(a) (1) The department, in consultation and collaboration with county placement officials, group home provider organizations, the Director of Health Care Services, and the Director of Developmental Services, shall develop and establish an administrator certification training program to ensure that administrators of group home facilities have appropriate training to provide the care and services for which a license or certificate is issued.
(2) The department shall develop and establish an administrator certification training program to ensure that administrators of short-term residential therapeutic program facilities have appropriate training to provide the care and services for which a license or certificate is issued.
(b) (1) In addition to any other requirements or qualifications required by the department, an administrator of a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program shall successfully complete a specified department-approved training certification program, pursuant to subdivision (c), prior to employment.
(2) In those cases when the individual is both the licensee and the administrator of a facility, the individual shall comply with all of the licensee and administrator requirements of this section.
(3) Failure to comply with this section shall constitute cause for revocation of the license of the facility.
(4) The licensee shall notify the department within 10 days of any change in administrators.
(c) (1) The administrator certification programs for group homes shall require a minimum of 40 hours of classroom instruction that provides training on a uniform core of knowledge in each of the following areas:
(A) Laws, regulations, and policies and procedural standards that impact the operations of the type of facility for which the applicant will be an administrator.
(B) Business operations.
(C) Management and supervision of staff.
(D) Psychosocial and educational needs of the facility residents, including, but not limited to, the information described in subdivision (d) of Section 16501.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(E) Community and support services.
(F) Physical needs of facility residents.
(G) Assistance with self-administration, storage, misuse, and interaction of medication used by facility residents.
(H) Resident admission, retention, and assessment procedures, including the right of a foster child to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.
(I) Instruction on cultural competency and sensitivity and related best practices for providing adequate care for children across diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as children identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
(J) Nonviolent emergency intervention and reporting requirements.
(K) Basic instruction on the existing laws and procedures regarding the safety of foster youth at school and the ensuring of a harassment- and violence-free school environment contained in Article 3.6 (commencing with Section 32228) of Chapter 2 of Part 19 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code.
(L) The information described in subdivision (i) of Section 16521.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The program may use the curriculum created pursuant to subdivision (h), and described in subdivision (i), of Section 16521.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(2) The administrator certification programs for short-term residential therapeutic programs shall require a minimum of 40 hours of classroom instruction that provides training on a uniform core of knowledge in each of the following areas:
(B) Business operations and management and supervision of staff, including staff training.
(C) Physical and psychosocial needs of the children, including behavior management, de-escalation techniques, and trauma informed crisis management planning.
(D) Permanence, well-being, and educational needs of the children.
(E) Community and support services, including accessing local behavioral and mental health supports and interventions, substance use disorder treatments, and culturally relevant services, as appropriate.
(F) Understanding the requirements and best practices regarding psychotropic medications, including, but not limited to, court authorization, uses, benefits, side effects, interactions, assistance with self-administration, misuse, documentation, storage, and metabolic monitoring of children prescribed psychotropic medications.
(G) Admission, retention, and assessment procedures, including the right of a foster child to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.
(H) The federal Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.), its historical significance, the rights of children covered by the act, and the best interests of Indian children as including culturally appropriate, child-centered practices that respect Native American history, culture, retention of tribal membership, and connection to the tribal community and traditions.
(d) Administrators who possess a valid group home license, issued by the department, are exempt from completing an approved initial certification training program and taking a written test, provided the individual completes 12 hours of classroom instruction in the following uniform core of knowledge areas:
(1) Laws, regulations, and policies and procedural standards that impact the operations of a short-term residential therapeutic program.
(2) (A) Authorization, uses, benefits, side effects, interactions, assistance with self-administration, misuse, documentation, and storage of medications.
(B) Metabolic monitoring of children prescribed psychotropic medications.
(3) Admission, retention, and assessment procedures, including the right of a foster child to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.
(4) The federal Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.), its historical significance, the rights of children covered by the act, and the best interests of Indian children as including culturally appropriate, child-centered practices that respect Native American history, culture, retention of tribal membership, and connection to the tribal community and traditions.
(5) Instruction on cultural competency and sensitivity and related best practices for providing adequate care for children across diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as children identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
(6) Physical and psychosocial needs of children, including behavior management, deescalation techniques, and trauma informed crisis management planning.
(e) Individuals applying for administrator certification under this section shall successfully complete an approved administrator certification training program, pass a written test administered by the department within 60 days of completing the program, and submit to the department the documentation required by subdivision (f) within 30 days after being notified of having passed the test. The department may extend these time deadlines for good cause. The department shall notify the applicant of his or her test results within 30 days of administering the test.
(f) The department shall not begin the process of issuing a certificate until receipt of all of the following:
(1) A certificate of completion of the administrator training required pursuant to this chapter.
(2) The fee required for issuance of the certificate. A fee of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be charged by the department to cover the costs of processing the application for certification.
(3) Documentation from the applicant that he or she has passed the written test.
(4) Submission of fingerprints pursuant to Section 1522. The department may waive the submission for those persons who have a current clearance on file.
(5) That person is at least 21 years of age.
(g) It shall be unlawful for any person not certified under this section to hold himself or herself out as a certified administrator of a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program. Any person willfully making any false representation as being a certified administrator or facility manager is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(h) (1) Certificates issued under this section shall be renewed every two years and renewal shall be conditional upon the certificate holder submitting documentation of completion of 40 hours of continuing education related to the core of knowledge specified in subdivision (c). No more than one-half of the required 40 hours of continuing education necessary to renew the certificate may be satisfied through online courses. All other continuing education hours shall be completed in a classroom setting. For purposes of this section, an individual who is a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program administrator and who is required to complete the continuing education hours required by the regulations of the State Department of Developmental Services, and approved by the regional center, may have up to 24 of the required continuing education course hours credited toward the 40-hour continuing education requirement of this section. The department shall accept for certification, community college course hours approved by the regional centers.
(2) Every administrator of a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program shall complete the continuing education requirements of this subdivision.
(3) Certificates issued under this section shall expire every two years on the anniversary date of the initial issuance of the certificate, except that any administrator receiving his or her initial certification on or after July 1, 1999, shall make an irrevocable election to have his or her recertification date for any subsequent recertification either on the date two years from the date of issuance of the certificate or on the individual's birthday during the second calendar year following certification. The department shall send a renewal notice to the certificate holder 90 days prior to the expiration date of the certificate. If the certificate is not renewed prior to its expiration date, reinstatement shall only be permitted after the certificate holder has paid a delinquency fee equal to three times the renewal fee and has provided evidence of completion of the continuing education required.
(4) To renew a certificate, the certificate holder shall, on or before the certificate expiration date, request renewal by submitting to the department documentation of completion of the required continuing education courses and pay the renewal fee of one hundred dollars ($100), irrespective of receipt of the department's notification of the renewal. A renewal request postmarked on or before the expiration of the certificate shall be proof of compliance with this paragraph.
(5) A suspended or revoked certificate shall be subject to expiration as provided for in this section. If reinstatement of the certificate is approved by the department, the certificate holder, as a condition precedent to reinstatement, shall submit proof of compliance with paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision, and shall pay a fee in an amount equal to the renewal fee, plus the delinquency fee, if any, accrued at the time of its revocation or suspension. Delinquency fees, if any, accrued subsequent to the time of its revocation or suspension and prior to an order for reinstatement, shall be waived for a period of 12 months to allow the individual sufficient time to complete the required continuing education units and to submit the required documentation. Individuals whose certificates will expire within 90 days after the order for reinstatement may be granted a three-month extension to renew their certificates during which time the delinquency fees shall not accrue.
(6) A certificate that is not renewed within four years after its expiration shall not be renewed, restored, reissued, or reinstated except upon completion of a certification training program, passing any test that may be required of an applicant for a new certificate at that time, and paying the appropriate fees provided for in this section.
(7) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) shall be charged for the reissuance of a lost certificate.
(8) A certificate holder shall inform the department of his or her employment status and change of mailing address within 30 days of any change.
(i) Unless otherwise ordered by the department, the certificate shall be considered forfeited under either of the following conditions:
(1) The department has revoked any license held by the administrator after the department issued the certificate.
(2) The department has issued an exclusion order against the administrator pursuant to Section 1558, 1568.092, 1569.58, or 1596.8897, after the department issued the certificate, and the administrator did not appeal the exclusion order or, after the appeal, the department issued a decision and order that upheld the exclusion order.
(j) (1) The department, in consultation and collaboration with county placement officials, provider organizations, the State Department of Health Care Services, and the State Department of Developmental Services, shall establish, by regulation, the program content, the testing instrument, the process for approving administrator certification training programs, and criteria to be used in authorizing individuals, organizations, or educational institutions to conduct certification training programs and continuing education courses. The department may also grant continuing education hours for continuing courses offered by accredited educational institutions that are consistent with the requirements in this section. The department may deny vendor approval to any agency or person in any of the following circumstances:
(A) The applicant has not provided the department with evidence satisfactory to the department of the ability of the applicant to satisfy the requirements of vendorization set out in the regulations adopted by the department.
(B) The applicant person or agency has a conflict of interest in that the person or agency places its clients in group homes or short-term residential therapeutic programs.
(C) The applicant public or private agency has a conflict of interest in that the agency is mandated to place clients in group homes or short-term residential therapeutic programs and to pay directly for the services. The department may deny vendorization to this type of agency only as long as there are other vendor programs available to conduct the certification training programs and conduct education courses.
(2) The department may authorize vendors to conduct the administrator's certification training program pursuant to this section. The department shall conduct the written test pursuant to regulations adopted by the department.
(3) The department shall prepare and maintain an updated list of approved training vendors.
(4) The department may inspect administrator certification training programs and continuing education courses, including online courses, at no charge to the department, to determine if content and teaching methods comply with regulations. If the department determines that any vendor is not complying with the requirements of this section, the department shall take appropriate action to bring the program into compliance, which may include removing the vendor from the approved list.
(5) The department shall establish reasonable procedures and timeframes not to exceed 30 days for the approval of vendor training programs.
(6) The department may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150) every two years, to certification program vendors for review and approval of the initial 40-hour training program pursuant to subdivision (c). The department may also charge the vendor a fee, not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) every two years, for the review and approval of the continuing education courses needed for recertification pursuant to this subdivision.
(7) (A) A vendor of online programs for continuing education shall ensure that each online course contains all of the following:
(i) An interactive portion in which the participant receives feedback, through online communication, based on input from the participant.
(ii) Required use of a personal identification number or personal identification information to confirm the identity of the participant.
(iii) A final screen displaying a printable statement, to be signed by the participant, certifying that the identified participant completed the course. The vendor shall obtain a copy of the final screen statement with the original signature of the participant prior to the issuance of a certificate of completion. The signed statement of completion shall be maintained by the vendor for a period of three years and be available to the department upon demand. Any person who certifies as true any material matter pursuant to this clause that he or she knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(B) Nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit the department from approving online programs for continuing education that do not meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) if the vendor demonstrates to the department's satisfaction that, through advanced technology, the course and the course delivery meet the requirements of this section.
(k) The department shall establish a registry for holders of certificates that shall include, at a minimum, information on employment status and criminal record clearance.
(l) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, vendors approved by the department who exclusively provide either initial or continuing education courses for certification of administrators of a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program as defined by regulations of the department, an adult residential facility as defined by regulations of the department, or a residential care facility for the elderly as defined in subdivision (k) of Section 1569.2, shall be regulated solely by the department pursuant to this chapter. No other state or local governmental entity shall be responsible for regulating the activity of those vendors.
Section 1529.2 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
1529.2.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all foster parents have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to support the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in foster care. Initial and ongoing preparation and training of foster parents should support the foster parent's role in parenting vulnerable children, youth, and young adults, including supporting the children's connection with their families. Their training should be ongoing in order to provide foster parents with information on new practices and requirements and other helpful topics within the child welfare and probation systems and may be offered in a classroom setting, online, or individually.
(b) A licensed or certified foster parent shall complete a minimum of eight training hours annually, a portion of which shall be from one or more of the following topics, as prescribed by the department, pursuant to subdivision (a):
(1) Age-appropriate child and adolescent development.
(2) Health issues in foster care, including, but not limited to, the authorization, uses, risks, benefits, assistance with self-administration, oversight, and monitoring of psychotropic or other medications, and trauma, mental health, and substance use disorder treatments for children in foster care under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, including how to access those treatments. Health issues in foster care, including, but not limited to, the authorization, uses, risks, benefits, assistance with self-administration, oversight, and monitoring of psychotropic or other medications, and trauma, mental health, and substance use disorder treatments for children in foster care under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, including how to access those treatments, as the information is also described in subdivision (d) of Section 16501.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(3) Positive discipline and the importance of self-esteem.
(4) Preparation of children and youth for a successful transition to adulthood.
(5) The right of a foster child to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.
(7) The information described in subdivision (i) of Section 16521.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The program may use the curriculum created pursuant to subdivision (h), and described in subdivision (i), of Section 16521.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c) In addition to any training required by this section, a foster parent may be required to receive specialized training, as relevant, for the purpose of preparing the foster parent to meet the needs of a particular child in care. This training may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to commercially sexually exploited children.
(2) Understanding cultural needs of children, including, but not limited to, cultural competency and sensitivity and related best practices for providing adequate care to children across diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as children identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
(3) Understanding the requirements and best practices regarding psychotropic medications, including, but not limited to, court authorization, benefits, uses, side effects, interactions, assistance with self-administration, misuse, documentation, storage, and metabolic monitoring of children prescribed psychotropic medications.
(4) Understanding the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.), its historical significance, the rights of children covered by the act, and the best interests of Indian children, including the role of the caregiver in supporting culturally appropriate, child-centered practices that respect Native American history, culture, retention of tribal membership and connection to the tribal community and traditions.
(5) Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to nonminor dependents.
(6) Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to children with special health care needs.
(d) No child shall be placed with a foster parent unless each foster parent in the home meets the requirements of this section.
(e) (1) Upon the request of the licensed or certified foster parent for a hardship waiver from the annual training requirement or a request for an extension of the deadline, the county may, at its option, on a case-by-case basis, waive the training requirement or extend any established deadline for a period not to exceed one year, if the training requirement presents a severe and unavoidable obstacle to continuing as a foster parent.
(2) Obstacles for which a county may grant a hardship waiver or extension are:
(A) Lack of access to training due to the cost or travel required or lack of child care to participate in the training, when online resources are not available.
(B) Family emergency.
(3) Before a waiver or extension may be granted, the licensed or certified foster parent should explore the opportunity of receiving training online or by video or written materials.
(f) (1) Foster parent training may be obtained through sources that include, but are not necessarily limited to, community colleges, counties, hospitals, foster parent associations, the California State Foster Parent Association's conference, online resources, adult schools, and certified foster parent instructors.
(2) In addition to the foster parent training provided by community colleges, foster family agencies shall provide a program of training for their certified foster families.
(g) (1) Training certificates shall be submitted to the appropriate licensing or foster family agency.
(2) Upon completion, a licensed or certified parent shall submit a certificate of completion for the annual training requirements.
(h) Nothing in this section shall preclude a county or a foster family agency from requiring foster parent training in excess of the requirements in this section.
(i) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.
(j) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date.
Section 1596.871 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
The Legislature recognizes the need to generate timely and accurate positive fingerprint identification of applicants as a condition of issuing licenses, permits, or certificates of approval for persons to operate or provide direct care services in a child care center or family child care home. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to require the fingerprints of those individuals whose contact with child day care facility clients may pose a risk to the children's health and safety. An individual shall be required to obtain either a criminal record clearance or a criminal record exemption from the State Department of Social Services before his or her initial presence in a child day care facility.
(a) (1) Before and, as applicable, subsequent to issuing a license or special permit to any person to operate or manage a day care facility, the department shall secure from an appropriate law enforcement agency a criminal record to determine whether the applicant or any other person specified in subdivision (b) has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or arrested for any crime specified in subdivision (c) of Section 290 of the Penal Code, or for violating Section 245, 273ab, or 273.5, subdivision (b) of Section 273a, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a, of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department is prohibited from granting a criminal record exemption pursuant to subdivision (f).
(3) Except during the 2003–04 to the 2018–19 fiscal years, inclusive, neither the Department of Justice nor the department may charge a fee for the fingerprinting of an applicant who will serve six or fewer children or any family day care applicant for a license, or for obtaining a criminal record of an applicant pursuant to this section.
(A) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant or any other person specified in subdivision (b) has been convicted of a crime, other than a minor traffic violation, the application shall be denied, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f).
(D) If the State Department of Social Services finds after licensure that the licensee, or any other person specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the license may be revoked, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f).
(E) An applicant and any other person specified in subdivision (b) shall submit fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, through the Department of Justice, for a state and federal level criminal offender record information search, in addition to the search required by subdivision (a). If an applicant meets all other conditions for licensure, except receipt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal history information for the applicant and persons listed in subdivision (b), the department may issue a license if the applicant and each person described by subdivision (b) has signed and submitted a statement that he or she has never been convicted of a crime in the United States, other than a traffic infraction as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 42001 of the Vehicle Code. If, after licensure, the department determines that the licensee or person specified in subdivision (b) has a criminal record, the license may be revoked pursuant to Section 1596.885. The department may also suspend the license pending an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 1596.886.
(B) Any person, other than a child, residing in the facility.
(C) Any person who provides care and supervision to the children.
(D) Any staff person, volunteer, or employee who has contact with the children.
(i) A volunteer providing time-limited specialized services shall be exempt from the requirements of this subdivision if this person is directly supervised by the licensee or a facility employee with a criminal record clearance or exemption, the volunteer spends no more than 16 hours per week at the facility, and the volunteer is not left alone with children in care.
(ii) A student enrolled or participating at an accredited educational institution shall be exempt from the requirements of this subdivision if the student is directly supervised by the licensee or a facility employee with a criminal record clearance or exemption, the facility has an agreement with the educational institution concerning the placement of the student, the student spends no more than 16 hours per week at the facility, and the student is not left alone with children in care.
(iii) A volunteer who is a relative, legal guardian, or foster parent of a client in the facility shall be exempt from the requirements of this subdivision.
(iv) A contracted repair person retained by the facility, if not left alone with children in care, shall be exempt from the requirements of this subdivision.
(v) Any person similar to those described in this subdivision, as defined by the department in regulations.
(E) If the applicant is a firm, partnership, association, or corporation, the chief executive officer, other person serving in like capacity, or a person designated by the chief executive officer as responsible for the operation of the facility, as designated by the applicant agency.
(F) If the applicant is a local educational agency, the president of the governing board, the school district superintendent, or a person designated to administer the operation of the facility, as designated by the local educational agency.
(G) Additional officers of the governing body of the applicant, or other persons with a financial interest in the applicant, as determined necessary by the department by regulation. The criteria used in the development of these regulations shall be based on the person's capability to exercise substantial influence over the operation of the facility.
(H) This section does not apply to employees of child care and development programs under contract with the State Department of Education who have completed a criminal record clearance as part of an application to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and who possess a current credential or permit issued by the commission, including employees of child care and development programs that serve both children subsidized under, and children not subsidized under, a State Department of Education contract. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall notify the department upon revocation of a current credential or permit issued to an employee of a child care and development program under contract with the State Department of Education.
(I) This section does not apply to employees of a child care and development program operated by a school district, county office of education, or community college district under contract with the State Department of Education who have completed a criminal record clearance as a condition of employment. The school district, county office of education, or community college district upon receiving information that the status of an employee's criminal record clearance has changed shall submit that information to the department.
(2) Nothing in this subdivision shall prevent a licensee from requiring a criminal record clearance of any individuals exempt from the requirements under this subdivision.
(c) (1) (A) Subsequent to initial licensure, a person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting shall obtain either a criminal record clearance or an exemption from disqualification, pursuant to subdivision (f), from the State Department of Social Services prior to employment, residence, or initial presence in the facility. A person specified in subdivision (b) who is not exempt from fingerprinting shall be fingerprinted and shall sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal convictions. The licensee shall submit fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, through the Department of Justice, or comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), prior to the person's employment, residence, or initial presence in the child day care facility.
(B) These fingerprint images and related information shall be electronically submitted to the Department of Justice in a manner approved by the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining a permanent set of fingerprints. A licensee's failure to submit fingerprint images and related information to the Department of Justice or to comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), as required in this section, shall result in the citation of a deficiency, and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1596.885 or 1596.886. The State Department of Social Services may assess civil penalties for repeated or continued violations permitted by Sections 1596.99 and 1597.58. The fingerprint images and related information shall then be submitted to the department for processing. Within 14 calendar days of the receipt of the fingerprint images, the Department of Justice shall notify the State Department of Social Services of the criminal record information, as provided in this subdivision. If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the licensee and the State Department of Social Services with a statement of that fact within 14 calendar days of receipt of the fingerprint images. If new fingerprint images are required for processing, the Department of Justice shall, within 14 calendar days from the date of receipt of the fingerprint images, notify the licensee that the fingerprints were illegible.
(C) Documentation of the individual's clearance or exemption shall be maintained by the licensee, and shall be available for inspection. When live-scan technology is operational, as defined in Section 1522.04, the Department of Justice shall notify the department, as required by that section, and notify the licensee by mail within 14 days of electronic transmission of the fingerprints to the Department of Justice, if the person has no criminal record. Any violation of the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1522.04 shall result in the citation of a deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1596.885 or 1596.886. The department may assess civil penalties for repeated or continued violations, as permitted by Sections 1596.99 and 1597.58.
(2) Except for persons specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the licensee shall endeavor to ascertain the previous employment history of persons required to be fingerprinted under this subdivision. If it is determined by the department, on the basis of fingerprints submitted to the Department of Justice, that the person has been convicted of a sex offense against a minor, an offense specified in Section 243.4, 273a, 273ab, 273d, 273g, or 368 of the Penal Code, or a felony, the State Department of Social Services shall notify the licensee to act immediately to terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the child day care facility, or bar the person from entering the child day care facility. The department may subsequently grant an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f). If the conviction was for another crime except a minor traffic violation, the licensee shall, upon notification by the State Department of Social Services, act immediately to either (1) terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the child day care facility, or bar the person from entering the child day care facility; or (2) seek an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f). The department shall determine if the person shall be allowed to remain in the facility until a decision on the exemption is rendered. A licensee's failure to comply with the department's prohibition of employment, contact with clients, or presence in the facility as required by this paragraph shall result in a citation of deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties by the department against the licensee, in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1596.885 or 1596.886.
(3) The department may issue an exemption on its own motion pursuant to subdivision (f) if the person's criminal history indicates that the person is of good character based on the age, seriousness, and frequency of the conviction or convictions. The department, in consultation with interested parties, shall develop regulations to establish the criteria to grant an exemption pursuant to this paragraph.
(4) Concurrently with notifying the licensee pursuant to paragraph (3), the department shall notify the affected individual of his or her right to seek an exemption pursuant to subdivision (f). The individual may seek an exemption only if the licensee terminates the person's employment or removes the person from the facility after receiving notice from the department pursuant to paragraph (3).
(d) (1) For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, a conviction means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action that the department is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, when the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal, or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a of the Penal Code permitting the person to withdraw his or her plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the record of a conviction, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the court or by a judge of the court in which the conviction occurred, shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the arrest disposition report certified by the Department of Justice, or documents admissible in a criminal action pursuant to Section 969b of the Penal Code, shall be prima facie evidence of conviction, notwithstanding any other law prohibiting the admission of these documents in a civil or administrative action.
(2) The department shall not issue a criminal record clearance to a person who has been arrested for any crime specified in Section 290 of the Penal Code, or for violating Section 245, 273ab, or 273.5, or subdivision (b) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department is prohibited from granting a criminal record exemption pursuant to subdivision (f), prior to the department's completion of an investigation pursuant to paragraph (1).
(f) (1) After review of the record, the director may grant an exemption from disqualification for a license or special permit as specified in paragraphs (1) and (4) of subdivision (a), or for employment, residence, or presence in a child day care facility as specified in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subdivision (c) if the director has substantial and convincing evidence to support a reasonable belief that the applicant and the person convicted of the crime, if other than the applicant, are of good character so as to justify issuance of the license or special permit or granting an exemption for purposes of subdivision (c). However, an exemption shall not be granted pursuant to this subdivision if the conviction was for any of the following offenses:
(A) An offense specified in Section 220, 243.4, or 264.1, subdivision (a) of Section 273a, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (1) of Section 273a, Section 273ab, 273d, 288, or 289, subdivision (c) of Section 290, or Section 368, of the Penal Code, or was a conviction of another crime against an individual specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code.
(B) A felony offense specified in Section 729 of the Business and Professions Code or Section 206 or 215, subdivision (a) of Section 347, subdivision (b) of Section 417, or subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 451 of the Penal Code.
(2) The department shall not prohibit a person from being employed or having contact with clients in a facility on the basis of a denied criminal record exemption request or arrest information unless the department complies with the requirements of Section 1596.8897.
(g) Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard for this purpose, the Department of Justice shall verify receipt of the fingerprint images.
(h) (1) For the purposes of compliance with this section, the department may permit an individual to transfer a current criminal record clearance, as defined in subdivision (a), from one facility to another, as long as the criminal record clearance has been processed through a state licensing district office, and is being transferred to another facility licensed by a state licensing district office. The request shall be in writing to the department, and shall include a copy of the person's driver's license or valid identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, or a valid photo identification issued by another state or the United States government if the person is not a California resident. Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for this purpose, the department shall verify whether the individual has a clearance that can be transferred.
(2) The State Department of Social Services shall hold criminal record clearances in its active files for a minimum of two years after an employee is no longer employed at a licensed facility in order for the criminal record clearances to be transferred.
(A) The Department of Justice shall process a request from the department or a county office with department-delegated licensing authority to receive the notice, only if all of the following conditions are met:
(C) The Department of Justice shall charge the department or a county office with department-delegated licensing authority a fee for each time a request to substitute the recipient agency is received for purposes of this paragraph. This fee shall not exceed the cost of providing the service.
(i) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may provide an individual with a copy of his or her state or federal level criminal offender record information search response as provided to that department by the Department of Justice if the department has denied a criminal background clearance based on this information and the individual makes a written request to the department for a copy specifying an address to which it is to be sent. The state or federal level criminal offender record information search response shall not be modified or altered from its form or content as provided by the Department of Justice and shall be provided to the address specified by the individual in his or her written request. The department shall retain a copy of the individual's written request and the response and date provided.
SEC. 10.
Section 304.7 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
(a) The Judicial Council shall develop and implement standards for the education and training of all judges who conduct hearings pursuant to Section 300. The training shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) A component relating to Section 300 proceedings for newly appointed or elected judges and an annual training session in Section 300 proceedings.
(2) Cultural competency and sensitivity relating to, and best practices for, providing adequate care to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth.
(3) The information described in subdivision (d) of Section 16501.4.
(4) The information described in subdivision (i) of Section 16521.5.
(b) A commissioner or referee who is assigned to conduct hearings held pursuant to Section 300 shall meet the minimum standards for education and training established pursuant to subdivision (a), by July 31, 1998.
(c) The Judicial Council shall submit an annual report to the Legislature on compliance by judges, commissioners, and referees with the education and training standards described in subdivisions (a) and (b).
Section 369.6 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
(a) (1) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services, shall contract for child psychiatry services to complete a record review for all authorization requests for psychotropic medications for which a second opinion review is requested by a county. To the extent feasible, the second opinion review shall occur within three business days of the county request and shall include discussion of the psychosocial interventions that have been or will be offered to the child and caretaker, if appropriate, to address the behavioral health needs of the child.
(2) (A) Recommended indicators for identifying those requests for authorizations of psychotropic medications for which a county may request a second opinion record review may include, but are not limited to, prescriptions for concurrent psychotropic medications, dosages that exceed recommended guidelines for use in children, off-label prescribing, and requests for psychotropic medication usage without any other concurrent psychosocial services.
(B) The State Department of Social Services shall, by July 1, 2018, issue guidance regarding the second opinion review process and may periodically revise that guidance following consultation with counties, other state departments, advocates for children and youth, and other stakeholders.
(3) The child psychiatry services contracted for by the State Department of Social Services shall be available to provide second opinion reviews to those counties that do not have a second opinion review program. This section does not prohibit a county from operating its own second opinion review program and does not supersede any county-operated second opinion review program.
(4) This section does not prevent the administration of medication in an emergency, as otherwise authorized or required by law or regulation.
(b) The State Department of Health Care Services shall seek any necessary federal approvals to obtain federal financial participation for the second opinion review service pursuant to this section, including any approvals necessary to obtain enhanced federal financial participation as applicable. Notwithstanding any other law, this section shall be implemented only if, and to the extent that, any necessary federal approvals are obtained by the department and federal financial participation is available and is not otherwise jeopardized.
(a) (1) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services, shall contract for child psychiatry services to complete a record review for all authorization requests for psychotropic medications for which a second opinion review is requested by a county. The second opinion review shall occur within three business days of the county request and shall include discussion of the psychosocial interventions that have been or will be offered to the child and caretaker, if appropriate, to address the behavioral health needs of the child.
Section 10072.2 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
(a) The electronic benefits transfer system required by this chapter shall be designed to include a flexible benefit issuance mechanism.
(b) The flexible benefit issuance mechanism created under this section shall be designed in a manner that can target multiple populations with specific benefits and shall allow the department flexibility to provide benefits for specific populations, as determined by the department, contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the Legislature.
(c) (1) The distribution of benefits pursuant to the flexible benefit issuance mechanism created under this section shall comply with all federal and state laws and regulations governing electronic benefits.
(2) The distribution of benefits pursuant to the flexible benefit issuance mechanism created under this section shall comply with privacy and confidentiality procedures required by federal and state law.
(d) The flexible benefit issuance mechanism created under this section shall become operative within nine months of the date that the Department of Social Services certifies and publishes on the department's Internet Web site that the third generation electronic benefits transfer system required by this chapter has otherwise been fully implemented.
The heading of Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 10830) of Part 2 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
CHAPTER 4.6. CalWORKs Identity Verification
Section 10830 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
(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).
(b) (1) Every applicant for, or recipient of, aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3, excluding the AFDC-FC program, 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 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. 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.
(g) (1) If implementation of the method described in Section 10831 occurs prior to April 1, 2018, this section shall become inoperative as of the date of that implementation and is repealed as of April 1, 2018.
(2) If paragraph (1) of this subdivision does not apply, this section shall become inoperative on April 1, 2018, unless the Director of Social Services notifies the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that a method as described in Section 10831 has not been implemented prior to this date. In the event the director requires additional time for implementation, this section may remain operative until implementation of the method described in Section 10831 occurs or June 30, 2018, whichever is sooner. This section shall be repealed as of July 1, 2018.
Section 10831 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
(a) The department shall implement and maintain an automated, nonbiometric identity verification method in the CalWORKs program. It is the intent of the Legislature to codify additional details regarding this method so that recipients of aid, other than dependent children, will be required, as a condition of eligibility, to cooperate with this method.
(b) The department shall update the Legislature, no later than November 1, 2017, regarding options for the design, implementation, and maintenance of an automated, nonbiometric identity verification method in the CalWORKs program.
(c) The options developed under this section shall be for use in California counties and shall include procedures and a schedule for implementation.
(d) Prior to the update to the Legislature, the department shall do both of the following:
(1) Consult with stakeholders, including legislative staff, representatives of counties and county human services agencies, current or former CalWORKs clients, advocates for clients, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.
(2) Consider how any new methods of identity verification would impact applicant or recipient experiences and make application and eligibility practices more efficient.
(e) (1) A method implemented and maintained pursuant to this section shall be reviewed annually, with an update to the Legislature in the course of the annual spring budget subcommittee process, according to the following criteria:
(A) The extent to which the method improved identity verification and prevented duplicate aid.
(B) The extent to which the method improved the client experience.
(C) The extent to which the method aided in the efficiency and efficacy of the file clearance process.
(2) A method implemented and maintained pursuant to this section shall be evaluated, and a written report shall be submitted to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, addressing the criteria in paragraph (1) by April 1, 2019.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, contracts necessary pursuant to this section shall be exempt from both of the following:
(1) The personal services contracting requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(2) The Public Contract Code and the State Contracting Manual. Contracts necessary pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.
(g) Beginning in fiscal year 2018–19, any method implemented and maintained pursuant to this section shall only be operative in years in which funding is provided in the annual Budget Act for this purpose.
(a) The state, through the county welfare department, shall reimburse the foster parent or foster parents for the cost of the burial plot and funeral expenses incurred for any child who, at the time of death, is receiving AFDC-FC pursuant to Section 11401 or Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program payments pursuant to Section 11461.3, to the extent that the foster parent or foster parents are not otherwise reimbursed for costs incurred for those purposes.
(b) The state, through the county welfare department, shall pay the burial costs and funeral expenses directly to the funeral home and the burial plot owner when either one of the following conditions exists:
(1) The foster parent or foster parents request the direct payment.
(2) The child's death is due to alleged criminal negligence or other alleged criminal action on the part of the foster parent or foster parents.
(c) The foster parent, or the funeral home and burial plot provider, shall file a claim for reimbursement of costs with the county welfare department at the time and in the manner specified by the department. The county welfare department shall pay the claims in an amount not to exceed the level of reimbursement allowed by the California Victim Compensation Board for burial costs and funeral expenses under its Victims of Violent Crimes program, which is contained in Article 1 (commencing with Section 13959) of Chapter 5 of Part 4 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. Claims for the burial costs and funeral expenses for a foster child shall be paid out of funds appropriated annually to the department for those purposes.
Section 11253.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
(a) (1) On and after January 1, 2015, a child eligible for the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program in accordance with Section 11461.3 is not subject to the provisions of this chapter relating to CalWORKs, including, but not limited to, the provisions that relate to CalWORKs eligibility, welfare-to-work, time limits, or grant computation.
(2) All of the following shall apply to a child specified in paragraph (1):
(A) He or she shall receive the applicable regional CalWORKs grant for recipient in an assistance unit of one, pursuant to the exempt maximum aid payment set forth in Section 11450, and any changes to the CalWORKs grant amount shall apply to the grant described in this subparagraph.
(B) Notwithstanding any other law, the CalWORKs grant of the child shall be paid by the county with payment responsibility as described in subdivision (b) of Section 11461.3, rather than the county of residence of the child, unless the child resides in the county with payment responsibility.
(C) For an assistance unit described in subparagraph (A), eligibility shall be determined in accordance with paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 672 of Title 42 of the United States Code and state law implementing those requirements for the purposes of Article 5 (commencing with Section 11400).
(D) (i) Article 7 (commencing with Section 11476.6), as modified by subdivisions (g) and (h) of Section 11461.3, shall apply to an assistance unit described in subparagraph (A).
(ii) This subparagraph is intended by the Legislature to clarify existing law.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a person who is an approved relative caregiver with whom a child eligible in accordance with Section 11461.3 is placed shall be exempt from Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 10830) of Part 2 governing the statewide fingerprint imaging system.
(2) An approved relative caregiver who is also an applicant for or a recipient of benefits under this chapter shall comply with the statewide fingerprint imaging system requirements.
(c) Notwithstanding Sections 11004 and 11004.1 or any other law, overpayments to an assistance unit described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall be collected in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 11461.3.
(d) If an approved relative caregiver with whom a child eligible in accordance with Section 11461.3 is placed is also an applicant for or a recipient of benefits under this chapter, all of the following shall apply:
(1) The applicant or recipient and each eligible child, excluding any child eligible in accordance with Section 11461.3, shall receive aid in an assistance unit separate from the assistance unit described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), and the CalWORKs grant of the assistance unit shall be paid by the county of residence of the assistance unit.
(2) For purposes of calculating the grant of the assistance unit, the number of eligible needy persons on which the grant is based pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11450 shall not include any child eligible in accordance with Section 11461.3.
(3) For purposes of calculating minimum basic standards of adequate care for the assistance unit, any child eligible in accordance with Section 11461.3 shall be included as an eligible needy person in the same family pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11452.
Section 11253.45 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
11253.45.
(a) (1) A child to whom Section 309, 361.45, or 16519.5 applies, and who is placed in the home of an approved relative, shall receive a grant that equals the resource family basic rate at the child's assessed level of care, as set forth in subdivision (g) of Section 11461 and Section 11463. If the child is determined eligible for aid, the total grant shall be comprised of the CalWORKs grant plus an amount that, when combined with the CalWORKs grant, equals the resource family basic rate at the child's assessed level of care.
(2) The non-CalWORKs portion of the grant provided in paragraph (1) shall be paid from funds separate from funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act and counties' share of costs for the CalWORKs program.
(3) A child specified in paragraph (1) is not subject to the provisions of this chapter relating to CalWORKs, including, but not limited to, the provisions that relate to CalWORKs eligibility, welfare to work, child support enforcement, time limits, or grant computation.
(A) He or she shall receive the applicable regional CalWORKs grant for a recipient in an assistance unit of one, pursuant to the exempt maximum aid payment set forth in Section 11450, and any changes to the CalWORKs grant amount shall apply to the grant described in this subparagraph.
(B) Notwithstanding any other law, the CalWORKs grant for the child shall be paid by the county with payment responsibility in accordance with paragraph (1) regardless of the county of residence of the child.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a person applying for aid on behalf of a child described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), shall be exempt from Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 10830) of Part 2 governing the statewide fingerprint imaging system.
(2) A relative who is also an applicant for or a recipient of benefits under this chapter shall comply with the statewide fingerprint imaging system requirements.
(c) Notwithstanding Sections 11004 and 11004.1 or any other law, overpayments to an assistance unit described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) shall be collected using the standards and processes for overpayment recoupment as specified in Section 11466.24, and recouped overpayments shall not be subject to remittance to the federal government.
(d) If a relative with whom a child eligible in accordance with this section is placed is also an applicant for, or a recipient of, benefits under this chapter, all of the following shall apply:
(1) The applicant or recipient and each eligible child, excluding any child eligible in accordance with this section, shall receive aid in an assistance unit separate from the assistance unit described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), and the CalWORKs grant of the assistance unit shall be paid by the county of residence of the assistance unit.
(2) For purposes of calculating the grant of the assistance unit, the number of eligible needy persons on which the grant is based pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11450 shall not include any child eligible in accordance with this section.
(3) For purposes of calculating minimum basic standards of adequate care for the assistance unit, any child eligible in accordance with this section shall be included as an eligible needy person in the same family pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11452.
(e) This section shall apply only to a child under the jurisdiction of a county that has not opted into the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option pursuant to Section 11461.3.
(f) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2017, and, as of January 1, 2018, is repealed.
Section 11325.15 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, immediately following Section 11325.1, to read:
(a) (1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the Online CalWORKs Appraisal Tool (OCAT) is an essential part of CalWORKs welfare-to-work case management and should function as a shared service in the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS), which is the system of record for the CalWORKs program, as expeditiously as possible.
(2) The State Department of Social Services shall expedite any necessary steps to obtain any necessary licenses to allow the OCAT to function as a shared service in the SAWS environment.
(b) OCAT shall become a shared service in the SAWS environment, consistent with the state's shared services strategy. The functionality of OCAT in the SAWS environment shall include, but not be limited to, the exchange of data to prevent the need for duplicate data entry, to alert users to potential data conflicts, and to transmit OCAT recommendations to SAWS, where the recommendations may be used to streamline the case management of welfare-to-work activities and to produce reports.
(c) The implementation of this section shall not reduce access by the department nor counties to OCAT data and recommendations, as that access existed as of June 30, 2017.
(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, contracts necessary to obtain licenses for OCAT shall be exempt from the personal services contracting requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(2) Notwithstanding any other law, contracts necessary to obtain licenses for OCAT shall be exempt from the Public Contract Code and the State Contracting Manual, and shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.
(a) If, pursuant to the appraisal conducted pursuant to Section 11325.2 or assessment conducted pursuant to Section 11325.4, there is a concern that a mental disability exists that will impair the ability of a recipient to obtain employment, he or she shall be referred to the county mental health department.
(b) Subject to appropriations in the Budget Act, the county mental health department shall evaluate the recipient and determine any treatment needs. The evaluation shall include the extent to which the individual is capable of employment at the present time and under what working and treatment conditions the individual is capable of employment. The evaluation shall include prior diagnoses, assessments, or evaluations that the recipient provides.
(c) Each county human services agency shall develop individual welfare-to-work plans for recipients with mental or emotional disorders based on the evaluation conducted by the mental health department. The plan for the recipient shall include appropriate employment accommodations or restrictions, supportive services, and treatment requirements. Any prior diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment provided by the recipient shall be considered in the development of his or her individual welfare-to-work plan.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed.
(a) If, pursuant to the appraisal conducted pursuant to Section 11325.2 or assessment conducted pursuant to Section 11325.4, there is a concern that a mental disability exists that will impair the ability of a recipient to obtain employment, he or she shall be referred to the county mental health department or a community-based provider, as necessary.
(b) Subject to appropriations in the Budget Act, the county mental health department or a community-based provider shall evaluate the recipient and determine any treatment needs. The evaluation shall include the extent to which the individual is capable of employment at the present time and under what working and treatment conditions the individual is capable of employment. The evaluation shall include prior diagnoses, assessments, or evaluations that the recipient provides.
(c) Each county human services agency shall develop individual welfare-to-work plans for recipients with mental or emotional disorders based on the evaluation conducted by the mental health department or a community-based provider. The plan for the recipient shall include appropriate employment accommodations or restrictions, supportive services, and treatment requirements. Any prior diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment provided by the recipient shall be considered in the development of his or her individual welfare-to-work plan.
(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted on or before July 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.
(c) Each county human services agency shall develop individual welfare to work plans for recipients with mental or emotional disorders based on the evaluation conducted by the mental health department. The plan for the recipient shall include appropriate employment accommodations or restrictions, supportive services, and treatment requirements. Any prior diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment provided by the recipient shall be considered in the development of his or her individual welfare-to-work plan.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to create a funding stream and program that assists certain recipients of aid under this chapter to receive necessary mental health services, including case management and treatment, thereby enabling them to make the transition from welfare to work. This funding stream shall be used specifically to serve recipients in need of mental health services, and shall be accounted for and expended by each county in a manner that ensures that recipients in need of mental health services are receiving appropriate services.
(b) The county plan required by Section 10531 shall include a plan for the development of mental health employment assistance services, developed jointly by the county human services agency and the county department of mental health. The plan shall have as its goal the treatment of mental or emotional disabilities that may limit or impair the ability of a recipient to make the transition from welfare-to-work, or that may limit or impair the ability to retain employment over a long-term period. The plan shall be developed in a manner consistent with both the county's welfare-to-work program and the county's consolidated mental health Medi-Cal services plan. The county may use community-based providers, as necessary, that have experience in addressing the needs of the CalWORKs population. The county, whenever possible, shall ensure that the services provided qualify for federal reimbursement of the nonstate share of Medi-Cal costs.
(c) Subject to specific expenditure authority, mental health services available under this section shall include all of the following elements:
(1) Assessment for the purpose of identifying the level of the participant's mental health needs and the appropriate level of treatment and rehabilitation for the participant.
(2) Case management, as appropriate, as determined by the county.
(3) Treatment and rehabilitation services, that shall include counseling, as necessary to overcome mental health barriers to employment and mental health barriers to retaining employment, in coordination with an individual's welfare-to-work plan.
(4) In cases in which a secondary diagnosis of substance abuse is made in a person referred for mental or emotional disorders, the welfare-to-work plan shall also address the substance abuse treatment needs of the participant.
(5) A process by which the county can identify those with severe mental disabilities that may qualify them for aid under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000).
(d) Any funds appropriated by the Legislature to cover the nonfederal costs of the mental health employment assistance services required by this section shall be allocated consistent with the formula used to distribute each county's CalWORKs program allocation. Each county shall report annually to the state the number of CalWORKs program recipients who received mental health services and the extent to which the allocation is sufficient to meet the need for these services as determined by the county. The State Department of Health Care Services shall develop a uniform methodology for ensuring that this allocation supplements and does not supplant current expenditure levels for mental health services for this population.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed.
(b) The county plan required by Section 10531 shall include a plan for the development of mental health employment assistance services, developed jointly by the county welfare department and the county department of mental health. The plan shall have as its goal the treatment of mental or emotional disabilities that may limit or impair the ability of a recipient to make the transition from welfare-to-work, or that may limit or impair the ability to retain employment over a long-term period. The plan shall be developed in a manner consistent with both the county's welfare-to-work program and the county's consolidated mental health Medi-Cal services plan. The county may use community based providers, as necessary, that have experience in addressing the needs of the CalWORKs population. The county, whenever possible, shall ensure that the services provided qualify for federal reimbursement of the nonstate share of Medi-Cal costs.
(d) (1) Mental health services available under this section may also include the provision of mental health assessment, case management, and treatment and rehabilitation services, including counseling for children of CalWORKs recipients who are participating or required to participate in welfare-to-work activities.
(2) A parent in the assistance unit shall not be sanctioned in connection with her or his child's refusal or failure to participate in mental health services. A child's refusal or failure to participate in mental health services in and of itself does not create a welfare-to-work participation exemption.
(3) The services provided pursuant to paragraph (1) may supplement but shall not duplicate available mental health services to the child in the public system. Notwithstanding any other law, these services are not subject to federal financial participation and shall not be claimed or otherwise billed to the Medi-Cal program, a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or a county mental health plan.
(e) Any funds appropriated by the Legislature to cover the nonfederal costs of the mental health employment assistance services required by this section shall be allocated consistent with the formula used to distribute each county's CalWORKs program allocation. Each county shall report annually to the state the number of CalWORKs program recipients who received mental health services and the extent to which the allocation is sufficient to meet the need for these services as determined by the county. The State Department of Health Care Services shall develop a uniform methodology for ensuring that this allocation supplements, and does not supplant, current expenditure levels for mental health services for this population.
(f) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
(g) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted on or before July 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.
(b) The county plan required by Section 10531 shall include a plan for the development of mental health employment assistance services, developed jointly by the county human services agency and the county department of mental health. The plan shall have as its goal the treatment of mental or emotional disabilities that may limit or impair the ability of a recipient to make the transition from welfare to work, or that may limit or impair the ability to retain employment over a long-term period. The plan shall be developed in a manner consistent with both the county's welfare-to-work program and the county's consolidated mental health Medi-Cal services plan. The county may use community-based providers, as necessary, that have experience in addressing the needs of the CalWORKs population. The county, whenever possible, shall ensure that the services provided qualify for federal reimbursement of the nonstate share of Medi-Cal costs.
(d) Any funds appropriated by the Legislature to cover the nonfederal costs of the mental health employment assistance services required by this section shall be allocated consistent with the formula used to distribute each county's CalWORKs program allocation. Each county shall report annually to the state the number of CalWORKs program recipients who received mental health services and the extent to which the allocation is sufficient to meet the need for these services as determined by the county. The State Department of Health Care Services shall develop a uniform methodology for ensuring that this allocation supplements, and does not supplant, current expenditure levels for mental health services for this population.
(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2018, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted on or before July 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.
(a) The county plan required by Section 10531 shall include a plan for the provision of substance abuse treatment services. The plan shall describe how the county welfare department and the county alcohol and drug program will collaborate to ensure that an effective system is available to provide alcohol and drug services to recipients whose substance abuse creates a barrier to employment. The plan shall be developed in a manner that is consistent with the county's welfare-to-work program. Substance abuse treatment services shall include evaluation, substance abuse treatment, employment counseling, provision of community service jobs, or other appropriate services.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that substance abuse treatment services for participants shall be provided by the county alcohol and drug program, or by a nonprofit agency under contract with the county alcohol and drug program. If the county welfare department determines that the county alcohol and drug program is unable to provide the needed services, the county department may contract directly with a nonprofit state-licensed narcotic treatment program, residential facility, or certified nonresidential substance abuse program to obtain substance abuse services for a participant.
(c) (1) A participant who is in a job search component of the county's welfare-to-work program may be directed at any time to an assessment by the job search manager if the county believes that the participant's substance abuse may limit or preclude his or her satisfactory completion of the job search component.
(2) During the assessment, if the case manager believes that substance abuse will impair the ability of the participant to obtain and retain employment, the case manager shall refer the participant to the county alcohol and drug program for an evaluation and determination of any treatment necessary for the participant's transition from welfare to work. If the county alcohol and drug program is unable to provide the necessary services, the county may refer the participant to a state-licensed or certified nonprofit agency under contract with the county to perform these services.
(3) If a participant is determined to have a substance abuse problem, based on an evaluation by the county alcohol and drug program or a nonprofit state-licensed narcotic treatment program, residential facility, or certified nonresidential substance abuse program, the case manager shall develop the participant's welfare-to-work plan based on the results of that evaluation. In that case, the participant's welfare-to-work plan may include appropriate treatment requirements, including assignment to a substance abuse program.
(4) A recipient of aid under this chapter shall be offered two opportunities to receive substance abuse treatment under subdivision (q) of Section 11322.6, except that the county may offer the recipient additional treatment opportunities.
(5) When a participant's welfare-to-work plan includes assignment to a treatment program, a case manager may determine that the participant is out of compliance with that plan if, at any time, in consultation with the substance abuse treatment provider, the county determines that the participant has failed or refused to participate in a treatment program without good cause. The assigned treatment program shall be reasonably accessible within the county of residence or a nearby county.
(6) When a case manager determines that a participant in a treatment program as specified in his or her welfare-to-work plan is out of compliance with a program requirement other than participation in a required treatment program, the determination of whether the participant has good cause to be out of compliance shall include consideration of whether the participant's substance abuse problem caused or substantially contributed to the failure to comply with the program requirements. In this determination, the county shall consult the substance abuse treatment provider as appropriate.
(d) A recipient may not participate in a substance abuse treatment program for longer than six months without concurrently participating in a work activity, to be determined by the county and the recipient, in consultation with the treatment provider. However, if the recipient is in a state-licensed residential facility or a certified nonresidential substance abuse program that requires him or her to stay at the program site for a minimum of three hours per day, three days per week, or otherwise not to participate in nonprogram activities, the requirements of the treatment program shall fulfill the recipient's work activity requirement.
(e) Any funds appropriated by the Legislature for allocation to each county to eliminate barriers to employment due to participants' substance abuse problems shall be allocated consistent with the formula used to distribute each county's CalWORKs program allocation and shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, substance abuse treatment funds otherwise available to recipients. It is the intent of the Legislature that these funds be used to develop, expand, or develop and expand programs appropriate for CalWORKs program recipients. It is further the intent of the Legislature that, to the extent possible, these funds be used to maximize federal financial participation through Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396 et seq.).
(f) Each county shall report annually to the state the number of CalWORKs program recipients who receive substance abuse treatment and the extent to which the allocation is sufficient to meet the need for substance abuse services as determined by the county.
(g) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed.
(a) The county plan required by Section 10531 shall include a plan for the provision of substance abuse treatment services. The plan shall describe how the county welfare department and the county alcohol and drug program will collaborate to ensure an effective system is available to provide alcohol and drug services to recipients whose substance abuse creates a barrier to employment. The plan shall be developed in a manner that is consistent with the county's welfare-to-work program. Substance abuse treatment services shall include evaluation, substance abuse treatment, employment counseling, provision of community service jobs, or other appropriate services.
(d) (1) Substance abuse services available under this section may also include the provision of substance abuse evaluation, determination of necessary treatment, and substance abuse treatment for children of CalWORKs recipients who are participating or are required to participate in welfare-to-work activities.
(2) A parent in the assistance unit shall not be sanctioned in connection with her or his child's refusal or failure to participate in substance abuse services. A child's refusal or failure to participate in substance abuse services in and of itself does not create a welfare-to-work participation exemption.
(3) The services provided pursuant to paragraph (1) may supplement but shall not duplicate available substance abuse services to the child in the public system. Notwithstanding any other law, these services are not subject to federal financial participation and shall not be claimed or otherwise billed to the Medi-Cal program, a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or a county mental health plan.
(e) A recipient may not participate in a substance abuse treatment program for longer than six months without concurrently participating in a work activity, to be determined by the county and the recipient, in consultation with the treatment provider. However, if the recipient is in a state-licensed residential facility or a certified nonresidential substance abuse program that requires him or her to stay at the program site for a minimum of three hours per day, three days per week, or otherwise not to participate in nonprogram activities, the requirements of the treatment program shall fulfill the recipient's work activity requirement.
(f) Any funds appropriated by the Legislature for allocation to each county to eliminate barriers to employment due to participants' substance abuse problems shall be allocated consistent with the formula used to distribute each county's CalWORKs program allocation and shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, substance abuse treatment funds otherwise available to recipients. It is the intent of the Legislature that these funds be used to develop, expand, or develop and expand programs appropriate for CalWORKs program recipients. It is further the intent of the Legislature that, to the extent possible, these funds be used to maximize federal financial participation through Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396 et seq.).
(g) Each county shall report annually to the state the number of CalWORKs program recipients who receive substance abuse treatment and the extent to which the allocation is sufficient to meet the need for substance abuse services as determined by the county.
(h) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
(i) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted on or before July 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.
(a) The county plan required by Section 10531 shall include a plan for the provision of substance abuse treatment services. The plan shall describe how the county human services agency and the county alcohol and drug program will collaborate to ensure an effective system is available to provide alcohol and drug services to recipients whose substance abuse creates a barrier to employment. The plan shall be developed in a manner that is consistent with the county's welfare-to-work program. Substance abuse treatment services shall include evaluation, substance abuse treatment, employment counseling, provision of community service jobs, or other appropriate services.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that substance abuse treatment services for participants shall be provided by the county alcohol and drug program, or by a nonprofit agency under contract with the county alcohol and drug program. If the county human services agency determines that the county alcohol and drug program is unable to provide the needed services, the county department may contract directly with a nonprofit state-licensed narcotic treatment program, residential facility, or certified nonresidential substance abuse program to obtain substance abuse services for a participant.
(g) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2018.
Article 3.7 (commencing with Section 11340) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
Article 3.7. CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program
This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program.
(a) A CalWORKs recipient may apply to receive a one-time education incentive award in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500) for completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(b) (1) A CalWORKs recipient may apply to receive a one-time education stipend totaling one thousand dollars ($1,000) for enrollment in a term of an education or training program leading to a career technical education program certificate, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree.
(2) The stipend described in paragraph (1) shall be paid to a CalWORKs recipient at the outset of the term for which he or she is registered.
(a) (1) A CalWORKs recipient who applies for an education incentive award pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11341 shall submit evidence of completion of the high school educational program to the county.
(2) Upon verification of completion of the high school educational program described in paragraph (1), the county shall pay the recipient the award described in subdivision (a) of Section 11341 in the month following receipt of the record of completion, if submitted by the 11th day of the month, or in the second month following receipt of the record of completion if submitted later than the 11th day of the month.
(b) (1) A CalWORKs recipient who applies for an education stipend described in subdivision (b) of Section 11341 shall submit evidence of enrollment to the county. A recipient is not eligible unless all of the following criteria are satisfied:
(A) The recipient is enrolled in an education or training program that is included in the recipient's welfare-to-work plan approved by the county.
(B) The recipient is enrolled in an education or training program consistent with subdivision (f) of Section 11325.23.
(C) The recipient is enrolled in an education or training program described in subdivision (b) of Section 11341 while receiving CalWORKs assistance.
(2) Within 10 business days of verifying that a recipient is enrolled in an education or training program as described in paragraph (1), the county shall certify that the recipient is eligible for the education stipend and shall issue the stipend payment to the recipient.
(a) A CalWORKs recipient who is receiving an education incentive award or education stipend but then ceases to receive CalWORKs assistance is not eligible for the same education incentive award if he or she begins receiving CalWORKs assistance in the future.
(b) A CalWORKS recipient is permanently ineligible for an education incentive award or education stipend under either of the following circumstances:
(1) The recipient has exhausted his or her CalWORKS benefits.
(2) The recipient has committed public assistance fraud, as described in Article 7 (commencing with Section 11476.6).
(c) A CalWORKs recipient shall not receive an education award or education stipend in any month during which he or she is sanctioned.
The education incentive awards and stipends authorized pursuant to this article are not entitlement benefits. A county is required to comply with the provisions of this article only to the extent funding for this purpose is appropriated in the annual Budget Act and available to the county. A county shall not be required to expend county funds for the provision of education incentive awards and stipends pursuant to this article.
This article shall become operative on January 1, 2018.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to exercise the option afforded states under Section 475(8) (42 U.S.C. Sec. 675(8)), and Section 473(a)(4) (42 U.S.C. Sec. 673(a)(4)) of the federal Social Security Act, as contained in the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351), to receive federal financial participation for nonminor dependents of the juvenile court who satisfy the conditions of subdivision (b), consistent with their transitional independent living case plan. Effective January 1, 2012, these nonminor dependents shall be eligible to receive support up to 19 years of age, effective January 1, 2013, up to 20 years of age, and effective January 1, 2014, up to 21 years of age, consistent with their transitional independent living case plan and as described in Section 10103.5. It is the intent of the Legislature both at the time of initial determination of the nonminor dependent's eligibility and throughout the time the nonminor dependent is eligible for aid pursuant to this section, that the social worker or probation officer or Indian tribal placing entity and the nonminor dependent shall work together to ensure the nonminor dependent's ongoing eligibility. All case planning shall be a collaborative effort between the nonminor dependent and the social worker, probation officer, or Indian tribe, with the nonminor dependent assuming increasing levels of responsibility and independence.
(b) A nonminor dependent receiving aid pursuant to this chapter, who satisfies the age criteria set forth in subdivision (a), shall meet the legal authority for placement and care by being under a foster care placement order by the juvenile court, or the voluntary reentry agreement as set forth in subdivision (z) of Section 11400, and is otherwise eligible for AFDC-FC payments pursuant to Section 11401. A nonminor who satisfies the age criteria set forth in subdivision (a), and who is otherwise eligible, shall continue to receive CalWORKs payments pursuant to Section 11253, Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program benefits pursuant to Section 11461.3, or, as a nonminor former dependent or ward, aid pursuant to Kin-GAP under Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) or adoption assistance payments as specified in Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4. Effective January 1, 2012, a nonminor former dependent child or ward of the juvenile court who is receiving AFDC-FC benefits pursuant to Section 11405 and who satisfies the criteria set forth in subdivision (a) shall be eligible to continue to receive aid as long as the nonminor is otherwise eligible for AFDC-FC benefits under this subdivision. This subdivision applies when one or more of the following conditions exist:
(1) The nonminor is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential.
(2) The nonminor is enrolled in an institution which provides postsecondary or vocational education.
(3) The nonminor is participating in a program or activity designed to promote, or remove barriers to employment.
(4) The nonminor is employed for at least 80 hours per month.
(5) The nonminor is incapable of doing any of the activities described in subparagraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, due to a medical condition, and that incapability is supported by regularly updated information in the case plan of the nonminor. The requirement to update the case plan under this section shall not apply to nonminor former dependents or wards in receipt of Kin-GAP program or Adoption Assistance Program payments.
(c) The county child welfare or probation department, Indian tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization that has entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 10553.1, shall work together with a nonminor dependent who is in foster care on his or her 18th birthday and thereafter or a nonminor former dependent receiving aid pursuant to Section 11405, to satisfy one or more of the conditions described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) and shall certify the nonminor's applicable condition or conditions in the nonminor's six-month transitional independent living case plan update, and provide the certification to the eligibility worker and to the court at each six-month case plan review hearing for the nonminor dependent. Relative guardians who receive Kin-GAP payments and adoptive parents who receive adoption assistance payments shall be responsible for reporting to the county welfare agency that the nonminor does not satisfy at least one of the conditions described in subdivision (b). The social worker, probation officer, or tribal entity shall verify and obtain assurances that the nonminor dependent continues to satisfy at least one of the conditions in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) at each six-month transitional independent living case plan update. The six-month case plan update shall certify the nonminor's eligibility pursuant to subdivision (b) for the next six-month period. During the six-month certification period, the payee and nonminor shall report any change in placement or other relevant changes in circumstances that may affect payment. The nonminor dependent, or nonminor former dependent receiving aid pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405, shall be informed of all due process requirements, in accordance with state and federal law, prior to an involuntary termination of aid, and shall simultaneously be provided with a written explanation of how to exercise his or her due process rights and obtain referrals to legal assistance. Any notices of action regarding eligibility shall be sent to the nonminor dependent or former dependent, his or her counsel, as applicable, and the placing worker, in addition to any other payee. Payments of aid pursuant to Kin-GAP under Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385), adoption assistance payments as specified in Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4, or aid pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405 that are made on behalf of a nonminor former dependent shall terminate subject to the terms of the agreements. Subject to federal approval of amendments to the state plan, aid payments may be suspended and resumed based on changes of circumstances that affect eligibility. Nonminor former dependents, as identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (aa) of Section 11400, are not eligible for reentry under subdivision (e) of Section 388 as nonminor dependents under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, but may be eligible for reentry pursuant to Section 388.1 if (1) the nonminor former dependent was receiving aid pursuant to Kin-GAP under Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385), the nonminor former dependent was receiving aid pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405, or the nonminor was receiving adoption assistance payments as specified in Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 3, and (2) the nonminor's former guardian or adoptive parent dies, or no longer provides ongoing support to, and no longer receives benefits on behalf of, the nonminor after the nonminor turns 18 years of age but before the nonminor turns 21 years of age. Nonminor former dependents requesting the resumption of AFDC-FC payments pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405 shall complete the applicable portions of the voluntary reentry agreement, as described in subdivision (z) of Section 11400.
(d) A nonminor dependent may receive all of the payment directly provided that the nonminor is living independently in a supervised placement, as described in subdivision (w) of Section 11400, and that both the youth and the agency responsible for the foster care placement have signed a mutual agreement, as defined in subdivision (u) of Section 11400, if the youth is capable of making an informed agreement, that documents the continued need for supervised out-of-home placement, and the nonminor's and social worker's or probation officer's agreement to work together to facilitate implementation of the mutually developed supervised placement agreement and transitional independent living case plan.
(e) Eligibility for aid under this section shall not terminate until the nonminor dependent attains the age criteria, as set forth in subdivision (a), but aid may be suspended when the nonminor dependent no longer resides in an eligible facility, as described in Section 11402, or is otherwise not eligible for AFDC-FC benefits under Section 11401, or terminated at the request of the nonminor, or after a court terminates dependency jurisdiction pursuant to Section 391, delinquency jurisdiction pursuant to Section 607.2, or transition jurisdiction pursuant to Section 452. AFDC-FC benefits to nonminor dependents, may be resumed at the request of the nonminor by completing a voluntary reentry agreement pursuant to subdivision (z) of Section 11400, before or after the filing of a petition filed pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 388 after a court terminates dependency or transitional jurisdiction pursuant to Section 391, or delinquency jurisdiction pursuant to Section 607.2. The county welfare or probation department or Indian tribal entity that has entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 10553.1 shall complete the voluntary reentry agreement with the nonminor who agrees to satisfy the criteria of the agreement, as described in subdivision (z) of Section 11400. The county welfare department or tribal entity shall establish a new child-only Title IV-E eligibility determination based on the nonminor's completion of the voluntary reentry agreement pursuant to Section 11401. The beginning date of aid for either federal or state AFDC-FC for a reentering nonminor who is placed in foster care is the date the voluntary reentry agreement is signed or the nonminor is placed, whichever is later. The county welfare department, county probation department, or tribal entity shall provide a nonminor dependent who wishes to continue receiving aid with the assistance necessary to meet and maintain eligibility.
(f) (1) The county having jurisdiction of the nonminor dependent shall remain the county of payment under this section regardless of the youth's physical residence. Nonminor former dependents receiving aid pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405 shall be paid by their county of residence. Counties may develop courtesy supervision agreements to provide case management and independent living services by the county of residence pursuant to the nonminor dependent's transitional independent living case plan. Placements made out of state are subject to the applicable requirements of the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children, pursuant to Part 5 (commencing with Section 7900) of Division 12 of the Family Code.
(2) The county welfare department, county probation department, or tribal entity shall notify all foster youth who attain 16 years of age and are under the jurisdiction of that county or tribe, including those receiving Kin-GAP, and AAP, of the existence of the aid prescribed by this section.
(3) The department shall seek any waiver to amend its Title IV-E State Plan with the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services necessary to implement this section.
(g) (1) Subject to paragraph (3), a county shall pay the nonfederal share of the cost of extending aid pursuant to this section to eligible nonminor dependents who have reached 18 years of age and who are under the jurisdiction of the county, including AFDC-FC payments pursuant to Section 11401, aid pursuant to Kin-GAP under Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385), adoption assistance payments as specified in Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4, and aid pursuant to Section 11405 for nonminor dependents who are residing in the county as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f). A county shall contribute to the CalWORKs payments pursuant to Section 11253 and aid pursuant to Kin-GAP under Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) at the statutory sharing ratios in effect on January 1, 2012.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), a county shall pay the nonfederal share of the cost of providing permanent placement services pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 16508 and administering the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Foster Care program pursuant to Section 15204.9. For purposes of budgeting, the department shall use a standard for the permanent placement services that is equal to the midpoint between the budgeting standards for family maintenance services and family reunification services.
(3) (A) (i) Notwithstanding any other law, a county's required total contribution pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2), excluding costs incurred pursuant to Section 10103.5, shall not exceed the amount of savings in Kin-GAP assistance grant expenditures realized by the county from the receipt of federal funds due to the implementation of Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385), and the amount of funding specifically included in the Protective Services Subaccount within the Support Services Account within the Local Revenue Fund 2011, plus any associated growth funding from the Support Services Growth Subaccount within the Sales and Use Tax Growth Account to pay the costs of extending aid pursuant to this section.
(ii) A county, at its own discretion, may expend additional funds beyond the amounts identified in clause (i). These additional amounts shall not be included in any cost and savings calculations or comparisons performed pursuant to this section.
(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. In addition, the following are available to the counties for the purpose of funding costs pursuant to this section:
(i) The savings in Kin-GAP assistance grant expenditures realized from the receipt of federal funds due to the implementation of Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385).
(ii) The savings realized from the change in federal funding for adoption assistance resulting from the enactment of Public Law 110-351 and consistent with subdivision (d) of Section 16118.
(4) (A) The limit on the county's total contribution pursuant to paragraph (3) shall be assessed by the State Department of Social Services, in conjunction with the California State Association of Counties, in 2015–16, to determine if it shall be removed. The assessment of the need for the limit shall be based on a determination on a statewide basis of whether the actual county costs of providing extended care pursuant to this section, excluding costs incurred pursuant to Section 10103.5, are fully funded by the amount of savings in Kin-GAP assistance grant expenditures realized by the counties from the receipt of federal funds due to the implementation of Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) and the amount of funding specifically included in the Protective Services Subaccount within the Support Services Account within the Local Revenue Fund 2011 plus any associated growth funding from the Support Services Growth Subaccount within the Sales and Use Tax Growth Account to pay the costs of extending aid pursuant to this section.
(B) If the assessment pursuant to subparagraph (A) shows that the statewide total costs of extending aid pursuant to this section, excluding costs incurred pursuant to Section 10103.5, are fully funded by the amount of savings in Kin-GAP assistance grant expenditures realized by the counties from the receipt of federal funds due to the implementation of Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) and the amount of funding specifically included in the Protective Services Subaccount within the Support Services Account within the Local Revenue Fund 2011 plus any associated growth funding from the Support Services Growth Subaccount within the Sales and Use Tax Growth Account to pay the costs of extending aid pursuant to this section, the Department of Finance shall certify that fact, in writing, and shall post the certification on its Internet Web site, at which time subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) shall no longer be implemented.
(h) It is the intent of the Legislature that a county currently participating in the Child Welfare Demonstration Capped Allocation Project not be adversely impacted by the department's exercise of its option to extend foster care benefits pursuant to Section 673(a)(4) and Section 675(8) of Title 42 of the United States Code in the federal Social Security Act, as contained in the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351). Therefore, the department shall negotiate with the United States Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of those counties that are currently participating in the demonstration project to ensure that those counties receive reimbursement for these new programs outside of the provisions of those counties' waiver under Subtitle IV-E (commencing with Section 470) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.).
(i) The department, on or before July 1, 2013, shall develop regulations to implement this section in consultation with concerned stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of the Legislature, the County Welfare Directors Association, the Chief Probation Officers of California, the Judicial Council, representatives of Indian tribes, the California Youth Connection, former foster youth, child advocacy organizations, labor organizations, juvenile justice advocacy organizations, foster caregiver organizations, and researchers. In the development of these regulations, the department shall consider its Manual of Policy and Procedures, Division 30, Chapter 30-912, 913, 916, and 917, as guidelines for developing regulations that are appropriate for young adults who can exercise incremental responsibility concurrently with their growth and development. The department, in its consultation with stakeholders, shall take into consideration the impact to the Automated Child Welfare Services Case Management Services (CWS-CMS) and required modifications needed to accommodate eligibility determination under this section, benefit issuance, case management across counties, and recognition of the legal status of nonminor dependents as adults, as well as changes to data tracking and reporting requirements as required by the Child Welfare System Improvement and Accountability Act as specified in Section 10601.2, and federal outcome measures as required by the federal John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (42 U.S.C. Sec. 677(f)). In addition, the department, in its consultation with stakeholders, shall define the supervised independent living setting which shall include, but not be limited to, apartment living, room and board arrangements, college or university dormitories, and shared roommate settings, and define how those settings meet health and safety standards suitable for nonminors. The department, in its consultation with stakeholders, shall define the six-month certification of the conditions of eligibility pursuant to subdivision (b) to be consistent with the flexibility provided by federal policy guidance, to ensure that there are ample supports for a nonminor to achieve the goals of his or her transition independent living case plan. The department, in its consultation with stakeholders, shall ensure that notices of action and other forms created to inform the nonminor of due process rights and how to access them shall be developed, using language consistent with the special needs of the nonminor dependent population.
(j) Notwithstanding 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 shall prepare for implementation of the applicable provisions of this section by publishing, after consultation with the stakeholders listed in subdivision (i), all-county letters or similar instructions from the director by October 1, 2011, to be effective January 1, 2012. Emergency regulations to implement the applicable provisions of this act may be adopted by the director in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The initial adoption of the emergency regulations and one readoption of the emergency regulations shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations and the first readoption of those emergency regulations shall be exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days.
(a) The Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program is hereby established for the purpose of making the amount paid to approved relative caregivers for the in-home care of children placed with them who are ineligible for AFDC-FC payments equal to the amount paid on behalf of children who are eligible for AFDC-FC payments. This is an optional program for counties choosing to participate, and in so doing, participating counties agree to the terms of this section as a condition of their participation. It is the intent of the Legislature that the funding described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) for the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program be appropriated, and available for use from January through December of each year, unless otherwise specified.
(b) Subject to subdivision (e), effective January 1, 2015, participating counties shall pay an approved relative caregiver a per child per month rate in return for the care and supervision, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 11460, of a child that is placed with the relative caregiver that is equal to the basic rate paid to foster care providers pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 11461, if both of the following conditions are met:
(1) The county with payment responsibility has notified the department in writing by October 1 of the year before participation begins of its decision to participate in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program.
(2) The related child placed in the home meets all of the following requirements:
(A) The child resides in California.
(B) The child is described by subdivision (b), (c), or (e) of Section 11401 and the county welfare department or the county probation department is responsible for the placement and care of the child.
(C) The child is not eligible for AFDC-FC while placed with the approved relative caregiver because the child is not eligible for federal financial participation in the AFDC-FC payment.
(c) Any income or benefits received by an eligible child or the approved relative caregiver on behalf of the eligible child that would be offset against the basic rate paid to a foster care provider pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 11461, shall be offset from any funds that are not CalWORKs funds paid to the approved relative caregiver pursuant to this section.
(d) Participating counties shall recoup an overpayment in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program received by an approved relative caregiver using the standards and processes for overpayment recoupment that are applicable to overpayments to an approved home of a relative, as specified in Section 11466.24. Recouped overpayments shall not be subject to remittance to the federal government. Any overpaid funds that are collected by the participating counties shall be remitted to the state after subtracting both of the following:
(1) An amount not to exceed the county share of the CalWORKs portion of the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program payment, if any.
(2) Any other county funds that were included in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program payment.
(e) A county's election to participate in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program shall affirmatively indicate that the county understands and agrees to all of the following conditions:
(1) Commencing October 1, 2014, the county shall notify the department in writing of its decision to participate in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program. Failure to make timely notification, without good cause as determined by the department, shall preclude the county from participating in the program for the upcoming calendar year. Annually thereafter, any county not already participating who elects to do so shall notify the department in writing no later than October 1 of its decision to participate for the upcoming calendar year.
(2) The county shall confirm that it will make per child per month payments to all approved relative caregivers on behalf of eligible children in the amount specified in subdivision (b) for the duration of the participation of the county in this program.
(3) The county shall confirm that it will be solely responsible to pay any additional costs needed to make all payments pursuant to subdivision (b) if the state and federal funds allocated to the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) are insufficient to make all eligible payments.
(f) (1) A county deciding to opt out of the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program shall provide at least 120 days' prior written notice of that decision to the department. Additionally, the county shall provide at least 90 days' prior written notice to the approved relative caregiver or caregivers informing them that his or her per child per month payment will be reduced and the date that the reduction will occur.
(2) The department shall presume that all counties have opted out of the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program if the funding appropriated for the current 12-month period is reduced below the amount specified in subparagraph (B), subparagraph (C), or subparagraph (D) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) for that 12-month period, unless a county notifies the department in writing of its intent to opt in within 60 days of enactment of the State Budget. The counties shall provide at least 90 days' prior written notice to the approved relative caregiver or caregivers informing them that his or her per child per month payment will be reduced, and the date that reduction will occur.
(3) Any reduction in payments received by an approved relative caregiver on behalf of a child under this section that results from a decision by a county, including the presumed opt-out pursuant to paragraph (2), to not participate in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program shall be exempt from state hearing jurisdiction under Section 10950.
(g) (1) The following funding shall be used for the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program:
(A) The applicable regional per-child CalWORKs grant, in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 11253.4.
(B) General Fund resources, as appropriated in paragraph (2).
(C) County funds only to the extent required under paragraph (3) of subdivision (e).
(D) Funding described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) is intended to fully fund the base caseload of approved relative caregivers, which is defined as the number of approved relative caregivers caring for a child who is not eligible to receive AFDC-FC payments, as of July 1, 2014.
(2) The following amount is hereby appropriated from the General Fund as follows:
(A) The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), for the period of January 1, 2015, to June 30, 2015, inclusive.
(B) For the period of July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, inclusive, there shall be appropriated an amount equal to the sum of all of the following:
(i) Two times the amount appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A), inclusive of any increase pursuant to paragraph (3).
(ii) The amount necessary to increase or decrease the CalWORKs funding associated with the base caseload described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) to reflect any change from the prior fiscal year in the applicable regional per-child CalWORKs grant described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1).
(iii) The additional amount necessary to fully fund the base caseload described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1), reflective of the annual California Necessities Index increase to the basic rate paid to foster care providers.
(C) For every 12-month period thereafter, commencing with the period of July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, inclusive, the sum of all of the following shall be appropriated for purposes of this section:
(i) The total General Fund amount provided pursuant to this paragraph for the previous 12-month period.
(D) Notwithstanding clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (B) and clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (C), the total General Fund appropriation made pursuant to subparagraph (B) shall not be less than the greater of the following amounts:
(i) Thirty million dollars ($30,000,000).
(ii) Two times the amount appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A), inclusive of any increase pursuant to paragraph (3).
(3) To the extent that the appropriation made by subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) is insufficient to fully fund the base caseload of approved relative caregivers as of July 1, 2014, as described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1), for the period of January 1, 2015, to June 30, 2015, inclusive, as jointly determined by the department and the County Welfare Directors' Association and approved by the Department of Finance on or before October 1, 2015, the amount specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) shall be increased by the amount necessary to fully fund that base caseload.
(4) Funds available pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be allocated to participating counties proportionate to the number of their approved relative caregiver placements, using a methodology and timing developed by the department, following consultation with county human services agencies and their representatives.
(5) Notwithstanding subdivision (e), if in any fiscal year the entire amount of funding appropriated by the state for the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program has not been fully allocated to or utilized by participating counties, a participating county that has paid any funds pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) may request reimbursement for those funds from the department. The authority of the department to approve the requests shall be limited by the amount of available unallocated funds.
(h) An approved relative caregiver receiving payments on behalf of a child pursuant to this section shall not be eligible to receive additional CalWORKs payments on behalf of the same child under Section 11450.
(i) To the extent permitted by federal law, payments received by the approved relative caregiver from the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Option Program shall not be considered income for the purpose of determining other public benefits.
(j) Prior to referral of any individual or recipient, or that person's case, to the local child support agency for child support services pursuant to Section 17415 of the Family Code, the county human services agency shall determine if an applicant or recipient has good cause for noncooperation, as set forth in Section 11477.04. If the applicant or recipient claims good cause exception at any subsequent time to the county human services agency or the local child support agency, the local child support agency shall suspend child support services until the county social services agency determines the good cause claim, as set forth in Section 11477.04. If good cause is determined to exist, the local child support agency shall suspend child support services until the applicant or recipient requests their resumption, and shall take other measures that are necessary to protect the applicant or recipient and the children. If the applicant or recipient is the parent of the child for whom aid is sought and the parent is found to have not cooperated without good cause as provided in Section 11477.04, the applicant's or recipient's family grant shall be reduced by 25 percent for the time the failure to cooperate lasts.
(k) Consistent with Section 17552 of the Family Code, if aid is paid under this chapter on behalf of a child who is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and whose parent or guardian is receiving reunification services, the county human services agency shall determine, prior to referral of the case to the local child support agency for child support services, whether the referral is in the best interest of the child, taking into account both of the following:
(1) Whether the payment of support by the parent will pose a barrier to the proposed reunification in that the payment of support will compromise the parent's ability to meet the requirements of the parent's reunification plan.
(2) Whether the payment of support by the parent will pose a barrier to the proposed reunification in that the payment of support will compromise the parent's current or future ability to meet the financial needs of the child.
(l) Effective January 1, 2017, if a relative has been approved as a resource family pursuant to Section 16519.5, the approved relative shall be paid an amount equal to the resource family basic rate at the child's assessed level of care as set forth in subdivision (g) of Section 11461 and Section 11463.
(m) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2017, and, as of January 1, 2018, is repealed.
(a) The Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program is hereby established for the purpose of making the amount paid to approved relative caregivers for the in-home care of children and nonminor dependents placed with them who are ineligible for AFDC-FC payments equal to the amount paid on behalf of children and nonminor dependents who are eligible for AFDC-FC payments.
(b) Unless the child or nonminor dependent is eligible for the dual agency rate pursuant to Section 11464, the county with payment responsibility shall pay an approved relative caregiver a per child per month rate at the child's or nonminor dependent's assessed level of care, as set forth in subdivision (g) of Section 11461 and Section 11463, in return for the care and supervision, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 11460, of the child or nonminor dependent if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The child or nonminor dependent resides in California.
(2) The child or nonminor dependent is described by subdivision (b), (c), or (e) of Section 11401 and the county welfare department or the county probation department is responsible for the placement and care of the child or nonminor dependent.
(3) The child or nonminor dependent is not eligible for AFDC-FC while placed with the approved relative caregiver because the child or nonminor dependent is not eligible for federal financial participation in the AFDC-FC payment.
(c) Subdivision (b) shall not be interpreted to prevent a county from supplementing the payment made to the approved relative caregiver with any county optional program, including, but not limited to, a specialized care increment, as described in subdivision (e) of Section 11461, or a clothing allowance, as described in subdivision (f) of Section 11461.
(d) Any income or benefits received by an eligible child or the approved relative caregiver on behalf of the eligible child or nonminor dependent that would be offset against the rate paid to a foster care provider shall be offset from any funds that are not CalWORKs funds paid to the approved relative caregiver pursuant to this section.
(e) Counties shall recoup an overpayment in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program received by an approved relative caregiver using the standards and processes for overpayment recoupment that are applicable to overpayments to an approved resource family, as specified in Section 11466.24. Recouped overpayments shall not be subject to remittance to the federal government. Any overpaid funds that are collected by the counties shall be remitted to the state after subtracting both of the following:
(1) An amount not to exceed the county share of the CalWORKs portion of the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program payment, if any.
(2) Any other county funds that were included in the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program payment.
(f) To the extent permitted by federal law, payments received by the approved relative caregiver from the Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program shall not be considered income for the purpose of determining other public benefits.
(g) Prior to referral of any individual or recipient, or that person's case, to the local child support agency for child support services pursuant to Section 17415 of the Family Code, the county human services agency shall determine if an applicant or recipient has good cause for noncooperation, as set forth in Section 11477.04. If the applicant or recipient claims good cause exception at any subsequent time to the county human services agency or the local child support agency, the local child support agency shall suspend child support services until the county social services agency determines the good cause claim, as set forth in Section 11477.04. If good cause is determined to exist, the local child support agency shall suspend child support services until the applicant or recipient requests their resumption, and shall take other measures that are necessary to protect the applicant or recipient and the children. If the applicant or recipient is the parent of the child for whom aid is sought and the parent is found to have not cooperated without good cause as provided in Section 11477.04, the applicant's or recipient's family grant shall be reduced by 25 percent for the time the failure to cooperate lasts.
(h) Consistent with Section 17552 of the Family Code, if aid is paid under this chapter on behalf of a child who is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and whose parent or guardian is receiving reunification services, the county human services agency shall determine, prior to referral of the case to the local child support agency for child support services, whether the referral is in the best interest of the child, taking into account both of the following:
(i) For purposes of this section, an "approved relative caregiver" includes a relative, as defined by paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) of Section 319, who has been approved as a resource family pursuant to Section 16519.5.
(j) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2017.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a tribe that has entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 10553.1 may elect to participate in the Tribal Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program.
(b) (1) In return for the care and supervision of a child placed with an approved relative caregiver, a participating tribe shall pay the approved relative caregiver a per child per month rate that, when added to the tribal Temporary Aid to Needy Families (tribal TANF) benefit received by the approved relative caregiver on behalf of the child, shall equal the rate established for the child's assessed level of care, as set forth in subdivision (g) of Section 11461 and in Section 11463.
(2) Payments made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be made only if all of the following conditions exist:
(A) The tribe has notified the department in writing of its decision to participate in the program, consistent with subdivision (c).
(B) The child has been removed from the parent or guardian and has been placed into the placement and care responsibility of the tribal child welfare agency pursuant to a voluntary placement agreement or by the tribal court, consistent with the tribe's Title IV-E agreement.
(C) The child resides within California.
(D) The caregiver is receiving tribal TANF payments, or an application for tribal TANF has been made, on behalf of the child.
(E) The child is not eligible for AFDC-FC while placed with the approved relative caregiver because the child is not eligible for federal financial participation in the AFDC-FC payment.
(3) Any income or benefits received by an eligible child, or by the approved relative caregiver on behalf of an eligible child, which would be offset against a payment made to a foster care provider, shall be offset from the amount paid by the tribe under the program. This paragraph shall not apply to any tribal TANF payments received on behalf of an eligible child.
(4) An approved relative caregiver receiving payments on behalf of a child pursuant to this section shall not be eligible to receive CalWORKs payments on behalf of the same child under Section 11450.
(5) To the extent permitted by federal law, payments received by the approved relative caregiver from the program shall not be considered income for the purpose of determining other public benefits.
(6) Paragraph (1) shall not be interpreted to prevent any participating tribe from supplementing the payment made to the approved relative caregiver with any tribal optional program, including, but not limited to, a specialized care increment or a clothing allowance.
(c) A tribe electing to participate in the program shall notify the department of that fact in writing at least 60 days prior to the date the tribe will begin participation. As a condition of participation, the tribe shall do all of the following:
(1) Provide to the department the tribal TANF maximum aid payment (MAP) rate in effect at the time that the tribe elects to participate in the program, consistent with the tribe's approved tribal TANF plan.
(2) Agree to recoup overpayments to an approved relative caregiver utilizing the standards for determining whether an overpayment is recoupable, and the processes for overpayment recoupment, that are applicable to overpayments as described in the tribe's Title IV-E agreement entered into pursuant to Section 10553.1.
(3) Agree to make child support referrals for program cases, consistent with processes applied by the tribe to Title IV-E program cases.
(d) The following funding shall be used for the program:
(1) The tribe's applicable per-child tribal TANF grant.
(2) General Fund resources specified in the annual Budget Act.
(e) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Program" means the Tribal Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program established in this section.
(2) "Relative" means an adult who is related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship, including stepparents, stepsiblings, and all relatives whose status is preceded by the words "great," "great-great," or "grand," or the spouse of any of these persons even if the marriage was terminated by death or dissolution, or as otherwise established consistent with the tribe's Title IV-E agreement.
(3) "Tribe" means a federally-recognized Indian tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization with an agreement pursuant to Section 10553.1.
(a) The Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children is hereby established, to be implemented at the discretion of each county, for the purpose of stabilizing foster children with families at the time of placement by providing a time-limited payment or voucher for child care following the child's placement, or for a child whose parent is in foster care, and by providing the family with a child care navigator to assist the family in accessing long-term subsidized child care.
(b) The Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children shall be administered by county welfare departments that choose to participate in the program.
(c) (1) As determined by the county welfare department, and consistent with guidance issued jointly by the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Education, counties may establish local priorities and may either provide payment directly to the family or child care provider, or contract with a local alternative payment program to distribute vouchers for child care.
(2) Counties that elect to provide payment directly to a family or child care provider shall pay commensurate with the regional market rates, as described in Section 8357 of the Education Code.
(3) For counties that elect to contract with a local alternative payment agency, as described in Section 8220 of the Education Code, to distribute child care vouchers, the vouchers shall be in an amount commensurate with the regional market rates, as described in Section 8357 of the Education Code and the contract shall not displace, or result in the reduction of, an existing contract with a current local alternative payment program.
(d) (1) Participating county welfare departments shall determine eligibility of a child for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children using the criteria outlined in paragraphs (2) and (3).
(2) Family placements eligible to receive payment or a voucher for child care include all of the following:
(A) Approved resource families, as defined in Section 16519.5 and Section 1517 of the Health and Safety Code, and families that have a child placed with them in an emergency or for a compelling reason, as described in Section 16519.5.
(B) Prior to January 1, 2020, licensed foster family homes or certified family homes.
(C) Prior to January 1, 2020, approved homes of relatives, as defined in Section 319, or nonrelative extended family members, as described in Section 362.7.
(D) Parents under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, including, but not limited to, nonminor dependent parents.
(3) A participating county welfare department may provide a payment or voucher if work or school responsibilities preclude resource families from being at home when the child for whom they have care and responsibility is not in school or for periods when the family, as described in paragraph (2), is required to participate, without the child, in activities associated with parenting a child that are beyond the scope of ordinary parental duties, including, but not limited to, attendance at administrative or judicial reviews, case conferences, and family training.
(e) Each child receiving a monthly child care payment or voucher shall be provided with a child care navigator, pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 8212 of the Education Code, who shall work directly with the child's family, social worker, and the child and family team to assist in accessing child care at the time of placement as well as long-term, subsidized child care for the child, as necessary.
(f) Each child receiving a monthly child care payment or voucher shall be eligible to receive the payment or voucher for up to six months. If the child and family access long-term, subsidized child care prior to the end of the six-month period covered by the payment or voucher, eligibility for the monthly payment or voucher shall terminate upon enrollment in long-term, subsidized child care.
(g) Eligibility for the monthly payment or voucher may be extended beyond the initial six-month period for an additional six-month period, not to exceed 12 months in total, at the discretion of the county welfare department, if the child and family have been unable to access long-term, subsidized child care during the initial six-month period.
(h) The department shall seek all federal approvals necessary to claim federal reimbursement under Title IV–E of the federal Social Security Act in order to maximize state and local funding for child care.
(i) This section shall not be interpreted to create an entitlement to child care payment or voucher.
(j) The program established pursuant to this section is intended to complement county child welfare agency efforts to recruit, retain, and support resource families as described in Section 16003.5, and any funding provided to counties pursuant to this section shall supplement those county activities to support the goals of Chapter 773 of the Statutes of 2015 and Chapter 612 of the Statutes of 2016.
(k) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2018.
(1) Children who are consumers of regional center services and also receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC), Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program (ARC) payments, Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) benefits, or Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) benefits have special needs that can require care and supervision beyond that typically provided to children in foster care. Clarifying the roles of the child welfare and developmental disabilities services systems will ensure that these children receive the services and support they need in a timely manner and encourage the successful adoption of these children, where appropriate.
(2) To address the extraordinary care and supervision needs of children who are consumers of regional center services and also receiving AFDC-FC, ARC, Kin-GAP, or AAP benefits, it is necessary to provide a rate for care and supervision of these children that is higher than the average rate they would otherwise receive through the foster care system and higher than the rate other children with medical and other significant special needs receive.
(3) Despite the enhanced rate provided in this section, some children who are consumers of regional center services and also receiving AFDC-FC, ARC, Kin-GAP, or AAP benefits may have care and supervision needs that are so extraordinary that they cannot be addressed within that rate. In these limited circumstances, a process should be established whereby a supplement may be provided in addition to the enhanced rate.
(4) Children who receive rates pursuant to this section shall be afforded the same due process rights as all children who apply for AFDC-FC, ARC, Kin-GAP, and AAP benefits pursuant to Section 10950.
(b) Rates for children who are both regional center consumers and recipients of AFDC-FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP benefits under this chapter shall be determined as provided in Section 4684 and this section.
(c) (1) 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 pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 4512 and recipients of AFDC-FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP benefits under this chapter shall be two thousand six dollars ($2,006) per child per month.
(2) (A) The county, at its sole discretion, may authorize a supplement of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) to the rate for children three years of age and older, if it determines the child has the need for extraordinary care and supervision that cannot be met within the rate established pursuant to paragraph (1). The State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Developmental Services, in consultation with stakeholders representing county child welfare agencies, regional centers, and children who are both consumers of regional center services and recipients of AFDC-FC, ARC, Kin-GAP, or AAP benefits, shall develop objective criteria to be used by counties in determining eligibility for and the level of the supplements provided pursuant to this paragraph. The State Department of Social Services shall issue an all-county letter to implement these criteria within 120 days of the effective date of this act. The criteria shall take into account the extent to which the child has any of the following:
(i) Severe impairment in physical coordination and mobility.
(ii) Severe deficits in self-help skills.
(iii) Severely disruptive or self-injurious behavior.
(iv) A severe medical condition.
(B) The caregiver may request the supplement described in subparagraph (A) directly or upon referral by a regional center. Referral by a regional center shall not create the presumption of eligibility for the supplement.
(C) When assessing a request for the supplement, the county shall seek information from the consumer's regional center to assist in the assessment. The county shall issue a determination of eligibility for the supplement within 90 days of receipt of the request. The county shall report to the State Department of Social Services the number and level of rate supplements issued pursuant to this paragraph.
(d) (1) The rate to be paid for 24-hour out-of-home care and supervision provided for children who are receiving services under the California Early Start Intervention Services Act, are not yet determined by their regional center to have a developmental disability, as defined in subdivisions (a) and (l) of Section 4512, and are receiving AFDC-FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP benefits under this chapter, shall be eight hundred ninety-eight dollars ($898) per child per month. If a regional center subsequently determines that the child is an individual with a developmental disability as that term is defined by subdivisions (a) and (l) of Section 4512, the rate to be paid from the date of that determination shall be consistent with subdivision (c).
(2) The rates to be paid for 24-hour out-of-home nonmedical care and supervision for children who are recipients of AFDC-FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP and consumers of regional center services from a community care facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code and vendored by a regional center pursuant to Section 56004 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, shall be the facility rate established by the State Department of Developmental Services.
(e) Rates paid pursuant to this section are subject to all of the following requirements:
(1) The rates paid to the foster care provider under subdivision (c) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) are only for the care and supervision of the child, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 11460 and shall not be applicable to facilities described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d).
(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.
(3) Beginning with the 2011–12 fiscal year, the rates in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) shall be adjusted annually by the percentage change in the California Necessities Index, as set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 11461. No county shall be reimbursed for any increase in this rate that exceeds the adjustments made in accordance with this methodology.
(f) (1) The AFDC-FC rates paid on behalf of a regional center consumer who is a recipient of AFDC-FC prior to July 1, 2007, shall remain in effect unless a change in the placement warrants redetermination of the rate or if the child is no longer AFDC-FC eligible. However, AFDC-FC rates paid on behalf of these children that are lower than the rates specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) or paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), respectively, shall be increased as appropriate to the amount set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) or paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), effective July 1, 2007, and shall remain in effect unless a change in the placement or a change in AFDC-FC eligibility of the child warrants redetermination of the rate.
(2) For a child who is receiving AFDC-FC benefits or for whom a foster care eligibility determination is pending, and for whom an eligibility determination for regional center services pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4512 is pending or approved, and for whom, prior to July 1, 2007, a State Department of Developmental Services facility rate determination request has been made and is pending, the rate shall be the State Department of Developmental Services facility rate determined by the regional center through an individualized assessment, or the rate established in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), whichever is greater. The rate shall remain in effect until the child is no longer eligible to receive AFDC-FC, or, if still AFDC-FC eligible, is found ineligible for regional center services as an individual described in subdivision (a) of Section 4512. Other than the circumstances described in this section, regional centers shall not establish facility rates for AFDC-FC purposes.
(g) (1) The department shall adopt emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and for the purposes of that chapter, including Section 11349.6 of the Government Code, on or before July 1, 2009.
(2) The adoption of regulations pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare. The regulations authorized by this subdivision shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days, by which time final regulations shall be adopted.
(h) (1) The State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Developmental Services shall provide to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, on a semiannual basis, the data set forth in paragraph (2) to facilitate legislative review of the outcomes of the changes made by the addition of this section and the amendments made to Sections 4684 and 16121 by the act adding this section. The first report shall be submitted on October 1, 2007, with subsequent reports submitted on March 1 and October 1 of each year.
(2) The following data shall be provided pursuant to this subdivision:
(A) The number of, and services provided to, children who are consumers of regional center services and who are receiving AAP, ARC, Kin-GAP, or AFDC-FC, broken out by children receiving the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), and the level of supplement pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(B) A comparison of services provided to these children and similar children who are regional center consumers who do not receive AFDC-FC, ARC, Kin-GAP, or AAP benefits, broken out by children receiving the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), and the level of supplement pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(C) The number and nature of appeals filed regarding services provided or secured by regional centers for these children, consistent with Section 4714, broken out by children receiving the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), and the level of supplement pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(D) The number of these children who are adopted before and after the act adding this section, broken out by children receiving the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), the amount pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), and the level of supplement pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(E) The number and levels of supplements requested pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(F) The number of appeals requested of the decision by counties to deny the request for the supplement pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c).
(G) The total number and levels of supplements authorized pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) and the number of these supplements authorized upon appeal.
(i) (1) Commencing January 1, 2012, and prior to July 1, 2017, the rate described in subdivision (c) shall be paid for an eligible nonminor dependent who is under 21 years of age, is receiving AFDC-FC or Kin-GAP benefits pursuant to Section 11403, and is a consumer of regional center services.
(2) Commencing July 1, 2017, the rate described in subdivision (c) shall be paid for an eligible nonminor dependent who is under 21 years of age, is receiving AFDC-FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP benefits pursuant to Section 11403, and is a consumer of regional center services.
(a) When a child is living with a parent who receives AFDC-FC or Kin-GAP benefits, or, on or after July 1, 2017, Approved Relative Caregiver Funding Program (ARC) payments, the rate paid to the provider on behalf of the parent shall include an amount for care and supervision of the child.
(b) For each category of eligible licensed community care facility, as defined in Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code, the department shall adopt regulations setting forth a uniform rate to cover the cost of care and supervision of the child in each category of eligible licensed community care facility.
(c) (1) On and after July 1, 1998, the uniform rate to cover the cost of care and supervision of a child pursuant to this section shall be increased by 6 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new uniform rate.
(2) (A) On and after July 1, 1999, the uniform rate to cover the cost of care and supervision of a child pursuant to this section 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 uniform rate, subject to further adjustment pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(B) In addition to the adjustment specified in subparagraph (A), on and after January 1, 2000, the uniform rate to cover the cost of care and supervision of a child pursuant to this section shall be increased by 2.36 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new uniform rate.
(3) Subject to the availability of funds, for the 2000–01 fiscal year and annually thereafter, these rates shall be adjusted for cost of living pursuant to procedures in Section 11453.
(4) On and after January 1, 2008, the uniform rate to cover the cost of care and supervision of a child pursuant to this section shall be increased by 5 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resulting amount shall constitute the new uniform rate.
(5) Commencing July 1, 2016, the uniform rate to cover the cost of care and supervision of a child pursuant to this section shall be supplemented by an additional monthly amount of four hundred eighty-nine dollars ($489). This monthly supplement shall only be provided if funding for this purpose is appropriated in the annual Budget Act.
(d) (1) (A) Prior to July 1, 2017, and notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, the payment made pursuant to this section for care and supervision of a child who is living with a teen parent in a whole family foster home, as defined in Section 11400, shall equal the basic rate for children placed in a licensed or approved home as specified in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, and subdivision (g), of Section 11461.
(B) On or after July 1, 2017, the payment made for care and supervision of a child who is living with a teen parent in a whole family foster home shall be the uniform rate developed pursuant to subdivision (c).
(2) (A) The amount paid for care and supervision of a dependent infant living with a dependent teen parent receiving AFDC-FC benefits in a group home placement shall equal the infant supplement rate for group home placements.
(B) Commencing January 1, 2017, the amount paid for care and supervision of a dependent infant living with a dependent teenage parent receiving AFDC-FC benefits in a short-term residential therapeutic program shall equal the infant supplement rate for short-term residential therapeutic programs established by the department.
(3) (A) The caregiver shall provide the county child welfare agency or probation department with a copy of the shared responsibility plan developed pursuant to Section 16501.25 and shall advise the county child welfare agency or probation department of any subsequent changes to the plan. Once the plan has been completed and provided to the appropriate agencies, the payment made pursuant to this section shall be increased by an additional two hundred dollars ($200) per month to reflect the increased care and supervision while he or she is placed in the whole family foster home.
(B) A nonminor dependent parent residing in a supervised independent living placement, as defined in subdivision (w) of Section 11400, who develops a written parenting support plan pursuant to Section 16501.26 shall provide the county child welfare agency or probation department with a copy of the plan and shall advise the county child welfare agency or probation department of any subsequent changes to the plan. The payment made pursuant to this section shall be increased by an additional two hundred dollars ($200) per month after all of the following have been satisfied:
(i) The plan has been completed and provided to the appropriate county agency.
(ii) The plan has been approved by the appropriate county agency.
(iii) The county agency has determined that the identified responsible adult meets the criteria specified in Section 16501.27.
(4) In a year in which the payment provided pursuant to this section is adjusted for the cost of living as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), the payments provided for in this subdivision shall also be increased by the same procedures.
(5) A Kin-GAP relative who, immediately prior to entering the Kin-GAP program, was designated as a whole family foster home shall receive the same payment amounts for the care and supervision of a child who is living with a teen parent they received in foster care as a whole family foster home.
(6) (A) On and after January 1, 2012, and prior to July 1, 2017, the rate paid for a child living with a teen parent in a whole family foster home as defined in Section 11400 shall also be paid for a child living with a nonminor dependent parent who is eligible to receive AFDC-FC or Kin-GAP benefits pursuant to Section 11403.
(B) On and after July 1, 2017, the rate paid for a child living with a teen parent in a whole family foster home as defined in Section 11400 shall also be paid for a child living with a nonminor dependent parent who is eligible to receive AFDC-FC, ARC, or Kin-GAP benefits pursuant to Section 11403.
(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review Act of 2017.
(b) The State Department of Social Services shall establish, by July 1, 2019, the California CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR) to facilitate a local accountability system that fosters continuous quality improvement in county CalWORKs programs and in the collection and dissemination by the department of best practices in service delivery. The Cal-OAR shall cover CalWORKs services provided to current and former recipients, including those who are in sanction or exempt status or who are unengaged, and shall include the programmatic elements that each county offers as part of its CalWORKs service array as well as any local program components, and shall consist of performance indicators, a county CalWORKs self-assessment process, and a county CalWORKs system improvement plan. For purposes of this section, "CalWORKs services" shall include welfare-to-work, family stabilization, housing support, and post-employment job retention services.
(c) (1) (A) By October 1, 2017, the department shall convene a workgroup comprised of representatives from county human services agencies, legislative staff, interested welfare advocacy and research organizations, current and former CalWORKs recipients, organizations that represent county human services agencies and county boards of supervisors, representatives of community colleges, tribal organizations, and the workforce investment system, and any other state entities that the department deems necessary. The workgroup members shall also include individuals with expertise related to domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health. The workgroup shall establish a workplan by which the Cal-OAR shall be conducted, pursuant to the provisions described in this section, including a process for qualitative peer reviews of counties' CalWORKs services. The workgroup shall discuss potential costs for state and county participation.
(B) The department shall report annually to the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services of the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review and the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services of the Assembly Committee on Budget during the budget process with an update on the schedule for development of and future changes to the Cal-OAR.
(2) At a minimum, in establishing the work plan, the workgroup shall consider existing CalWORKs performance indicators being measured, additional, alternative, or additional and alternative process and outcome indicators to be measured, development of uniform elements of the county CalWORKs self-assessment and the county CalWORKs system improvement plans, timelines for implementation, recommendations for reducing the existing CalWORKS services data reporting burden in light of new requirements established by the act that added this section and the resulting Cal-OAR, recommendations for financial incentives to counties for achievement on performance measures, and an analysis of the county and state workload associated with implementation of the requirements of this section.
(d) The Cal-OAR shall consist of the following three components: performance indicators, a county CalWORKs self-assessment, and a county CalWORKs system improvement plan.
(1) (A) The Cal-OAR performance indicators shall be consistent with programmatic goals for the CalWORKs program, and shall include both process and outcome measures. These measures shall be established in order to provide baseline and ongoing information about how the state and counties are performing over time and to inform and guide each county human services agency's CalWORKs self-assessment and CalWORKs system improvement plan.
(i) Process measures shall include measures of participant engagement, CalWORKs service delivery, and participation. Specific process measures shall be established by the department, in consultation with the workgroup, and may include measures of engagement as shown by improvement in program participation, timeliness of service provision, rates of utilization of program components, such as vocational education, and referrals and utilization of services based upon recommendations from the Online CalWORKs Appraisal Tool.
(ii) Outcome measures shall include measures of employment, educational attainment, program exits, and program reentries, and may include other indicators of family and child well-being as determined by the department, in consultation with the workgroup.
(B) Performance indicator data available in existing county data systems shall be collected by counties and provided to the department, and performance indicator data available in existing state department data systems shall be collected by the department and provided to the counties. These data shall be reported in a manner and on a schedule to be determined by the department, in consultation with the workgroup, but no less frequently than semiannually.
(C) (i) During the first three-year Cal-OAR cycle, performance indicator data, as reported by each county, shall be used to establish both county and statewide baselines for each of the process measures. After the first review cycle, the department shall, in consultation with the workgroup, establish standard target thresholds for each of the process measures established by the workgroup.
(ii) The department, in consultation with the workgroup, shall develop a process for resolving any disputes regarding the establishment of standard process thresholds pursuant to clause (i).
(D) For subsequent reviews, and based upon availability of additional data from enhancements to the Statewide Automated Welfare System or through interagency data-sharing agreements, the workgroup shall convene, as necessary, to consider whether to establish additional performance indicators that support the programmatic goals for the CalWORKs program. Any additional performance indicators established shall also be subject to the process described in subparagraph (C) and include consideration of when data on the additional performance indicators would be available for reporting, if not already available.
(E) If, during subsequent reviews, there is sufficient reason to establish statewide performance standards for one or more outcome measures, the department may, in consultation with the workgroup, establish those standards for each of the agreed-upon outcome measures. In making a determination as to whether there is sufficient reason to establish performance standards for any outcome measure, the department shall consider whether all counties could reasonably be expected to meet those standards given local variability in employment opportunities, availability of services, demographics, educational opportunities, and funding, among other things.
(2) (A) The county CalWORKs self-assessment component of the Cal-OAR, as established by the workgroup, shall require the county human services agencies to assess their performance on the established process and outcome measures that comprise the performance indicators, identify the strengths and weaknesses in their current practice and resource deployment, identify and describe how local operational decisions and systemic factors affect program outcomes, and consider areas of focus that may be included in the county CalWORKs system improvement plan as described in paragraph (3). The county CalWORKs self-assessment process shall be designed to identify areas of best practices for replication and for system improvement at the county level, and shall guide the development of the county CalWORKs system improvement plan as described in paragraph (3). To the extent a county identifies eligibility procedures and practices that it determines, through its self-assessment, contribute to its achievement on process and outcome measures related to CalWORKs services, the county may, at its option, incorporate eligibility-related elements into its system improvement plan.
(B) (i) The county CalWORKs self-assessment process shall be completed every three years by the county in consultation and collaboration with local stakeholders and submitted to the department.
(ii) Local stakeholders shall include county CalWORKs administrators, supervisors, and caseworkers; current and former CalWORKs recipients; and county human services agency partners. To the extent possible and relevant, local stakeholders shall also include representatives of community colleges, tribal organizations, and the local workforce board. Additional specific county human services agency partners shall be determined by the county and may include, but are not limited to, adult education providers, providers of services for survivors of domestic violence, the local housing continuum of care, county behavioral health departments, county drug and alcohol programs, community-based service providers, organizations that represent CalWORKs recipients, child care resource and referral programs, and alternative payment programs, as appropriate.
(3) (A) (i) The county CalWORKs system improvement plan shall consist of uniform elements to be developed by the workgroup. It shall, at a minimum, describe how the county will improve its CalWORKs program performance in strategic focus areas based upon information learned through the county CalWORKs self-assessment process. The county CalWORKs system improvement plan shall be approved in public session by the county's board of supervisors or, as applicable, chief elected official, and submitted to the department.
(ii) The county CalWORKs system improvement plan shall be completed every three years by the county, approved in public session by the county's board of supervisors or, as applicable, chief elected official, and be submitted to the department.
(B) The county CalWORKs system improvement plan shall include a peer CalWORKs services review element, the purpose of which shall be to provide additional insight and technical assistance by peer counties for each county.
(C) Strategic focus areas for the county CalWORKs system improvement plan shall be determined by the county, informed by the county CalWORKs self-assessment process, as described in paragraph (2), with targets for improvement based upon what is learned in the county CalWORKs self-assessment process.
(D) The county human services agency shall complete an annual progress report on the status of its system improvement plan and shall submit these reports to the department. The department, in consultation with the workgroup, shall develop uniform elements of the progress report.
(e) (1) The department shall receive, review, and, based on its determination of the county CalWORKs system improvement plan meeting the required elements identified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (d), certify as complete all county-submitted performance indicator data, county CalWORKs self-assessments, county CalWORKS system improvement plans, and annual progress reports, and shall identify and promote the replication of best practices in CalWORKs service delivery to achieve the established process and outcome measures.
(2) The department shall monitor, on an ongoing basis, county performance on the measures developed pursuant to subdivision (d).
(3) The department shall make data collected pursuant to this section publicly available on its Internet Web site.
(4) The department shall, on an annual basis, submit a report to the Legislature that summarizes county performance on the established process and outcome measures during the reporting period, analyzes county performance trends over time, and makes findings and recommendations for common CalWORKs services improvements identified in the county CalWORKs self-assessments and county CalWORKs system improvement plans, including information on common statutory, regulatory, or fiscal barriers identified as inhibiting system improvements and any recommendations to overcome those barriers.
(5) (A) The department shall facilitate the provision of, and provide as appropriate, technical assistance to county human services agencies as part of the peer review that supports the county's selected areas for improvement as described in its system improvement plan.
(B) If, in the course of its review of county CalWORKs system improvement plans and annual updates, or, in the course of its review of regularly submitted performance indicator data, the department determines that a county is consistently failing to make progress toward its strategic focus areas for improvement or is consistently failing to meet the process measure standard target thresholds established pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), the department shall engage the county in a process of targeted technical assistance and support to address and resolve the identified shortcomings. If, after the assistance is provided, the county continues in its failure to meet its goals or performance thresholds, the department may engage in corrective action with the county.
(f) A county shall execute and fulfill components of its CalWORKs system improvement plan that can be accomplished with existing resources.
(g) A county shall not be required to execute and fulfill any components of its CalWORKs system improvement plan that creates new county costs, unless funding for those costs are appropriated in the annual Budget Act.
(h) Beginning in the 2019–20 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter, no more than two million dollars ($2,000,000) from the General Fund shall be appropriated in the annual Budget Act to counties to complete the requirements described in subdivision (c).
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, including, but not limited to, Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code and Title 23 (commencing with Section 110000) of the Government Code, a recipient who is authorized to receive in-home supportive services pursuant to this article, or Section 14132.95, 14132.952, or 14132.956, administered by the State Department of Social Services, or waiver personal care services pursuant to Section 14132.97, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, or any combination of these services, shall direct these authorized services, and the authorized services shall be performed by a provider or providers within a workweek and in a manner that complies with the requirements of this section.
(b) (1) A workweek is defined as beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and includes the next consecutive 168 hours, terminating at 11:59 p.m. the following Saturday.
(2) A provider of services specified in subdivision (a) shall not work a total number of hours within a workweek that exceeds 66, as reduced by the net percentage defined by Sections 12301.02 and 12301.03, as applicable, and in accordance with subdivision (d). The total number of hours worked within a workweek by a provider is defined as the sum of the following:
(A) All hours worked providing authorized services specified in subdivision (a).
(B) Travel time as defined in subdivision (f), only if federal financial participation is not available to compensate for that travel time. If federal financial participation is available for travel time as defined in subdivision (f), the travel time shall not be included in the calculation of the total weekly hours worked within a workweek.
(3) (A) If the authorized in-home supportive services of a recipient cannot be provided by a single provider as a result of the limitation specified in paragraph (2), it is the responsibility of the recipient to employ an additional provider or providers, as needed, to ensure his or her authorized services are provided within his or her total weekly authorized hours of services established pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 12301.1.
(B) (i) It is the intent of the Legislature that this section not result in reduced services authorized to recipients of waiver personal care services defined in subdivision (a).
(ii) The State Department of Health Care Services shall work with and assist recipients receiving services pursuant to the Nursing Facility/Acute Hospital Waiver or the In-Home Operations Waiver, or their successors, who are at or near their individual cost cap, as that term is used in the waivers, to avoid a reduction in the recipient's services that may result because of increased overtime pay for providers. As part of this effort, the department shall consider allowing the recipient to exceed the individual cost cap, if appropriate, and authorize exemptions as set forth in subdivision (e) of Section 14132.99. The department shall provide timely information to waiver recipients as to the steps that will be taken to implement this clause.
(4) (A) A provider shall inform each of his or her recipients of the number of hours that the provider is available to work for that recipient, in accordance with this section.
(B) A recipient, his or her authorized representative, or any other entity, including any person or entity providing services pursuant to Section 14186.35, shall not authorize any provider to work hours that exceed the applicable limitation or limitations of this section.
(C) A recipient may authorize a provider to work hours in excess of the recipient's weekly authorized hours established pursuant to Section 12301.1 without notification of the county welfare department, in accordance with both of the following:
(i) The authorization does not result in more than 40 hours of authorized services per week being provided.
(ii) The authorization does not exceed the recipient's authorized hours of monthly services pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 12301.1.
(5) For providers of in-home supportive services, the State Department of Social Services or a county may terminate the provider from providing services under the IHSS program if a provider continues to violate the limitations of this section on multiple occasions.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, only federal law and regulations regarding overtime compensation apply to providers of services defined in subdivision (a).
(d) A provider of services defined in subdivision (a) is subject to all of the following, as applicable to his or her situation:
(1) (A) A provider who works for one individual recipient of those services shall not work a total number of hours within a workweek that exceeds 66 hours, as reduced by the net percentage defined by Sections 12301.02 and 12301.03, as applicable. In no circumstance shall the provision of these services by that provider to the individual recipient exceed the total weekly hours of the services authorized to that recipient, except as additionally authorized pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (b). If multiple providers serve the same recipient, it shall continue to be the responsibility of that recipient or his or her authorized representative to schedule the work of his or her providers to ensure the authorized services of the recipient are provided in accordance with this section.
(B) When a recipient's weekly authorized hours are adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 12301.1 and exceed 66 hours, as reduced by the net percentage defined by Sections 12301.02 and 12301.03, as applicable, and at the time of adjustment the recipient currently receives all authorized hours of service from one provider, that provider shall be deemed authorized to work the recipient's county-approved adjusted hours for that week, but only if the additional hours of work, based on the adjustment, do not exceed the total number of hours worked that are compensable at an overtime pay rate that the provider would have been authorized to work in that month if the weekly hours had not been adjusted.
(2) A provider of in-home supportive services described in subdivision (a) who serves multiple recipients is not authorized to, and shall not, work more than 66 total hours in a workweek, as reduced by the net percentage defined by Sections 12301.02 and 12301.03, as applicable, regardless of the number of recipients for whom the provider provides services authorized by subdivision (a). Providers are subject to the limits of each recipient's total authorized weekly hours of in-home supportive services described in subdivision (a), except as additionally authorized pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (b).
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the 66-hour workweek limit described in subdivision (b) does not apply to a provider of in-home supportive services described in subdivision (a), and a recipient of those services may receive those services from a requested provider, if the provider has an approved exemption as set forth in subparagraph (A) or (B). A provider who has an approved exemption pursuant to subparagraph (A) or (B) shall not work a total number of hours in excess of 360 hours per month combined for the recipients of in-home supportive services served by that provider and may not exceed any recipient's monthly authorized hours.
(A) A provider is eligible for an exemption if he or she met all of the following on or before January 31, 2016:
(i) He or she provided services to two or more recipients of in-home supportive services described in subdivision (a).
(ii) He or she lived in the same home as all of the recipients for whom he or she provided services.
(iii) He or she is related, biologically, by adoption, or as a foster caregiver, legal guardian, or conservator, to all of the recipients for whom he or she provides services as the recipients' parent, stepparent, foster or adoptive parent, grandparent, legal guardian, or conservator.
(B) A provider is eligible for an exemption if he or she provides services to two or more recipients of in-home supportive services described in subdivision (a), if each recipient for whom the provider provides services has at least one of the following circumstances that puts the recipient at serious risk of placement in out-of-home care if the services could not be provided by that provider:
(i) He or she has complex medical or behavioral needs that must be met by a provider who lives in the same home as the recipient.
(ii) He or she lives in a rural or remote area where available providers are limited, and, as a result, the recipient is unable to hire another provider.
(iii) He or she is unable to hire another provider who speaks the same language as the recipient, resulting in the recipient being unable to direct his or her own care.
(C) At the time of assessment or reassessment, the county shall evaluate each recipient to determine if the recipient's circumstances appear to indicate that the provider for that recipient may be eligible for an exemption described in subparagraph (A) or (B). The county shall then inform those recipients about the potentially applicable exemptions and the process by which they or their provider may apply for the exemption.
(D) On a one-time basis upon implementation of this paragraph, the department shall mail an informational notice and an exemption request form to all providers of multiple recipients who may be eligible for an exemption pursuant to subparagraph (B) and to the recipients to whom those providers provide services.
(E) (i) The county shall review the requests for consideration for an exemption described in subparagraph (B) pursuant to a process developed by the department with input from counties and stakeholders. The county shall consider whether the denial of an exemption would place a recipient or recipients at serious risk of placement in out-of-home care due to any of the circumstances described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within 30 days of receiving an application for an exemption described in subparagraph (B) from a provider or from a recipient on behalf of a provider, the county shall mail a written notification letter to the provider and the recipients for whom the provider provides services of its approval or denial of the exemption. If the county denies the exemption, the county shall also explain in the notification letter the reason for the denial and information about the process to request a review by the department, independent of the county's decision. The county shall use a standardized notification letter, developed by the department in consultation with stakeholders, for purposes of providing the notification letter that is required by this clause.
(iii) (I) A provider whose exemption under subparagraph (B) has been denied, or a recipient on behalf of his or her provider whose exemption under subparagraph (B) has been denied, may request a review by the department, independent of the county's decision.
(II) The department shall develop the review process with input from stakeholders. At a minimum, the review process shall ensure that it provides the provider or the recipient, or his or her authorized representative, with the opportunity to speak with, and provide written information to, staff of the department conducting the review about how the recipient meets the criteria described in subparagraph (B) and how any alternative services proposed by the county would place the recipient at serious risk of placement in out-of-home care.
(III) The department shall consider the information provided by the provider or the recipient, or his or her authorized representative, and the information provided by the county in reaching its decision.
(IV) The department shall mail its written decision within 20 days of the date the provider or the recipient is scheduled to speak with the staff of the department conducting the review, unless the provider or the recipient has requested additional time to submit information and the department has granted that request. The written decision shall inform the provider and the recipients for whom the provider provides services if the exemption is granted or denied. If the department denies the exemption, the department shall also explain in the written decision the reason for the denial.
(iv) The county shall record the number of requests for exemptions that are received from providers or recipients on the provider's behalf and the number of requests approved or denied, and shall submit these numbers to the department. The department shall record the number of requests for the review by the department that are received from providers or recipients and the number of exemptions that are approved or denied through the review process. The numbers by the county and the department shall be posted no later than every three months on the department's Internet Web site.
(e) Recipients and providers shall be informed of the limitations and requirements contained in this section, through notices at intervals and on forms as determined by the State Department of Social Services or the State Department of Health Care Services, as applicable, following consultation with stakeholders.
(f) (1) A provider of services described in subdivision (a) shall not engage in travel time in excess of seven hours per week. For purposes of this subdivision, "travel time" means time spent traveling directly from a location where authorized services specified in subdivision (a) are provided to one recipient to another location where authorized services are to be provided to another recipient. A provider shall coordinate hours of work with his or her recipients to comply with this section.
(2) The hourly wage to compensate a provider for travel time described in this subdivision when the travel is between two counties shall be the hourly wage of the destination county.
(3) Travel time, and compensation for that travel time, between a recipient of authorized in-home supportive services specified in subdivision (a) and a recipient of authorized waiver personal care services specified in subdivision (a) shall be attributed to the program authorizing services for the recipient to whom the provider is traveling.
(4) Hours spent by a provider while engaged in travel time shall not be deducted from the authorized hours of service of any recipient of services specified in subdivision (a).
(5) The State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services shall issue guidance and processes for travel time between recipients that will assist the provider and recipient to comply with this subdivision. Each county shall provide technical assistance to providers and recipients, as necessary, to implement this subdivision.
(g) A provider of authorized in-home supportive services specified in subdivision (a) shall timely submit, deliver, or mail, verified by postmark or request for delivery, a signed payroll timesheet within two weeks after the end of each bimonthly payroll period. Notwithstanding any other law, a provider who submits an untimely payroll timesheet for providing authorized in-home supportive services specified in subdivision (a) shall be paid by the state within 30 days of the receipt of the signed payroll timesheet.
(h) This section does not apply to a contract entered into pursuant to Section 12302 or 12302.6 for authorized in-home supportive services. Contract rates negotiated pursuant to Section 12302 or 12302.6 shall be based on costs consistent with a 40-hour workweek.
(i) The state and counties are immune from any liability resulting from implementation of this section.
(j) Any action authorized under this section that is implemented in a program authorized pursuant to Section 14132.95, 14132.956, or 14132.97 shall be compliant with federal Medicaid requirements, as determined by the State Department of Health Care Services.
(k) 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 and the State Department of Health Care Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar instructions, without taking any regulatory action.
(l) (1) This section shall become operative only when the regulatory amendments made by RIN 1235-AA05 to Part 552 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations are deemed effective, either on the date specified in RIN 1235-AA05 or at a later date specified by the United States Department of Labor, whichever is later.
(2) If the regulatory amendments described in paragraph (1) become only partially effective by the date specified in paragraph (1), this section shall become operative only for those persons for whom federal financial participation is available as of that date.
(a) Subject to the availability of funding in the act that added this section or the annual Budget Act, the department shall provide grants, as described in subdivision (b), to organizations qualified under Section 13304.
(b) Grants provided in accordance with subdivision (a) shall be for the purpose of providing one or more of the following services, as determined by the department:
(1) Services to persons residing in, or formerly residing in, California, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(A) Services to assist with the application process for initial or renewal requests of deferred action under the DACA policy with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
(B) Services to obtain other immigration remedies.
(C) Services to assist with the naturalization process and any appeals arising from the process.
(2) Services to provide legal training and technical assistance.
(3) (A) (i) Funds available for the purposes of this section shall not be used to provide legal services to an individual who has been convicted of, or who is currently appealing a conviction for, a violent felony, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, or a serious felony, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code.
(ii) For the purposes of this subparagraph, "legal services" does not include activities relating to client intake, which shall be provided regardless of an individual's criminal history.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit eligibility for services pursuant to this section for individuals whose criminal records are shown to be inaccurate.
(c) For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "DACA" refers to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status as described in guidelines issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
(2) "Services to assist" includes, but is not limited to, outreach, workshop presentations, document review, Freedom of Information Act requests, and screening services that seek to assist individuals with the services described in subdivision (b).
(3) "Legal training and technical assistance" includes, but is not limited to, educational and capacity building activities that will augment the competent provision of legal services to immigrants, including for organizations located in and serving underserved communities.
(4) "Immigration remedies" include, but shall not be limited to, U-visas, T-visas, special immigrant juvenile status, Violence Against Women Act self-petitions, family-based petitions, cancellation of removal, and asylum, or other remedies that may also include remedies necessary to enable pursuit of immigration protections.
(d) No more than 40 percent of grant funds awarded to an organization qualified under Section 13304 shall be advanced to that organization.
(e) The department shall update the Legislature on the following information in the course of budget hearings:
(1) The timeline for implementation and administration of this section, including important upcoming dates.
(2) The participating organizations awarded contracts or grants, and the aggregate amounts awarded for each service described in subdivision (b).
(3) The number of applications submitted, and the aggregate amounts requested for each service described in subdivision (b).
(4) The number of clients served.
(5) The types of services provided and in what language or languages.
(6) The regions served.
(7) The ethnic communities served.
(8) The identification of further barriers and challenges to the provision of services described in subdivision (b).
(f) In accordance with Section 1621(d) of Title 8 of the United States Code, this section provides services for undocumented persons.
(g) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
(a) Grants awarded pursuant to Section 13303 shall fulfill all of the following:
(1) Be executed only with nonprofit organizations that meet the requirements set forth in Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code and that meet all of the following requirements:
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (D), have at least three years of experience handling the type of immigration issues for which the organization is requesting a grant.
(B) Have conducted trainings on immigration issues for persons beyond their staff.
(C) Are recognized and accredited by the Office of Legal Access Programs under the United States Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review or meet the requirements to receive funding from the Trust Fund Program administered by the State Bar of California.
(D) For a legal services organization that provides legal training and technical assistance as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 13303, have at least 10 years of experience conducting immigration legal services and technical assistance and meet the requirements to receive funding from the Trust Fund Program administered by the State Bar of California.
(2) Require reporting, monitoring, or audits of services provided, as determined by the department.
(3) Require grant recipients to maintain adequate legal malpractice insurance and to indemnify and hold the state harmless from any claims that arise from the legal services provided pursuant to this chapter.
(b) For grants awarded prior to the effective date of the act that added this subdivision, with the consent of the department and the grantee, the grantee may provide any of the services described in Section 13303, as amended by that act, and any agreement between the department and grantee shall be deemed to authorize the provision of those services.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
(a) Subject to the availability of funding in the act that added this section or the annual Budget Act, the department shall provide grants to organizations qualified under Section 13306 to provide free education and outreach information, services, and materials about services provided pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13303.
(b) For purposes of this section, "education and outreach" activities means the dissemination of information or activities that promote the benefits of citizenship or immigration remedies, and explain eligibility to prospective United States citizens or prospective individuals eligible for deferred action, or explain to individuals their immigration-related rights.
(1) Education and outreach activities shall include referrals to educational or legal services that support the applicants' eligibility for citizenship, deferred action, or other immigration remedies, and the importance of participating in civic engagement as a naturalized citizen.
(2) Education and outreach activities do not include representation as legal counsel that would assist in the application process for a prospective citizen or prospective individual eligible for deferred action or other immigration remedies.
(c) No more than 40 percent of grant funds awarded to an organization qualified under Section 13306 shall be advanced to that organization.
(d) The department shall update the Legislature on the following information in the course of budget hearings:
(1) The timeline for implementation of this section.
(2) The participating organizations awarded contracts or grants.
(3) The number of applications submitted.
(8) The identification of further barriers and challenges to education, outreach, immigration assistance, and legal services related to naturalization and deferred action.
The department may transfer funds appropriated for the purposes of this chapter among services described in this chapter in response to the results of requests for applications received or to changing state or federal law. Following the award of funding pursuant to this section, the department shall provide written notification to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee of the items specified in subdivision (e) of Section 13303. Subsequent to this notification, and in addition to the update required by subdivision (e) of Section 13303, the department shall provide written notification to the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee no less than 30 days prior to either of the following, unless a shorter timeframe is requested by the department due to emergent circumstances:
(a) Any proposed changes that adjust the aggregate amount awarded for any particular service described in subdivision (b) of Section 13303 by more than 15 percent.
(b) For any proposed transfers of funding between the purposes of Sections 13300 and 13303.
The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
Section 14124.93 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is repealed.
(a) For the purposes of this section, "facility residents" means individuals who are currently residing in a nursing facility and whose care is paid for by Medi-Cal either with or without a share of cost. The term "facility residents" also includes individuals who are hospitalized and who are or will be waiting for transfer to a nursing facility.
(b) An additional 500 slots beyond those currently authorized for the home- and community-based Level A/B nursing facility waiver shall be added and 250 of these slots shall be reserved for residents residing in facilities and transitioning out of facilities.
(c) For those patients who are in acute care hospitals and who are pending placement in a nursing facility, the department shall expedite the processing of waiver applications in order to divert hospital discharges from nursing facilities into the community.
(d) The nursing facility Level A/B waivers shall be amended to add the following services:
(1) One-time community transition services as defined and allowed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including, but not limited to, security deposits that are required to obtain a lease on an apartment or home, essential furnishings, and moving expenses required to occupy and use a community domicile, set-up fees, or deposits for utility or service access, including, but not limited to, telephone, electricity, and heating, and health and safety assurances, including, but not limited to, pest eradication, allergen control, or one-time cleaning prior to occupancy. These costs shall not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(2) Habilitation services, as defined in Section 1915(c)(5) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396n(c)(5)), and in attachment 3-d to the July 25, 2003, State Medicaid Directors Letter re Olmstead Update No. 3, to mean services designed to assist individuals in acquiring, retaining, and improving the self-help, socialization, and adaptive skills necessary to reside successfully in home- and community-based settings.
(e) (1) (A) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 12300.4, the department shall grant an exemption, as described in paragraph (2), to a provider of an applicant or participant of the Nursing Facility/Acute Hospital Waiver or the In-Home Operations Waiver, or their successors, who was enrolled in either waiver on January 31, 2016, and whose medical or behavioral needs require that the services to the applicant or participant be provided by the requested provider, if any of the following circumstances exists:
(i) The provider lives in the same home as the waiver applicant or participant, even if the provider is not a family member.
(ii) The provider currently provides care to the waiver participant, and has done so for two or more years continuously.
(iii) The waiver applicant or participant is unable to find a local caregiver who speaks the same language as the applicant or participant, resulting in the applicant or participant being unable to direct his or her own care.
(B) For a waiver participant who enrolls in either waiver after January 31, 2016, the department shall grant a provider an exemption from the workweek requirements described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 12300.4 on a case-by-case basis pursuant to paragraph (5).
(2) A provider of in-home supportive services or waiver personal care services who is granted an exemption pursuant to paragraph (1) may work up to a total of 12 hours per day, and up to 360 hours per month combined for the in-home supportive services and waiver personal care services that he or she provides, not to exceed each waiver participant's monthly authorized hours.
(3) On a one-time basis upon implementation of this paragraph, the department shall mail an informational notice and an exemption request form to all providers who may be eligible for an exemption pursuant to this subdivision and to the waiver participants to whom the providers provide services.
(4) At the time of initial application, and at least annually, the department shall inform all waiver applicants or participants whose providers may be eligible for an exemption pursuant to this subdivision and their providers about the exemptions and the application process.
(5) (A) The department shall review the requests for consideration for an exemption described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) pursuant to a process developed by the department with input from stakeholders. The department shall consider whether the waiver applicant or participant meets the criteria described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) in making its determination.
(B) Within 30 days of receiving an application for an exemption described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) from a provider and from a waiver applicant or participant on behalf of a provider, the department shall mail a written notification letter to the provider and the waiver applicant or participant for whom the provider provides services of its approval or denial of the exemption. If the department denies the exemption, the department shall also explain in the notification letter the reason for the denial. The department shall use a standardized notification letter, developed by the department in consultation with stakeholders, for purposes of providing the notification letter that is required by this subparagraph.
(6) The department shall record the number of requests for exemptions that are received and the number of requests approved or denied. These numbers shall be posted no later than every three months on the department's Internet Web site.
(f) When requesting the renewal of the waiver, the department shall consider expanding the number of waiver slots. Prior to submission of the waiver renewal request, the department shall notify the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature of the number of waiver slots included in the waiver renewal request along with supportive data for those slots.
(g) The department shall implement this section only to the extent it can demonstrate fiscal neutrality within the overall department budget, and federal fiscal neutrality as required under the terms of the federal waiver, and only if the department has obtained the necessary approvals and receives federal financial participation from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Contingent upon federal approval of the waiver expansion, implementation shall commence within six months of the department receiving authorization for the necessary resources to provide the services to additional waiver participants.
(a) The State Department of Social Services shall work with representatives of county human services agencies and the County Welfare Directors Association to develop recommendations for revising the methodology used for development of the CalWORKs single allocation annual budget. As part of the process of developing these recommendations, legislative staff, advocates, and organizations that represent county workers shall be consulted.
(b) (1) Recommendations for initial changes to the methodology for development of the CalWORKs single allocation for the 2018–19 fiscal year shall be made to the Legislature by January 10, 2018.
(2) Recommendations for additional changes to the methodology for the 2019–20 and subsequent fiscal years shall be made to the Legislature by October 1, 2018.
(a) The purpose of the program is to develop and implement statewide coordinated training programs designed specifically to meet the needs of county child protective services social workers assigned emergency response, family maintenance, family reunification, permanent placement, and adoption responsibilities. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program include training for other agencies under contract with county welfare departments to provide child welfare services. In addition, the program shall provide training programs for persons defined as a mandated reporter pursuant to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code). The program shall provide the services required in this section to the extent possible within the total allocation. If allocations are insufficient, the department, in consultation with the grantee or grantees and the Child Welfare Training Advisory Board, shall prioritize the efforts of the program, giving primary attention to the most urgently needed services. County child protective services social workers assigned emergency response responsibilities shall receive first priority for training pursuant to this section.
(b) The training program shall provide practice-relevant training for mandated child abuse reporters and all members of the child welfare delivery system that will address critical issues affecting the well-being of children, and shall develop curriculum materials and training resources for use in meeting staff development needs of mandated child abuse reporters and child welfare personnel in public and private agency settings.
(c) The training provided pursuant to this section shall include all of the following:
(1) Crisis intervention.
(2) Investigative techniques.
(3) Rules of evidence.
(4) Indicators of abuse and neglect.
(5) Assessment criteria, including the application of guidelines for assessment of relatives for placement according to the criteria described in Section 361.3.
(6) Intervention strategies.
(7) Legal requirements of child protection, including requirements of child abuse reporting laws.
(8) Case management.
(9) Use of community resources.
(10) Information regarding the dynamics and effects of domestic violence upon families and children, including indicators and dynamics of teen dating violence.
(11) Posttraumatic stress disorder and the causes, symptoms, and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in children.
(12) The importance of maintaining relationships with individuals who are important to a child in out-of-home placement, including methods to identify those individuals, consistent with the child's best interests, including, but not limited to, asking the child about individuals who are important, and ways to maintain and support those relationships.
(13) The legal duties of a child protective services social worker, in order to protect the legal rights and safety of children and families from the initial time of contact during investigation through treatment.
(14) The information described in subdivision (d) of Section 16501.4.
(15) The information described in subdivision (i) of Section 16521.5. The program may use the curriculum created pursuant to subdivision (h), and described in subdivision (i), of Section 16521.5.
(d) The training provided pursuant to this section may also include any or all of the following:
(1) Child development and parenting.
(2) Intake, interviewing, and initial assessment.
(3) Casework and treatment.
(4) Medical aspects of child abuse and neglect.
(e) The training program in each county shall assess the program's performance at least annually and forward it to the State Department of Social Services for an evaluation. The assessment shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:
(1) Workforce data, including education, qualifications, and demographics.
(2) The number of persons trained.
(3) The type of training provided.
(4) The degree to which the training is perceived by participants as useful in practice.
(5) Any additional information or data deemed necessary by the department for reporting, oversight, and monitoring purposes.
(f) The training program shall provide practice-relevant training to county child protective services social workers who screen referrals for child abuse or neglect and for all workers assigned to provide emergency response, family maintenance, family reunification, and permanent placement services. The training shall be developed in consultation with the Child Welfare Training Advisory Board and domestic violence victims' advocates and other public and private agencies that provide programs for victims of domestic violence or programs of intervention for perpetrators.
(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.
(3) The agency shall consider the recommendations of the child and family team, as defined in Section 16501, if any are available. The agency shall document the rationale for any inconsistencies between the case plan and the child and family team recommendations.
(b) (1) A case plan shall be based upon the principles of this section and the input from the child and family team.
(2) The case plan 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. Preplacement services may include intensive mental health services in the home or a community setting and the reasonable efforts made to prevent out-of-home placement.
(3) In determining the reasonable services to be offered or provided, the child's health and safety shall be the paramount concerns.
(4) Upon a determination pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 361.5 that reasonable services will be offered to a parent who is incarcerated in a county jail or state prison, detained by the United States Department of Homeland Security, or deported to his or her country of origin, the case plan shall include information, to the extent possible, about a parent's incarceration in a county jail or the state prison, detention by the United States Department of Homeland Security, or deportation during the time that a minor child of that parent is involved in dependency care.
(5) 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.
(6) 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) If out-of-home placement is used to attain case plan goals, the case plan shall consider the recommendations of the child and family team.
(d) (1) The case plan shall include a description of the type of home or institution in which the child is to be placed, and the reasons for that placement decision. The decision regarding choice of placement shall be based upon selection of a safe setting that is the least restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences and the most appropriate setting that meets the child's individual needs and is available, in proximity to the parent's home, in proximity to the child's school, and consistent with the selection of the environment best suited to meet the child's special needs and best interests. The selection shall consider, in order of priority, placement with relatives, nonrelated extended family members, and tribal members; foster family homes, resource families, and nontreatment certified homes of foster family agencies; followed by treatment and intensive treatment certified homes of foster family agencies; or multidimensional treatment foster care homes or therapeutic foster care homes; group care placements in the order of short-term residential therapeutic programs, group homes, community treatment facilities, and out-of-state residential treatment pursuant to Part 5 (commencing with Section 7900) of Division 12 of the Family Code.
(2) If a short-term residential therapeutic program placement is selected for a child, the case plan shall indicate the needs of the child that necessitate this placement, the plan for transitioning the child to a less restrictive environment, and the projected timeline by which the child will be transitioned to a less restrictive environment. This section of the case plan shall be reviewed and updated at least semiannually.
(A) The case plan for placements in a group home, or commencing January 1, 2017, in a short-term residential therapeutic program, shall indicate that the county has taken into consideration Section 16010.8.
(B) After January 1, 2017, a child and family team meeting as described in Section 16501 shall be convened by the county placing agency for the purpose of identifying the supports and services needed to achieve permanency and enable the child or youth to be placed in the least restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences.
(3) On or after January 1, 2012, for a nonminor dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who is receiving AFDC-FC benefits and who is up to 21 years of age pursuant to Section 11403, in addition to the above requirements, the selection of the placement, including a supervised independent living placement, as described in subdivision (w) of Section 11400, shall also be based upon the developmental needs of young adults by providing opportunities to have incremental responsibilities that prepare a nonminor dependent to transition to successful adulthood. If admission to, or continuation in, a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement is being considered for a nonminor dependent, the group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement approval decision shall include a youth-driven, team-based case planning process, as defined by the department, in consultation with stakeholders. The case plan shall consider the full range of placement options, and shall specify why admission to, or continuation in, a group home placement is the best alternative available at the time to meet the special needs or well-being of the nonminor dependent, and how the placement will contribute to the nonminor dependent's transition to successful adulthood. The case plan shall specify the treatment strategies that will be used to prepare the nonminor dependent for discharge to a less restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences, including a target date for discharge from the group home placement. The placement shall be reviewed and updated on a regular, periodic basis to ensure that continuation in the group home placement remains in the best interests of the nonminor dependent and that progress is being made in achieving case plan goals leading to successful adulthood. The group home placement planning process shall begin as soon as it becomes clear to the county welfare department or probation office that a foster child in group home placement is likely to remain in group home placement on his or her 18th birthday, in order to expedite the transition to a less restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences, if he or she becomes a nonminor dependent. The case planning process shall include informing the youth of all of his or her options, including, but not limited to, admission to or continuation in a group home placement. Consideration for continuation of existing group home placement for a nonminor dependent under 19 years of age may include the need to stay in the same placement in order to complete high school. After a nonminor dependent either completes high school or attains his or her 19th birthday, whichever is earlier, continuation in or admission to a group home placement is prohibited unless the nonminor dependent satisfies the conditions of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403, and group home placement functions as a short-term transition to the appropriate system of care. Treatment services provided by the group home placement to the nonminor dependent to alleviate or ameliorate the medical condition, as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403, shall not constitute the sole basis to disqualify a nonminor dependent from the group home placement.
(4) In addition to the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, 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 of origin, and school attendance area, the number of school transfers the child has previously experienced, and the child's school matriculation schedule, in addition to other indicators of educational stability that the Legislature hereby encourages the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Education to develop.
(e) 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 Sections 364, 366, 366.3, and 366.31, 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 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 (CWS/CMS) to account for the 60-day timeframe for preparing a written case plan.
(f) 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.
(g) The case plan shall be developed considering the recommendations of the child and family team, 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 placement agency 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 probation officer, or a social worker or probation officer on the staff of the 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 placement agency contact with the foster child, and at each placement change, the child's social worker or probation officer shall inform the child, the care provider, and the child and family team, if applicable, of the child's rights as a foster child, as specified in Section 16001.9, and shall provide a written copy of the rights to the child as part of the explanation. The social worker or probation officer shall provide the information to the child in a manner appropriate to the age or developmental level of the child. The social worker or probation officer shall document in the case plan that he or she has informed the child of, and has provided the child with a written copy of, his or her rights.
(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) 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 the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the child and 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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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 a 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. Commencing January 1, 2012, for nonminor dependents, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who are receiving AFDC-FC or CalWORKs assistance and who are up to 21 years of age pursuant to Section 11403, the transitional independent living case plan, as set forth in subdivision (y) of Section 11400, shall be developed with, and signed by, the nonminor.
(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, 366.22, or 366.25 of this code as evidence.
(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.
(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.
(15) (A) If the case plan has as its goal for the child a permanent plan of adoption or legal guardianship, 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, or a legal guardian, 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. Regardless of whether the child has been freed for adoption, documentation shall include a description of any barriers to achieving legal permanence and the steps the agency will take to address those barriers. If the plan is for kinship guardianship, the case plan shall document how the child meets the kinship guardianship eligibility requirements.
(B) When the child is 16 years of age or older and is in another planned permanent living arrangement, the case plan shall identify the intensive and ongoing efforts to return the child to the home of the parent, place the child for adoption, place the child for tribal customary adoption in the case of an Indian child, establish a legal guardianship, or place the child nonminor dependent with a fit and willing relative, as appropriate. Efforts shall include the use of technology, including social media, to find biological family members of the child.
(16) (A) (i) For a child who is 14 or 15 years of age, 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, to prepare for the transition from foster care to successful adulthood. The description may be included in the document described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (18).
(ii) When appropriate, for a child who is 16 years of age or older and, commencing January 1, 2012, for a nonminor dependent, the case plan shall include the transitional independent living plan (TILP), a written description of the programs and services that will help the child, consistent with the child's best interests, to prepare for the transition from foster care to successful adulthood, and, in addition, whether the youth has an in-progress application pending for Title XVI Supplemental Security Income benefits or for special immigrant juvenile status or other applicable application for legal residency and an active dependency case is required for that application. When appropriate, for a nonminor dependent, the transitional independent living case plan, as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, shall include the TILP, a written description of the programs and services that will help the nonminor dependent, consistent with his or her best interests, to prepare for transition from foster care and assist the youth in meeting the eligibility criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 11403. If applicable, the case plan shall describe the individualized supervision provided in the supervised independent living placement as defined in subdivision (w) of Section 11400. The case plan shall be developed with the child or nonminor dependent and individuals identified as important to the child or nonminor dependent, and shall include steps the agency is taking to ensure that the child or nonminor dependent achieves permanence, including maintaining or obtaining permanent connections to caring and committed adults.
(B) During the 90-day period prior to the participant attaining 18 years of age or older as the state may elect under Section 475(8)(B)(iii) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 675(8)(B)(iii)), whether during that period foster care maintenance payments are being made on the child's behalf or the child is receiving benefits or services under Section 477 of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 677), a caseworker or other appropriate agency staff or probation officer and other representatives of the participant, as appropriate, shall provide the youth or nonminor dependent with assistance and support in developing the written 90-day transition plan, that is personalized at the direction of the child, information as detailed as the participant elects that shall include, but not be limited to, options regarding housing, health insurance, education, local opportunities for mentors and continuing support services, and workforce supports and employment services, a power of attorney for health care, and information regarding the advance health care directive form. Information provided regarding health insurance options shall include verification that the eligible youth or nonminor is enrolled in Medi-Cal and a description of the steps that have been or will be taken by the youth's social worker or probation officer to ensure that the eligible youth or nonminor is transitioned into the Medi-Cal program for former foster youth upon case closure with no interruption in coverage and with no new application being required, as provided in Section 14005.28.
(C) For youth 14 years of age or older, the case plan shall include documentation that a consumer credit report was requested annually from each of the three major credit reporting agencies at no charge to the youth and that any results were provided to the youth. For nonminor dependents, the case plan shall include documentation that the county assisted the nonminor dependent in obtaining his or her reports. The case plan shall include documentation of barriers, if any, to obtaining the credit reports. If the consumer credit report reveals any accounts, the case plan shall detail how the county ensured the youth received assistance with interpreting the credit report and resolving any inaccuracies, including any referrals made for the assistance.
(17) For youth 14 years of age or older and nonminor dependents, the case plan shall be developed in consultation with the youth. At the youth's option, the consultation may include up to two members of the case planning team who are chosen by the youth and who are not foster parents of, or caseworkers for, the youth. The agency, at any time, may reject an individual selected by the youth to be a member of the case planning team if the agency has good cause to believe that the individual would not act in the youth's best interest. One individual selected by the youth to be a member of the case planning team may be designated to be the youth's adviser and advocate with respect to the application of the reasonable and prudent parent standard to the youth, as necessary.
(18) For youth in foster care 14 years of age and older and nonminor dependents, the case plan shall include both of the following:
(A) A document that describes the youth's rights with respect to education, health, visitation, and court participation, the right to be annually provided with copies of his or her credit reports at no cost while in foster care pursuant to Section 10618.6, and the right to stay safe and avoid exploitation.
(B) A signed acknowledgment by the youth that he or she has been provided a copy of the document and that the rights described in the document have been explained to the youth in an age-appropriate manner.
(19) The case plan for a child or nonminor dependent who is, or who is at risk of becoming, the victim of commercial sexual exploitation, shall document the services provided to address that issue.
(20) For a youth in foster care 10 years of age and older who is in junior high, middle, or high school, or a nonminor dependent enrolled in high school, the case plan shall be reviewed annually, and updated as needed, to indicate that the case management worker has verified that the youth or nonminor dependent received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements established in Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, through the school system. The case plan shall document either of the following:
(A) For a youth in junior high or middle school, either that the youth has already received this instruction during junior high or middle school, or how the county will ensure that the youth receives the instruction at least once before completing junior high or middle school if the youth remains under the jurisdiction of the dependency court during this timeframe.
(B) For a youth or nonminor dependent in high school, either that the youth or nonminor dependent already received this instruction during high school, or how the county will ensure that the youth or nonminor dependent receives the instruction at least once before completing high school if the youth or nonminor dependent remains under the jurisdiction of the dependency court during this timeframe.
(21) (A) For a youth in foster care 10 years of age and older or a nonminor dependent, the case plan shall be updated annually to indicate that the case management worker has done all of the following:
(i) Informed the youth or nonminor dependent that he or she may access age-appropriate, medically accurate information about reproductive and sexual health care, including, but not limited to, unplanned pregnancy prevention, abstinence, use of birth control, abortion, and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
(ii) Informed the youth or nonminor dependent, in an age- and developmentally appropriate manner, of his or her right to consent to sexual and reproductive health services and his or her confidentiality rights regarding those services.
(iii) Informed the youth or nonminor dependent how to access reproductive and sexual health care services and facilitated access to that care, including by assisting with any identified barriers to care, as needed.
(B) This paragraph shall not be construed to affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(h) 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.
(i) 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 (CWS/CMS) is implemented on a statewide basis.
(j) When a child is 10 years of age or older and 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 or probation officer 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, or may seek that information from the child and family team, as appropriate. The social worker or probation officer shall make efforts to identify other individuals who are important to the child, consistent with the child's best interests.
(k) The child's caregiver shall be provided a copy of a plan outlining the child's needs and services. The nonminor dependent's caregiver shall be provided with a copy of the nonminor's TILP.
(l) Each county shall ensure that the total number of visits made by caseworkers on a monthly basis to children in foster care during a federal fiscal year is not less than 95 percent of the total number of those visits that would occur if each child were visited once every month while in care and that the majority of the visits occur in the residence of the child. The county child welfare and probation departments shall comply with data reporting requirements that the department deems necessary to comply with the federal Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-288) and the federal Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Public Law 112-34).
(m) 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.
(a) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with county child welfare agencies, foster parent associations, and other interested community parties, shall implement a unified, family friendly, and child-centered resource family approval process to replace the existing multiple processes for licensing foster family homes, certifying foster homes by licensed foster family agencies, approving relatives and nonrelative extended family members as foster care providers, and approving guardians and adoptive families.
(b) (1) Counties shall be selected to participate on a voluntary basis as early implementation counties for the purpose of participating in the initial development of the approval process. Early implementation counties shall be selected according to criteria developed by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association. In selecting the five early implementation counties, the department shall promote diversity among the participating counties in terms of size and geographic location.
(2) Additional counties may participate in the early implementation of the program upon authorization by the department.
(3) The State Department of Social Services shall be responsible for all of the following:
(A) Selecting early implementation counties, based on criteria established by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association.
(B) Establishing timeframes for participating counties to submit an implementation plan, enter into terms and conditions for early implementation participation in the program, train appropriate staff, and accept applications from resource families.
(C) Entering into terms and conditions for early implementation participation in the program by counties.
(4) Counties participating in the early implementation of the program shall be responsible for all of the following:
(A) Submitting an implementation plan.
(B) Entering into terms and conditions for early implementation participation in the program.
(C) Consulting with the county probation department in the development of the implementation plan.
(D) Training appropriate staff.
(E) Accepting applications from resource families within the timeframes established by the department.
(5) (A) Approved relatives and nonrelative extended family members, licensed foster family homes, or approved adoptive homes that have completed the license or approval process prior to statewide implementation of the program shall not be considered part of the program. The otherwise applicable assessment and oversight processes shall continue to be administered for families and facilities not included in the program.
(B) Upon implementation of the program in a county, that county shall not accept new applications for the licensure of foster family homes, the approval of relative and nonrelative extended family members, or the approval of prospective guardians and adoptive homes.
(6) The department may waive regulations that pose a barrier to the early implementation and operation of this program. The waiver of any regulations by the department pursuant to this section shall apply to only those counties or foster family agencies participating in the early implementation of the program and only for the duration of the program.
(7) This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 1, 2017.
(c) (1) For the purposes of this article, "resource family" means an individual or family that has successfully met both the home environment assessment standards and the permanency assessment criteria adopted pursuant to subdivision (d) necessary for providing care for a related or unrelated child who is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, or otherwise in the care of a county child welfare agency or probation department. A resource family shall demonstrate all of the following:
(A) An understanding of the safety, permanence, and well-being needs of children who have been victims of child abuse and neglect, and the capacity and willingness to meet those needs, including the need for protection, and the willingness to make use of support resources offered by the agency, or a support structure in place, or both.
(B) An understanding of children's needs and development, effective parenting skills or knowledge about parenting, and the capacity to act as a reasonable, prudent parent in day-to-day decisionmaking.
(C) An understanding of his or her role as a resource family and the capacity to work cooperatively with the agency and other service providers in implementing the child's case plan.
(D) The financial ability within the household to ensure the stability and financial security of the family. An applicant who will rely on the funding described in subdivision (l) to meet additional household expenses incurred due to the placement of a child shall not, for this reason, be denied approval as a resource family.
(E) An ability and willingness to provide a family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences that serves the needs of the child.
(2) For purposes of this article, and unless otherwise specified, references to a "child" shall include a "nonminor dependent" and "nonminor former dependent or ward" as defined in subdivision (v) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (aa) of Section 11400.
(3) There is no fundamental right to approval as a resource family.
(4) Subsequent to meeting the criteria set forth in this subdivision and designation as a resource family, a resource family shall be considered eligible to provide foster care for related and unrelated children in out-of-home placement and shall be considered approved for adoption or guardianship.
(5) For purposes of this article, "resource family approval" means that the applicant or resource family successfully meets the home environment assessment and permanency assessment standards. This approval is in lieu of a foster family home license issued pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, a certificate of approval issued by a licensed foster family agency, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 1506 of the Health and Safety Code, relative or nonrelative extended family member approval, guardianship approval, and the adoption home study approval.
(6) Approval of a resource family does not guarantee an initial, continued, or adoptive placement of a child with a resource family or with a relative or nonrelative extended family member pursuant to subdivision (e). Approval of a resource family does not guarantee the establishment of a legal guardianship of a child with a resource family.
(7) (A) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, the department or county shall cease any further review of an application if the applicant has had a previous application denial within the preceding year, or if the applicant has had a previous rescission, revocation, or exemption denial or exemption rescission by the department or county within the preceding two years.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the department or county may continue to review an application if it has determined that the reasons for the previous denial, rescission, or revocation were due to circumstances and conditions that either have been corrected or are no longer in existence. If an individual was excluded from a resource family home or facility licensed by the department, the department or county shall cease review of the individual's application unless the excluded individual has been reinstated pursuant to Section 11522 of the Government Code and subdivision (h) of Section 1558 of the Health and Safety Code. The cessation of review shall not constitute a denial of the application for purposes of this section or any other law.
(8) A resource family shall meet the approval standards set forth in this section, comply with the written directives or regulations adopted pursuant to this section, and comply with other applicable laws in order to maintain approval.
(9) A resource family may be approved by the department or a county pursuant to this section or by a foster family agency pursuant to Section 1517 of the Health and Safety Code.
(10) A resource family shall not be licensed as a residential facility, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) (1) The department shall adopt standards pertaining to the home environment and permanency assessments of a resource family.
(2) Resource family home environment assessment standards shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) (i) Criminal records clearance of each applicant and all adults residing in, or regularly present in, the home, and not exempted from fingerprinting, as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, pursuant to Section 8712 of the Family Code, utilizing a check of the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI), and receipt of a fingerprint-based state and federal criminal offender record information search response. The criminal history information shall include subsequent notifications pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code.
(ii) Consideration of any substantiated allegations of child abuse or neglect against the applicant and any other adult residing in, or regularly present in, the home. An approval may not be granted to applicants whose criminal record indicates a conviction for any of the offenses specified in subdivision (g) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iii) If the resource family parent, applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or arrested for an offense specified in subdivision (e) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, except for the civil penalty language, the criminal background check provisions specified in subdivisions (d) through (f) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code shall apply. Exemptions from the criminal records clearance requirements set forth in this section may be granted by the department or the county, if that county had been granted permission by the department to issue criminal records exemptions pursuant to Section 361.4 on or before January 1, 2017, using the exemption criteria specified in subdivision (g) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code and the written directives or regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(iv) For public foster family agencies approving resource families, the criminal records clearance process set forth in clause (i) shall be utilized.
(v) For private foster family agencies approving resource families, the criminal records clearance process set forth in clause (i) shall be utilized, but the Department of Justice shall disseminate a fitness determination resulting from the federal criminal offender record information search.
(B) Buildings and grounds and storage requirements that ensure the health and safety of children.
(C) In addition to the foregoing requirements, the resource family home environment assessment standards shall also require the following:
(i) That the applicant demonstrates an understanding about the rights of children in care and his or her responsibility to safeguard those rights.
(ii) That the total number of children residing in the home of a resource family shall be no more than the total number of children the resource family can properly care for, regardless of status, and shall not exceed six children, unless exceptional circumstances that are documented in the foster child's case file exist to permit a resource family to care for more children, including, but not limited to, the need to place siblings together.
(iii) That the applicant understands his or her responsibilities with respect to acting as a reasonable and prudent parent, and maintaining the least restrictive environment that serves the needs of the child.
(3) The resource family permanency assessment standards shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) Caregiver training, as described in subdivisions (g) and (h).
(B) A psychosocial assessment of an applicant, which shall include the results of a risk assessment.
(i) When the applicant is a relative or nonrelative extended family member to an identified child, the psychosocial assessment shall consider the nature of the relationship between the relative or nonrelative extended family member and the child. The relative or nonrelative extended family member's expressed desire to only care for a specific child or children shall not be a reason to deny the approval.
(ii) A caregiver risk assessment shall include, but not be limited to, physical and mental health, alcohol and other substance use and abuse, family and domestic violence, and the factors listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c).
(C) Completion of any other activities that relate to the ability of an applicant or a resource family to achieve permanency with a child.
(e) (1) A county may place a child with a resource family applicant who has successfully completed the home environment assessment prior to completion of a permanency assessment only if a compelling reason for the placement exists based on the needs of the child.
(A) The permanency assessment shall be completed within 90 days of the child's placement in the home, unless good cause exists based upon the needs of the child.
(B) If additional time is needed to complete the permanency assessment, the county shall document the extenuating circumstances for the delay and generate a timeframe for the completion of the permanency assessment.
(C) The county shall report to the department on a quarterly basis the number of families with a child in an approved home whose permanency assessment goes beyond 90 days and summarize the reasons for these delays.
(2) (A) Upon an assessment completed pursuant to Section 309 or 361.45, a county may place a child with a relative, as defined in Section 319, or nonrelative extended family member, as defined in Section 362.7.
(B) For any emergency placement made pursuant to this paragraph, the county shall initiate the home environment assessment no later than five business days after the placement, which shall include a face-to-face interview with the resource family applicant and child.
(C) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit the obligation under existing law to assess and give placement consideration to relatives and nonrelative extended family members.
(3) For any placement made pursuant to this subdivision, AFDC-FC funding shall not be available until approval of the resource family has been completed.
(4) Any child placed under this section shall be afforded all the rights set forth in Section 16001.9 and in the written directions or regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(5) Nothing in this section shall limit the county's authority to inspect the home of a resource family applicant or a relative or nonrelative extended family member as often as necessary to ensure the quality of care provided.
(f) The State Department of Social Services shall be responsible for all of the following:
(1) (A) Until regulations are adopted, administering the program through the issuance of written directives that shall have the same force and effect as regulations. Any directive affecting Article 1 (commencing with Section 700) of Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 11 of the California Code of Regulations shall be approved by the Department of Justice. The directives shall be exempt from 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.
(B) Adopting, amending, or repealing, in accordance with Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, any reasonable rules, regulations, and standards that may be necessary or proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this chapter and to enable the department to exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred upon it by this section, consistent with the laws of this state.
(2) Approving and requiring the use of a single standard for resource family approval.
(3) Adopting and requiring the use of standardized documentation for the home environment and permanency assessments of resource families.
(4) Adopting core competencies for county staff to participate in the assessment and evaluation of an applicant or resource family.
(5) Requiring counties to monitor county-approved resource families, including, but not limited to, both of the following:
(A) Investigating complaints of resource families.
(B) Developing and monitoring resource family corrective action plans to correct identified deficiencies and to rescind resource family approval if compliance with corrective action plans is not achieved.
(6) Ongoing oversight and monitoring of county systems and operations including all of the following:
(A) Reviewing the county's implementation plan and implementation of the program.
(B) Reviewing an adequate number of county-approved resource families in each county to ensure that approval standards are being properly applied. The review shall include case file documentation, and may include onsite inspection of individual resource families. The review shall occur on an annual basis, and more frequently if the department becomes aware that a county is experiencing a disproportionate number of complaints against individual resource family homes.
(C) Reviewing county reports of serious complaints and incidents involving approved resource families, as determined necessary by the department. The department may conduct an independent review of the complaint or incident and change the findings depending on the results of its investigation.
(D) Investigating unresolved complaints against counties.
(E) Requiring corrective action of counties that are not in full compliance with this section.
(7) Updating the Legislature on the early implementation phase of the program, including the status of implementation, successes, and challenges during the early implementation phase, and relevant available data, including resource family satisfaction.
(8) Implementing due process procedures, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Providing a statewide fair hearing process for application denials, rescissions of approval, exclusion actions, or criminal record exemption denials or rescissions by a county or the department.
(B) Providing an excluded individual with due process pursuant to Section 16519.6.
(C) Amending the department's applicable state hearing procedures and regulations or using the Administrative Procedure Act, when applicable, as necessary for the administration of the program.
(g) Counties shall be responsible for all of the following:
(1) Submitting an implementation plan and consulting with the county probation department in the development of the implementation plan.
(2) Complying with the written directives or regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(3) Implementing the requirements for resource family approval and utilizing standardized documentation established by the department.
(4) Training appropriate staff, including ensuring staff have the education and experience or core competencies necessary to participate in the assessment and evaluation of an applicant or resource family.
(5) (A) Taking the following actions, as applicable:
(i) (I) Approving or denying resource family applications, including preparing a written evaluation of an applicant's capacity to foster, adopt, or provide legal guardianship of a child based on all of the information gathered through the resource family application and assessment processes.
(II) Considering the applicant's preference to provide a specific level of permanency, including adoption, guardianship, or, in the case of a relative, placement with a fit and willing relative, shall not be a basis to deny an application.
(ii) Rescinding approvals of resource families.
(iii) When applicable, referring a case to the department for an action to exclude a resource family parent or other individual from presence in a resource family home, consistent with the established standard.
(iv) Issuing a temporary suspension order that suspends the resource family approval prior to a hearing when urgent action is needed to protect a child from physical or mental abuse, abandonment, or any other substantial threat to health or safety, consistent with the established standard.
(v) Granting, denying, or rescinding criminal record exemptions.
(B) Providing a resource family parent, applicant, or individual who is the subject of a criminal record exemption decision with due process pursuant to Section 16519.6.
(C) Notifying the department of any decisions denying an application for resource family approval, rescinding the approval of a resource family, or denying or rescinding a criminal record exemption and, if applicable, notifying the department of the results of an administrative action.
(6) (A) Updating resource family approval annually and as necessary to address any changes that have occurred in the resource family's circumstances, including, but not limited to, moving to a new home location or commencing operation of a family day care home, as defined in Section 1596.78 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) A county shall conduct an announced inspection of a resource family home during the annual update, and as necessary to address any changes specified in subparagraph (A), in order to ensure that the resource family is conforming to all applicable laws and the written directives or regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(7) Monitoring resource families through all of the following:
(A) Ensuring that social workers who identify a condition in the home that may not meet the approval standards set forth in subdivision (d) while in the course of a routine visit to children placed with a resource family take appropriate action as needed.
(B) Requiring resource families to meet the approval standards set forth in this section and to comply with the written directives or regulations adopted pursuant to this section, other applicable laws, and corrective action plans as necessary to correct identified deficiencies. If corrective action is not completed as specified in the plan, the county may rescind the resource family approval.
(C) Requiring resource families to report to the county child welfare agency any incidents consistent with the reporting requirements for licensed foster family homes.
(D) Inspecting resource family homes as often as necessary to ensure the quality of care provided.
(8) (A) Investigating all complaints against a resource family and taking action as necessary, including, but not limited to, investigating any incidents reported about a resource family indicating that the approval standard is not being maintained and inspecting the resource family home.
(B) The child's social worker shall not conduct the formal investigation into the complaint received concerning a family providing services under the standards required by subdivision (d). To the extent that adequate resources are available, complaints shall be investigated by a worker who did not initially conduct the home environment or psychosocial assessments.
(C) Upon conclusion of the complaint investigation, the final disposition shall be reviewed and approved by a supervising staff member.
(D) The department shall be notified of any serious incidents or serious complaints or any incident that falls within the definition of Section 11165.5 of the Penal Code. If those incidents or complaints result in an investigation, the department shall also be notified as to the status and disposition of that investigation.
(9) Performing corrective action as required by the department.
(10) Assessing county performance in related areas of the California Child and Family Services Review System, and remedying problems identified.
(11) Submitting information and data that the department determines is necessary to study, monitor, and prepare the report specified in paragraph (6) of subdivision (f).
(12) Ensuring resource family applicants and resource families have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to support children in foster care by completing caregiver training. The training should include a curriculum that supports the role of a resource family in parenting vulnerable children and should be ongoing in order to provide resource families with information on trauma-informed practices and requirements and other topics within the foster care system.
(13) Ensuring that a resource family applicant completes a minimum of 12 hours of preapproval caregiver training. The training shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following courses:
(A) An overview of the child protective and probation systems.
(B) The effects of trauma, including grief and loss, and child abuse and neglect, on child development and behavior, and methods to behaviorally support children impacted by that trauma or child abuse and neglect.
(C) Positive discipline and the importance of self-esteem.
(D) Health issues in foster care.
(E) Accessing services and supports to address education needs, physical, mental, and behavioral health, and substance use disorders, including culturally relevant services.
(F) The rights of a child in foster care, and the resource family's responsibility to safeguard those rights, including the right to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.
(G) Cultural needs of children, including instruction on cultural competency and sensitivity, and related best practices for providing adequate care for children or youth across diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as children or youth identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
(H) Basic instruction on existing laws and procedures regarding the safety of foster youth at school; and ensuring a harassment and violence free school environment pursuant to former Article 3.6 (commencing with Section 32228) of Chapter 2 of Part 19 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code.
(I) Permanence, well-being, and education needs of children.
(J) Child and adolescent development, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression.
(K) The role of resource families, including working cooperatively with the child welfare or probation agency, the child's family, and other service providers implementing the case plan.
(L) The role of a resource family on the child and family team as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501.
(M) A resource family's responsibility to act as a reasonable and prudent parent, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 1522.44 of the Health and Safety Code, and to provide a family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences and that serves the needs of the child.
(N) An overview of the specialized training identified in subdivision (h).
(O) The information described in subdivision (i) of Section 16521.5. The program may use the curriculum created pursuant to subdivision (h), and described in subdivision (i), of Section 16521.5.
(14) Ensuring approved resource families complete a minimum of eight hours of caregiver training annually, a portion of which shall be from subparagraph (M) of paragraph (13) and from one or more of the other topics listed in paragraph (13).
(h) In addition to any training required by this section, a county may require a resource family or applicant to receive relevant specialized training for the purpose of preparing the resource family to meet the needs of a particular child in care. This training may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(2) Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children.
(7) Understanding the different permanency options and the services and benefits associated with the options.
(i) Nothing in this section shall preclude a county from requiring training in excess of the requirements in this section.
(j) (1) Resource families who move home locations shall retain their resource family status pending the outcome of the update conducted pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (g).
(2) (A) If a resource family moves from one county to another county, the department, or the county to which a resource family has moved, shall submit a written request to the Department of Justice to transfer the individual's subsequent arrest notification, as specified in subdivision (h) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) A request to transfer subsequent arrest notification shall contain all prescribed data elements and format protocols pursuant to a written agreement between the department and the Department of Justice.
(3) Subject to the requirements in paragraph (1), the resource family shall continue to be approved for guardianship and adoption. Nothing in this subdivision shall limit a county, foster family agency, or adoption agency from determining that the family is not approved for guardianship or adoption based on changes in the family's circumstances or psychosocial assessment.
(k) Implementation of the program shall be contingent upon the continued availability of federal Social Security Act Title IV-E (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670) funds for costs associated with placement of children with resource families assessed and approved under the program.
(l) A child placed with a resource family is eligible for the resource family basic rate, pursuant to Sections 11253.45, 11460, 11461, and 11463, and subdivision (l) of Section 11461.3, at the child's assessed level of care.
(m) Sharing ratios for nonfederal expenditures for all costs associated with activities related to the approval of relatives and nonrelative extended family members shall be in accordance with Section 10101.
(n) The Department of Justice shall charge fees sufficient to cover the cost of initial or subsequent criminal offender record information and Child Abuse Central Index searches, processing, or responses, as specified in this section.
(o) Except as provided, approved resource families shall be exempt from both of the following:
(1) Licensure requirements set forth under the Community Care Facilities Act, commencing with Section 1500 of the Health and Safety Code, and all regulations promulgated thereto.
(2) Relative and nonrelative extended family member approval requirements set forth under Sections 309, 361.4, and 362.7, and all regulations promulgated thereto.
(p) (1) Early implementation counties shall be authorized to continue through December 31, 2016. The program shall be implemented by each county on or before January 1, 2017.
(2) (A) (i) On and after January 1, 2017, a county to which the department has delegated its licensing authority pursuant to Section 1511 of the Health and Safety Code shall approve resource families in lieu of licensing foster family homes.
(ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), the existing licensure and oversight processes shall continue to be administered for foster family homes licensed prior to January 1, 2017, or as specified in subparagraph (C), until the license is revoked or forfeited by operation of law pursuant to Section 1517.1 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) (i) On and after January 1, 2017, a county shall approve resource families in lieu of approving relative and nonrelative extended family members.
(ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), the existing approval and oversight processes shall continue to be administered for relatives and nonrelative extended family members approved prior to January 1, 2017, or as specified in subparagraph (C), until the approval is revoked or forfeited by operation of law pursuant to this section.
(C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (D), a county shall approve or deny all applications for foster family home licenses and requests for relative or nonrelative extended family member approvals received on or before December 31, 2016, in accordance with Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code or provisions providing for the approval of relatives or nonrelative extended family members, as applicable.
(D) On and after January 1, 2017, a county shall not accept applications for foster family home licenses or requests to approve relatives or nonrelative extended family members.
(3) No later than July 1, 2017, each county shall provide the following information to all licensed foster family homes and approved relatives and nonrelative extended family members licensed or approved by the county:
(A) A detailed description of the resource family approval program.
(B) Notification that, in order to care for a foster child, resource family approval is required by December 31, 2019.
(C) Notification that a foster family home license and an approval of a relative or nonrelative extended family member shall be forfeited by operation of law as specified in paragraph (5).
(4) By no later than January 1, 2018, the following shall apply to all licensed foster family homes and approved relative and nonrelative extended family members:
(A) A licensed foster family home or an approved relative or nonrelative extended family member with an approved adoptive home study completed prior to January 1, 2018, shall be deemed to be an approved resource family.
(B) A licensed foster family home or an approved relative or nonrelative extended family member who had a child in placement at any time between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, inclusive, may be approved as a resource family on the date of successful completion of a psychosocial assessment pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (d).
(C) A county may provide supportive services to all licensed foster family homes, relatives, and nonrelative extended family members with a child in placement to assist with the resource family transition and to minimize placement disruptions.
(5) All foster family licenses and approvals of relatives and nonrelative extended family members shall be forfeited by operation of law on December 31, 2019, except as provided in this paragraph or Section 1524 of the Health and Safety Code:
(A) All licensed foster family homes that did not have a child in placement at any time between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, inclusive, shall forfeit the license by operation of law on January 1, 2018.
(B) For foster family home licensees and approved relatives or nonrelative extended family members who have a pending resource family application on December 31, 2019, the foster family home license or relative and nonrelative extended family member approval shall be forfeited by operation of law upon approval as a resource family. If approval is denied, forfeiture by operation of law shall occur on the date of completion of any proceedings required by law to ensure due process.
(C) A foster family home license shall be forfeited by operation of law, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1524 of the Health and Safety Code, upon approval as a resource family.
(D) Approval as a relative or nonrelative extended family member shall be forfeited by operation of law upon approval as a resource family.
(q) On and after January 1, 2017, all licensed foster family agencies shall approve resource families in lieu of certifying foster homes, as set forth in Section 1517 of the Health and Safety Code.
(r) Commencing January 1, 2016, the department may establish participation conditions, and select and authorize foster family agencies that voluntarily submit implementation plans and revised plans of operation in accordance with requirements established by the department, to approve resource families in lieu of certifying foster homes.
(1) Notwithstanding any other law, a participating foster family agency shall require resource families to meet and maintain the resource family approval standards and requirements set forth in this chapter and in the written directives adopted hereto prior to approval and in order to maintain approval.
(2) A participating foster family agency shall implement the resource family approval program pursuant to Section 1517 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the department to inspect, evaluate, or investigate a complaint or incident, or initiate a disciplinary action against a foster family agency pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 1550) of Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, or to take any action it may deem necessary for the health and safety of children placed with the foster family agency.
(4) The department may adjust the foster family agency AFDC-FC rate pursuant to Section 11463 for implementation of this subdivision.
(s) A county is authorized to obtain any arrest or conviction records or reports from any court or law enforcement agency as necessary to the performance of its duties, as provided in this section or subdivision (e) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code.
(t) A resource family approved pursuant to this section shall forfeit its approval concurrent with resource family approval by a foster family agency.
(a) A foster care provider, in consultation with the county case manager, shall be responsible for ensuring that adolescents, including nonminor dependents, as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who remain in long-term foster care, as defined by the department, receive age-appropriate pregnancy prevention information to the extent state and county resources are provided.
(b) A foster care provider, in consultation with the county case manager, shall be responsible for ensuring that a foster youth or nonminor dependent is provided with appropriate referrals to health services when the foster youth either reaches 18 years of age or the nonminor dependent exits foster care, and to the extent county and state resources are provided.
(c) As part of the home study process, the prospective foster care provider shall notify the county if he or she objects to participating in adolescent pregnancy prevention training or the dissemination of information pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b). A licensed foster care provider shall notify the county if he or she objects to participation. If the provider objects, the county case manager shall assume this responsibility.
(d) Subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) shall not take effect until the department, in consultation with the workgroup, develops guidelines that describe the duties and responsibilities of foster care providers and county case managers in delivering pregnancy prevention services and information.
(e) (1) The department, in consultation with the State Department of Health Services, shall convene a working group for the purpose of developing a pregnancy prevention plan that will effectively address the needs of adolescent male and female foster youth. The workgroup shall meet not more than three times and thereafter shall provide consultation to the department upon request.
(2) The working group shall include representatives from the California Youth Connection, the Foster Parent's Association, group home provider associations, the County Welfare Director's Association, providers of teen pregnancy prevention programs, a foster care case worker, an expert in pregnancy prevention curricula, a representative of the Independent Living Program, and an adolescent health professional.
(f) The plan required pursuant to subdivision (e) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Effective strategies and programs for preteen and older teen foster youth and nonminor dependents.
(2) The role of foster care and group home care providers.
(3) The role of the assigned case management worker.
(4) How to involve foster youth and nonminor peers.
(5) Selecting and providing appropriate materials to educate foster youth and nonminors in family life education.
(6) The training of foster care and group home care providers and, when necessary, county case managers in adolescent pregnancy prevention.
(g) Counties currently mandating foster care provider training shall be encouraged to include the pregnancy prevention curricula guidelines and educational materials that may be developed by the workgroup pursuant to subdivision (f).
(h) In order to train case management workers and foster care providers, the department shall develop a curriculum that is consistent with, and in addition to, the pregnancy prevention plan and the curricula guidelines and educational materials developed by the workgroup pursuant to subdivisions (e) and (f).
(i) The curriculum created pursuant to subdivision (h) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) The rights of youth and nonminor dependents in foster care to sexual and reproductive health care and information, to confidentiality of sensitive health information, and the reasonable and prudent parent standard.
(2) How to document sensitive health information, including, but not limited to, sexual and reproductive health issues, in a case plan.
(3) The duties and responsibilities of the assigned case management worker and the foster care provider in ensuring youth and nonminor dependents in foster care can obtain sexual and reproductive health services and information.
(4) Guidance about how to engage and talk with youth and nonminor dependents about healthy sexual development and reproductive and sexual health in a manner that is medically accurate, developmentally and age-appropriate, trauma-informed, and strengths-based.
(5) Information about current contraception methods and how to select and provide appropriate referral resources and materials for information and service delivery.
(j) The department shall adopt regulations to implement this section.
(a) On or before the 27th day of the month, the Controller shall allocate to the family support account in the local health and welfare trust fund of each county and city and county the amounts deposited and remaining unexpended and unreserved on the 15th day of the month in the Family Support Subaccount of the Local Revenue Fund, pursuant to schedules developed by the Department of Finance in conjunction with the appropriate state departments and in consultation with the California State Association of Counties.
(b) All of the funds deposited in the family support account shall be used by each county and city and county that receives an allocation of those funds to pay an increased county contribution toward the costs of CalWORKs grants, a county contribution toward the costs of the CalWORKs single allocation described in Section 15204.2, or both, as determined by the Department of Finance. Each county's total annual contribution pursuant to this section shall equal the total amount of funds deposited in each county's and city and county's family support account during that fiscal year. The family support account shall not be subject to the transferability provisions of Section 17600.20. Each county's contribution pursuant to this section and Section 17601.25 shall be in addition to the shares of cost required pursuant to Section 15200.
Section 18901.25 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
(a) There is hereby created the Safe Drinking Water Supplemental Benefit Pilot Program, a state-funded program to provide additional CalFresh nutrition benefits for interim assistance to purchase safe drinking water in areas where it is necessary.
(b) The State Department of Social Services shall use moneys allocated for this program to provide time-limited additional state-funded nutrition benefits to residents of prioritized disadvantaged communities that are served by public water systems that consistently fail to meet primary drinking water standards, as defined in Section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code. Benefits shall be in addition to benefits provided for pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 11450) of Chapter 2 of Part 3, and shall not be considered as income for any program established in this code.
(c) The department may use its own existing databases and databases from the State Water Resources Control Board to determine which CalFresh households are eligible to receive benefits pursuant to this section. The following households shall receive priority:
(1) CalFresh recipients served by persistently noncompliant public water systems in disadvantaged communities, as defined in Section 79505.5 of the Water Code, as determined by the location of the recipient's residence.
(2) CalFresh recipients in communities deemed eligible for interim emergency drinking water benefits by the State Water Resources Control Board, as determined by the recipient's residence.
(d) Benefits granted pursuant to this section shall be delivered through the electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system created pursuant to Sections 10072 and 10072.2.
(e) The benefits authorized pursuant to this section are not entitlement benefits. A county is required to comply with the provisions of this section only to the extent funding for this purpose is appropriated in the annual Budget Act and available to the county. A county shall not be required to expend county funds for the provision of benefits authorized under this section.
(a) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department shall annually seek a federal waiver of the existing federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program limitation that stipulates that an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) participant is limited to three months of CalFresh benefits in a three-year period unless that participant has met the work participation requirement or is otherwise exempt.
(b) All eligible counties shall be included in and bound by this waiver.
(c) At its option, when a county is not eligible for a countywide waiver, a county may request that the department apply for the waiver described in subdivision (a) for one or more eligible subareas of the county. The department shall seek the subarea waiver within a reasonable time frame following a request made by a county, and may seek any necessary information from the county to support the waiver request.
(a) To the extent not prohibited by federal law and guidance, the department shall ensure that all recipients subject to the federal ABAWD time limit described in Section 18926 are permitted to meet the work requirements of the time limit through all forms of work, including, but not limited to, volunteer work at a nonprofit organization or a public institution that the recipient chooses, if the county can verify the hours of participation using the process established by the department pursuant to subdivision (b).
(b) On or before January 1, 2018, the department, with input from the County Welfare Directors Association and advocates for CalFresh recipients, shall issue an all-county letter instructing counties as to how to verify hours of the volunteer work specified in subdivision (a).
To the extent not prohibited by federal law and guidance, a recipient who is homeless shall be deemed to be exempt from the federal ABAWD time limit described in Section 18926. For purposes of this section, a recipient who is homeless is a person who does not have a regular nighttime residence.
(a) During the 2017–18 fiscal year, the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services shall work with the Department of Finance, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California to evaluate the current process by which adult and child recipients of CalWORKs benefits are referred to and receive mental health and substance abuse services through the county behavioral health system. This evaluation shall include a determination of factors related to the provision of these services for CalWORKs recipients. The departments shall update the Legislature on the evaluation as part of the 2018–19 budget subcommittee hearings.
(b) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed.
(a) 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 and administer Sections 10072.2, 10831, 11325.15, 11325.5, 11325.7, 11325.8, 11461.3, 11461.6, 13307, 13308, 18901.25, 18926.1, and 18926.2, and Article 3.7 (commencing with Section 11340) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which are added by this act, and Section 8212 of the Education Code and Sections 10830, 11253.4, 11403, 11461.4, 11464, 11465, 13303, 13304, 13305, 16206, 16501.1, 16519.5, 16521.5, and 18926 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which are amended by this act, through all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted.
(b) The department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing the sections specified in subdivision (a) no later than January 1, 2019. The department may readopt any emergency regulation authorized by this section that is the same as, or substantially equivalent to, any emergency regulation previously adopted pursuant to this section. The initial adoption of regulations pursuant to this section and one readoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations and 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 shall be adopted.
Funds allocated for purposes of implementing and administrating the changes made to Sections 1522.41 and 1529.2 of the Health and Safety Code and Sections 304.7, 16206, 16501.1, 16519.5, and 16521.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall not supplant funds allocated for any existing program.
To the extent that this act has an overall effect of increasing certain costs already borne by a local agency for programs or levels of service mandated by the 2011 Realignment Legislation within the meaning of Section 36 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, it shall apply to local agencies only to the extent that the state provides annual funding for the cost increase. Any new program or higher level of service provided by a local agency pursuant to this act above the level for which funding has been provided shall not require a subvention of funds by the state or otherwise be subject to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other 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.
This act is a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill within the meaning of subdivision (e) of Section 12 of Article IV of the California Constitution, has been identified as related to the budget in the Budget Bill, and shall take effect immediately.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl