Bill Text: CA AB1297 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 1297 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Child welfare services: California Child Welfare Council.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-02 - Died at Desk. [AB1297 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB1297-Introduced.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 1297	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Torlakson

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to amend Section 16540 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to child welfare services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1297, as introduced, Torlakson. Child welfare services:
California Child Welfare Council.
   Existing law establishes the California Child Welfare Council,
which serves as an advisory body responsible for improving the
collaboration and processes of the multiple agencies and the courts
that serve the children and youth in the child welfare and foster
care systems. In this regard, the council has specified monitoring
and reporting duties.
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 16540 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   16540.  The California Child Welfare Council is hereby
established, which shall serve as an advisory body responsible for
improving the collaboration and processes of the multiple agencies
and the courts that serve the children and youth in the child welfare
and foster care systems. The council shall monitor and report the
extent to which child welfare and foster care programs and the courts
are responsive to the needs of children in their joint care. The
council shall issue advisory reports whenever it deems appropriate,
but in any event, no less frequently than annually, to the Governor,
the Legislature, the Judicial Council, and the public. A report of
the Child Welfare Council shall, at a minimum, include
recommendations for all of the following:
   (a) Ensuring that all state child welfare, foster care, and
judicial funding and services for children, youth, and families is,
to the greatest extent possible, coordinated to eliminate
fragmentation and duplication of services provided to children or
families who would benefit from integrated multiagency services.
   (b) Increasing the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of
program services and judicial processes delivered to children, youth,
and families who would benefit from integrated multiagency services
to achieve better outcomes for these children, youth, and families.
   (c) Promoting consistent program and judicial excellence across
counties to the greatest extent possible while recognizing the
demographic, geographic, and financial differences among the
counties.
   (d) Increasing collaboration and coordination between county
agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, and the courts.
   (e) Ensuring that all state Title IV-E plans, program improvement
plans, and court improvement plans demonstrate effective
collaboration between public agencies and the courts.
   (f) Assisting the Secretary of California Health and Human
Services and the chief justice in formulating policies for the
effective administration of the child welfare and foster care
programs and judicial processes.
   (g)  Modifying program practices and court processes, rate
structures, and other system changes needed to promote and support
relative caregivers, family foster parents, therapeutic placements,
and other placements for children who cannot remain in the family
home.
   (h) Developing data- and information-sharing agreements and
protocols for the exchange of aggregate data across program and court
systems that are providing services to children and families in the
child welfare system. These data-sharing agreements shall allow child
welfare agencies and the courts to access data concerning the
health, mental health, special education, and educational status and
progress of children served by county child welfare systems subject
to state and federal confidentiality laws and regulations. They shall
be developed in tandem with the establishment of judicial case
management systems  as well as additional or enhanced
performance measures described in subdivision (b) of Section 16544
 .
   (i) Developing systematic methods for obtaining policy
recommendations from foster youth about the effectiveness and quality
of program services and judicial processes, and ensuring that the
interests of foster youth are adequately addressed in all policy
development.
   (j) Implementing legislative enactments in the child welfare and
foster care programs and the courts, and reporting to the Legislature
on the timeliness and consistency of the implementation.
   (k) Monitoring the adequacy of resources necessary for the
implementation of existing programs and court processes, and the
prioritization of program and judicial responsibilities.
   (l) Strengthening and increasing the independence and authority of
the foster care ombudsperson.
   (m) Coordinating available services for former foster youth and
improving outreach efforts to those youth and their families.