Bill Text: CA AB779 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 779

Bill Title: Child welfare services: domestic violence consultant pilot program.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2025-10-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 381, Statutes of 2025. [AB779 Detail]

Download: California-2025-AB779-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 779

CHAPTER 381

An act to add and repeal Section 16515 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare services.

[ Approved by Governor October 06, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 06, 2025. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 779, Lackey. Child welfare services: domestic violence consultant pilot program.

Existing law requires the state, through the State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments, to establish and support a public system of statewide child welfare services, which is defined to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of specified purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families.

This bill would authorize a county child welfare agency to establish a 3-year pilot program in which the county partners with a domestic violence consultant from a domestic violence victim service organization to offer support and guidance to county social workers in addressing the complex dynamics of families who are potentially experiencing both domestic violence and child maltreatment in order to enhance the social worker’s knowledge of domestic violence and their ability to apply that knowledge to their work with parent survivors and their children through tailored engagement and intervention strategies. The bill would require a domestic violence consultant under the program to assist county social workers by providing education on domestic violence-related dynamics and services and discussing complicating factors and protective measures, as specified, among other things. The bill would require a county that implements the pilot program to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program and report its findings to the Legislature on or before October 31, 2031. The bill would require a participating county to seek the input of the State Department of Social Services and stakeholders, including people with lived experience with domestic violence and child welfare, in the design and implementation of the evaluation.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 16515 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

16515.

(a) A county child welfare agency may establish a three-year pilot program in which the county partners with a domestic violence consultant from a domestic violence victim service organization, as defined in Section 1037.1 of the Evidence Code, to offer support and guidance to county social workers in addressing the complex dynamics of families who are potentially experiencing both domestic violence and child maltreatment in order to enhance the social worker’s knowledge of domestic violence and their ability to apply that knowledge to their work with parent survivors and their children through tailored engagement and intervention strategies. The consultant shall be a qualified domestic violence counselor, as defined in Section 1037.1 of the Evidence Code.

(b) Under the pilot program, the domestic violence consultant shall assist county social workers by doing, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Provide education on domestic violence-related dynamics and services.

(2) Discuss complicating factors, including, but not limited to, children witnessing or experiencing violence during domestic violence incidents, homelessness, and substance and alcohol use.

(3) Discuss protective measures, including, but not limited to, implementing safety plans or restraining orders to protect parent survivors and their children, and child removal from homes affected by domestic violence.

(4) Offer recommendations for accessing resources for families.

(5) Navigate law enforcement responses to reports of domestic violence.

(c) The domestic violence consultant may also provide direct support to parent survivors by facilitating shelter access, referring their children to therapy, and providing information on other resources.

(d) (1) If a county implements the pilot program pursuant to this section, the county shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program and report its findings to the Legislature on or before October 31, 2031. A participating county shall seek the input of the State Department of Social Services and stakeholders, including people with lived experience with domestic violence and child welfare, in the design and implementation of the evaluation. The report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) Data on each instance when safety plans or restraining orders were implemented in homes affected by domestic violence and the outcomes for each family utilizing protective measures.

(B) Data on the recommendations provided to families who were identified as needing to access resources and the outcomes of their use.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.