Bill Text: CA AB883 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Child sexual abuse: prevention pilot program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2014-09-28 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB883 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB883-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 883	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 15, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 23, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 6, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 21, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Cooley

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to add and repeal Article 7 (commencing with Section 18974)
of Chapter 11 of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to child sexual abuse, and making an
appropriation therefor.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 883, as amended, Cooley. Child sexual abuse: prevention pilot
program.
   Existing law authorizes the Office of Child Abuse Prevention to
fund, through allocations provided to local counties, child abuse and
neglect prevention and intervention programs. Existing law creates
the State Children's Trust Fund in the State Treasury and requires
money in the fund to be allocated to the State Department of Social
Services for the purpose of funding child abuse and neglect
prevention and intervention programs.
   This bill would establish the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
Program as a pilot program in no more than 3 counties, as selected by
the State Department of Social Services from among counties that
volunteer to participate and based on specified criteria, to provide
child sexual abuse prevention and intervention services through
public  , private,  or  private nonprofit
programs that provide those services. The bill would annually
appropriate $50,000 from the General Fund to each county that is
selected to conduct a pilot program, thereby making an appropriation.
The bill would provide that public  , private, and 
 or private  nonprofit agencies shall be eligible for this
funding if specified evidence is provided and would encourage
counties to give priority for funding to existing programs that have
demonstrated effectiveness in child sexual abuse  or
 prevention  or intervention or commercial sexual
exploitation prevention or intervention  . The bill would
require each participating county  to compile and collect
data on the efficacy of the pilot program and  to annually
report to the State Department of Social Services, the Assembly
Committee on Human Services, and the Senate Committee on Human
Services specified information, including statistics on the increase
or decrease of reports of child sexual abuse within the county. The
bill would also make related findings and declarations. These
provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2019.
   Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) Children are a precious resource in the state and country.
   (b) Victims of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and neglect are at
higher risk for alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, eating
disorders, obesity, suicide, and other chronic adult health problems.

   (c) Child abuse and neglect cost the United States at least $124
billion per year according to the federal Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
   (d) Preventative services and training can significantly reduce
the incidences of child abuse, stabilize families, and contribute to
a reduction in crime.
   (e) While child sexual abuse programs that address increased
reporting after the fact are critical to the child victims, it should
be the goal of all Californians to promote adult and community
responsibility to prevent child sexual abuse.
  SEC. 2.  Article 7 (commencing with Section 18974) is added to
Chapter 11 of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:

      Article 7.  Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Intervention
Programs


   18974.  (a) The Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program is hereby
established as a pilot program in no more than three counties to
provide child sexual abuse prevention and intervention services
through  public, private, or   public or private
 nonprofit programs that provide child sexual abuse prevention
and intervention services.
   (b) The sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) is hereby
appropriated annually from the General Fund to each county that
voluntarily chooses and is selected to conduct a pilot program under
this article to prevent and reduce child sexual abuse.
   (c) The State Department of Social Services shall select counties
to participate in the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program, from
among the counties that notify the department of their intention to
participate, based on the agency's determination that the counties
have significant incidences of child sexual abuse or 
commercially  sexually exploited  minors  
children  and have a  public, private, or  
public or private  nonprofit organization with experience in
child sexual abuse issues  or commercial sexual exploitation
issues  that is designated to act as the primary administrator
for the pilot program.
   (d) Each participating county is encouraged to efficiently use
these funds by giving priority to programs currently serving the
needs of at-risk children that meet the criteria in Section 18974.1
and that have demonstrated effectiveness in child sexual abuse
prevention or intervention  or commercial sexual exploitation
prevention or intervention  . The funds appropriated under this
section shall not supplant or replace any existing funding for
programs currently serving the needs of at-risk children, but may
only supplement the expansion of existing programs or the
collaboration of separate existing programs within the county, or
fund newly created programs within the county if no current programs
exist to serve the needs of children at risk of sexual abuse  or
commercial sexual exploitation  .
   18974.1.  (a) The county board of supervisors of a participating
county shall allocate the pilot program funds according to the
provisions of this article. The county board of supervisors may
delegate the administration of the pilot program funds to the county
social services department.
   (b) Public  , private, and   or private 
nonprofit agencies shall be eligible for funding provided that
evidence is submitted as part of the application to the county that
the proposed services are not duplicated in the community, are based
on needs of children at risk, and are supported by a local public
agency, including, but not limited to, one of the following:
   (1) The county welfare department.
   (2) A public law enforcement agency.
   (3) The county probation department.
   (4) The county board of supervisors.
   (5) The county public health department.
   (6) The county mental health department.
   (7) Any school district.
   (c) The administering local agency shall, with oversight and
review from the county board of supervisors,  compile and
collect data on the efficacy of the pilot program.  
include and integrate the pilot program in the county system
improvement plan, county self-assessments, and the county plan for
other federal and state child abuse prevention programs. To the
extent applicable, the county shall provide similar assurances, data,
and outcome assessments to the Office of Child Abuse Prevention with
respect to the pilot program as are provided regarding other federal
and state child abuse prevention programs. 
   (d) Each participating county shall annually report to the State
Department of Social Services, the Assembly Committee on Human
Services, and the Senate Committee on Human Services information
including, but not limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Changing public attitudes or public opinion polls showing
increased awareness of prevention techniques for child sexual abuse.
   (2) The amount of educational materials distributed to stakeholder
groups that address and promote child sexual abuse prevention and
prevention techniques.
   (3) Statistics on the increase or decrease of reports of child
sexual abuse within the county.
   (4) Identified best practices used by the pilot program which may
be replicated and used by other counties, including, but not limited
to, community outreach, data collection and analysis, and the
creation of educational materials. 
   (5) A complete and accurate accounting of all funds received and
spent pursuant to this section.  
   (6) Efforts to strengthen the capacity of schools and
youth-serving organizations pursuant to subdivision (f) and the
outcome of those efforts.  
   (e) Each participating county shall propose a multiyear plan that
identifies how to advance all of the following objectives: 

   (1) Fostering community coalitions and networks for preventing and
reducing child sexual abuse.  
   (2) Strengthening individual knowledge and skills in identifying
risks and prevention techniques for child sexual abuse. 

   (3) Promoting greater data sharing and collaboration between law
enforcement agencies, probation departments, and child welfare
agencies to identify children in the community who are at risk for
sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.  
   (f) Each pilot program shall do all of the following to strengthen
the capacity of schools and youth-serving organizations to prevent
sexual abuse:  
   (1) Utilize an assessment process to identify strengths and gaps.
 
   (2) Implement comprehensive training, screening, responding, and
reporting protocols.  
   (3) Develop codes of conduct to prevent inappropriate behaviors
before they escalate to reportable offenses.  
   (4) Modify physical spaces to reduce risk.  
   (5) Adopt policies matched to the organizational mission.
 
   (g) Each pilot program may create guidelines to assess the
community's overall understanding of child sexual abuse. 

   (h) Each report submitted pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

   18974.2.  This article 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.