Bill Text: CA SCR60 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Foster Care Month.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-3)

Status: (Passed) 2015-06-23 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 65, Statutes of 2015. [SCR60 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SCR60-Chaptered.html

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BILL NUMBER: SCR 60	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  65
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JUNE 23, 2015
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  MAY 22, 2015
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 18, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator McGuire
   (Coauthors: Senators Beall, Berryhill, Hancock, Jackson, Leno,
Liu, and Monning)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Calderon, Chiu, Kim, Lopez, Olsen,
and Mark Stone)

                        MAY 6, 2015

   Relative to Foster Care Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 60, McGuire. Foster Care Month.
   This measure would declare the month of May 2015 as Foster Care
Month.



   WHEREAS, In California, there are approximately 67,116 children
and youth in foster care who need and deserve safe, permanent
connections to loving adults, a stable home, and adequate preparation
for a secure future; and
   WHEREAS, The needs of children and youth for belonging and
unconditional emotional commitment are best met in families; and
   WHEREAS, Many California counties have successfully supported
permanent family connections for foster youth, provided support for
families at risk of entering the child welfare system, and changed
practices to fully engage youth, family, and communities, thereby
reducing the number of children in foster care; and
   WHEREAS, California recognizes the enduring and valuable
contribution of relatives and foster and adoptive parents who open
their hearts, families, and homes to the vulnerable children and
youth; and
   WHEREAS, California recognizes the numerous individuals and public
and private organizations that work to ensure that the needs of
children and youth living in, and leaving, foster care are met, that
help provide foster and former foster children and youth with vital
connections to their siblings, and that help launch young people into
successful adulthood; and
   WHEREAS, The federal Fostering Connections to Success and
Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 offers opportunities to promote
permanent families for children in foster care, improve outcomes for
older youth in foster care, increase support for Native American
foster children, improve the quality of staff working with youth in
the child welfare system, expand our support of relative and adoptive
caregivers, and assist older youth in securing meaningful supportive
transitions from foster care; and
   WHEREAS, This federal law affirms California's leadership and
success in pioneering innovative child welfare approaches; and
   WHEREAS, California is engaged in continuum of care reform, which
is a comprehensive approach to improving the experience and outcomes
of children and youth in foster care by improving assessments of
children and families to make more informed and appropriate initial
placement decisions, emphasizing home-based family care placements of
children, appropriately supporting these placements with available
services, changing the goals for congregate (group home) care
placements, and increasing transparency and accountability for child
outcomes; and
   WHEREAS, California is committed to working in partnership with
the federal government and local governments to improve the lives and
futures of all children and youth touched by the child welfare
system; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares the month of May
2015 as Foster Care Month; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.