Bill > AB2944

This bill makes several key changes to the foster care system in California: 1. It clarifies the foster family agency reference check process to determine if it is safe and appropriate to approve a resource family applicant, and requires foster family agencies that previously certified or approved an applicant to share information about the applicant within 20 business days. 2. It prohibits a subsequent foster family agency or county from approving or denying an application if there is a pending investigation or administrative action against the applicant, and allows approval or denial only after the investigation or action has concluded. 3. It removes a provision that would have required a license or resource family approval to be forfeited by operation of law if the licensee or resource family is convicted of a specified offense, and adds new requirements around the forfeiture of licenses. 4. It expands confidentiality requirements for administrative proceedings against foster family homes, certified family homes, and resource families. 5. It authorizes the Department of Social Services to develop alternative funding models and individualized rates for innovative foster care programs that provide alternatives to residential care and promote services tailored to individual children and families. 6. It expands the locations where a child or nonminor dependent may be placed and be eligible for foster care payments to include residential family-based treatment facilities for substance abuse. 7. It provides a one-year extension for the payment of certain established interim foster care rates. 8. It adds the denial of a resource family approval application within the last year as a basis for excluding a person from certain licensed facilities. 9. It specifies when there is reason to believe an Indian child is involved in child welfare proceedings. 10. It makes other changes related to resource family approval, foster care rates, and oversight and monitoring of the foster care system.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB2944