Bill > AB562

This bill, known as the Justice through Placing Foster Children with Families Act, aims to improve the placement of foster children with relatives by requiring counties to review and compare their foster child placement rates with statewide averages. Beginning January 1, 2027, each county must annually examine publicly available data comparing their relative placement rates with the statewide average, with special attention to placement rates for Indian children according to federal Indian Child Welfare Act guidelines. If a county's placement rate falls below the statewide average, the county welfare director must consult with the Center for Excellence in Family Finding, Engagement, and Support to identify and adopt best practices to improve relative placement rates. The bill acknowledges significant racial disparities in foster care, noting that Black children (who comprise only 5% of California's children) represent 21% of foster children, and Native American children are also disproportionately represented. The legislation emphasizes the benefits of kinship care, such as greater placement stability, lower re-abuse rates, better behavioral health, and stronger cultural identity for children. By mandating data review and consultation with experts, the bill seeks to increase the number of foster children placed with family members instead of strangers, potentially mitigating some of the systemic racial inequities in the foster care system.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB562