Bill > SB452

This bill establishes the Family Advocacy Pilot Program, which would provide grants to qualified organizations to offer prevention legal services and support for families at risk of entering the child welfare system. The program aims to help families stabilize and avoid unnecessary separation by providing free legal services such as navigating child welfare investigations, obtaining restraining orders, formalizing custody arrangements, accessing immigration relief, maintaining public benefits, improving housing stability, and addressing barriers in education, healthcare, and reentry from the criminal justice system. Organizations receiving grants would include legal aid nonprofits and community-based organizations with at least three years of experience serving low-income populations. The program would operate for three years, and priority will be given to organizations already providing prevention legal services. The State Department of Social Services would develop the program's implementation plan in consultation with experts, advocates, attorneys, tribes, and community organizations. The department would also seek federal reimbursement to supplement the program's funding and would be required to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the program's effectiveness at the end of the three-year period, without including any personal identifying information about participants.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB452