Bill > AB896

This bill establishes comprehensive requirements for placement transition planning for foster children, aiming to minimize trauma and support children's well-being during changes in foster care placements. The bill requires each county child welfare agency to develop a placement transition planning policy that ensures foster children have an opportunity to provide input on their placement transitions. The policy must consider the child's educational, medical, mental health, cultural, and developmental needs, and focus on maintaining important connections with relatives, friends, and community resources. Social workers must obtain and incorporate the child's input into transition planning, with guidance on how to do so in a developmentally appropriate manner. The bill recognizes that placement changes can be traumatic for children and seeks to make these transitions as smooth and supportive as possible by prioritizing the child's perspective and individual needs. The State Department of Social Services is tasked with issuing guidance to counties on best practices for placement transition planning, and counties must submit their policies to the department. By establishing these requirements, the bill aims to reduce the potential negative impacts of foster care placement changes on children's emotional and psychological well-being.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB896