Bill Text: CA AB1068 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Juveniles: dependency: child and family teams.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-10-12 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 780, Statutes of 2019. [AB1068 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB1068-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Assembly  May 16, 2019
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 24, 2019
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 11, 2019
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 19, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 1068

Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley

February 21, 2019

An act to amend Sections 358.1, 366.1, 832, 16501, and 16501.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to juveniles.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1068, as amended, Cooley. Juveniles: dependency: child and family teams.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm, or a parent fails to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law establishes the grounds for removal of a dependent child from the custody of the child’s parents or guardian and establishes procedures to determine placement of a dependent child. Existing law prescribes various hearings, including specified review hearings, and other procedures for these purposes.
Existing law requires each social study or evaluation made by a social worker or child advocate that is required to be received into evidence, and each supplemental report required to be filed, to include a factual discussion of various subjects.
This bill would additionally require those social studies, evaluations, and supplemental reports to include specified information about the child and family team.
Existing law defines a “child and family team” as a group of individuals who are convened by a placing agency and engaged through a variety of team-based processes to help achieve positive outcomes for a child’s or youth’s safety, permanency, and well-being. Existing law requires that information exchanged among the child and family team be received in confidence for the limited purpose of providing necessary services and supports to the child or youth and family and prohibits the information from being further disclosed, except as specified. Existing law requires each participant in the child and family to sign an authorization to release information to team members.
This bill would additionally define a “child and family team meeting” as a convening of all or some members of the child and family team and would require a child and family team meeting to conform to specified requirements, including, among others, that a neutral facilitator convene the meeting a facilitator of a child and family team meeting be trained in facilitating child and family team meetings and that notice of a meeting is be provided to members of the child and family team. The bill would require, prior to a child welfare agency releasing its files or records to the child and family team, that interested parties have notice and an opportunity to file an objection to the release of information. If a child and family team meeting will be facilitated by the social worker assigned to the case, the bill would require an alternative facilitator to be provided upon request. The bill would also limit the requirement to sign an authorization to release information to team members to situations in which they agree the participant in the child and family team agrees to release information. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services, by July 1, 2021, to issue instructions to counties that describe all confidentiality protections for the mental health, reproductive and sexual health, and minor drug treatment information of a minor or nonminor dependent.
By increasing the duties of county employees under these provisions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 358.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

358.1.
 Each social study or evaluation made by a social worker or child advocate appointed by the court, required to be received in evidence pursuant to Section 358, shall include, but not be limited to, a factual discussion of each of the following subjects:
(a) Whether the county welfare department or social worker has considered either of the following:
(1) Child protective services, as defined in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 16500) of Part 4 of Division 9, as a possible solution to the problems at hand, and has offered these services to qualified parents if appropriate under the circumstances.
(2) Whether the child can be returned to the custody of their parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with their parent.
(b) What plan, if any, for return of the child to their parents and for achieving legal permanence for the child if efforts to reunify fail, is recommended to the court by the county welfare department or probation officer.
(c) Whether the best interests of the child will be served by granting reasonable visitation rights with the child to their grandparents, in order to maintain and strengthen the child’s family relationships.
(d) (1) Whether the child has siblings under the court’s jurisdiction, and, if any siblings exist, all of the following:
(A) The nature of the relationship between the child and their siblings.
(B) The appropriateness of developing or maintaining the sibling relationships pursuant to Section 16002.
(C) If the siblings are not placed together in the same home, why the siblings are not placed together and what efforts are being made to place the siblings together, or why those efforts are not appropriate.
(D) If the siblings are not placed together, all of the following:
(i) The frequency and nature of the visits between the siblings.
(ii) If there are visits between the siblings, whether the visits are supervised or unsupervised. If the visits are supervised, a discussion of the reasons why the visits are supervised, and what needs to be accomplished in order for the visits to be unsupervised.
(iii) If there are visits between the siblings, a description of the location and length of the visits.
(iv) Any plan to increase visitation between the siblings.
(E) The impact of the sibling relationships on the child’s placement and planning for legal permanence.
(2) The factual discussion shall include a discussion of indicators of the nature of the child’s sibling relationships, including, but not limited to, whether the siblings were raised together in the same home, whether the siblings have shared significant common experiences or have existing close and strong bonds, whether either sibling expresses a desire to visit or live with their sibling, as applicable, and whether ongoing contact is in the child’s best emotional interest.
(e) If the parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to participate in making an educational decision for the child, or if other circumstances exist that compromise the ability of the parent or guardian to make educational decisions for the child, the county welfare department or social worker shall consider whether the right of the parent or guardian to make educational decisions for the child should be limited. If the study or evaluation makes that recommendation, it shall identify whether there is a responsible adult available to make educational decisions for the child pursuant to Section 361.
(f) Whether the child appears to be a person who is eligible to be considered for further court action to free the child from parental custody and control.
(g) Whether the parent has been advised of the option to participate in adoption planning, including the option to enter into a postadoption contact agreement as described in Section 8616.5 of the Family Code, and to voluntarily relinquish the child for adoption if an adoption agency is willing to accept the relinquishment.
(h) The appropriateness of any relative placement pursuant to Section 361.3. However, this consideration may not be cause for continuance of the dispositional hearing.
(i) Whether the caregiver desires, and is willing, to provide legal permanency for the child if reunification is unsuccessful.
(j) For an Indian child, in consultation with the Indian child’s tribe, whether tribal customary adoption is an appropriate permanent plan for the child if reunification is unsuccessful.
(k) On and after the date that the director executes a declaration pursuant to Section 11217, whether the child has been placed in an approved relative’s home under a voluntary placement agreement for a period not to exceed 180 days, the parent or guardian is not interested in additional family maintenance or family reunification services, and the relative desires and is willing to be appointed the child’s legal guardian.

(l)(1)Information about the child and family team, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(A)Members of the child and family team, as defined in Section 16501.

(B)The date that the last child and family team meeting was held.

(C)The individuals who participated in the last child and family team meeting.

(D)The recommendations of the child and family team.

(E)The rationale for any inconsistencies between the case plan and the child and family team recommendations, if relevant.

(2)This subdivision does not authorize the disclosure of information that is otherwise confidential pursuant to state and federal law.

(l) (1) Summary information about any child and family team meeting that has occurred since the last report, to include all of the following:
(A) The date that the last child and family team meeting was held.
(B) The individuals or representatives who participated in the last child and family team meeting, specifically noting whether the child or youth, their parent or guardian, and the caregiver were present, and if not, the reason for their nonattendance.
(C) The purpose of the meeting or specific reason or reasons for its convening.
(D) A summary of the action plan or recommendations of the child and family team.
(E) The rationale for any inconsistencies between the case plan and the child and family team recommendations, if relevant, as required by paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501.1.
(2) This subdivision does not authorize the disclosure of information that is otherwise confidential pursuant to state and federal law.

SEC. 2.

 Section 366.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

366.1.
 Each supplemental report required to be filed pursuant to Section 366 shall include, but not be limited to, a factual discussion of each of the following subjects:
(a) Whether the county welfare department social worker has considered either of the following:
(1) Child protective services, as defined in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 16500) of Part 4 of Division 9, as a possible solution to the problems at hand, and has offered those services to qualified parents, if appropriate under the circumstances.
(2) Whether the child can be returned to the custody of their parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with their parent.
(b) What plan, if any, for the return and maintenance of the child in a safe home is recommended to the court by the county welfare department social worker.
(c) Whether the subject child appears to be a person who is eligible to be considered for further court action to free the child from parental custody and control.
(d) What actions, if any, have been taken by the parent to correct the problems that caused the child to be made a dependent child of the court.
(e) If the parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to participate in making an educational decision for their child, or if other circumstances exist that compromise the ability of the parent or guardian to make educational decisions for the child, the county welfare department or social worker shall consider whether the right of the parent or guardian to make educational decisions for the child should be limited. If the supplemental report makes that recommendation, the report shall identify whether there is a responsible adult available to make educational decisions for the child pursuant to Section 361.
(f) (1) The health and education of the minor, including a copy of the complete health and education summary as required under Section 16010, including the name and contact information of the person or persons currently holding the right to make educational decisions for the child.
(2) In instances where it is determined that disclosure pursuant to paragraph (1) of the contact information of the person or persons currently holding the right to make educational decisions for the child poses a threat to the health and safety of that individual or those individuals, that contact information shall be redacted or withheld from the health and education summary within the supplemental report described in this section.
(g) (1) Whether the child has any siblings under the court’s jurisdiction, and, if any siblings exist, all of the following:
(A) The nature of the relationship between the child and their siblings.
(B) The appropriateness of developing or maintaining the sibling relationships pursuant to Section 16002.
(C) If the siblings are not placed together in the same home, why the siblings are not placed together and what efforts are being made to place the siblings together, or why those efforts are not appropriate.
(D) If the siblings are not placed together, all of the following:
(i) The frequency and nature of the visits between the siblings.
(ii) If there are visits between the siblings, whether the visits are supervised or unsupervised. If the visits are supervised, a discussion of the reasons why the visits are supervised, and what needs to be accomplished in order for the visits to be unsupervised.
(iii) If there are visits between the siblings, a description of the location and length of the visits.
(iv) Any plan to increase visitation between the siblings.
(E) The impact of the sibling relationships on the child’s placement and planning for legal permanence.
(2) The factual discussion shall include a discussion of indicators of the nature of the child’s sibling relationships, including, but not limited to, whether the siblings were raised together in the same home, whether the siblings have shared significant common experiences or have existing close and strong bonds, whether either sibling expresses a desire to visit or live with their sibling, as applicable, and whether ongoing contact is in the child’s best emotional interests.
(h) Whether a child who is 10 years of age or older and who has been in an out-of-home placement for six months or longer has relationships with individuals other than the child’s siblings that are important to the child, consistent with the child’s best interests, and actions taken to maintain those relationships. The social worker shall ask every child who is 10 years of age or older and who has been in an out-of-home placement for six months or longer to identify any individuals other than the child’s siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the child’s best interest. The social worker may ask any other child to provide that information, as appropriate.
(i) The implementation and operation of the amendments to subdivision (h) enacted at the 2005–06 Regular Session shall be subject to appropriation through the budget process and by phase, as provided in Section 366.35.

(j)(1)Information about the child and family team, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(A)Members of the child and family team, as defined in Section 16501.

(B)The date that the last child and family team meeting was held.

(C)The individuals who participated in the last child and family team meeting.

(D)The recommendations of the child and family team.

(E)The rationale for any inconsistencies between the case plan and the child and family team recommendations, if relevant.

(2)This subdivision does not authorize the disclosure of information that is otherwise confidential pursuant to state and federal law.

(j) (1) Summary information about any child and family team meeting that has occurred since the last report, to include all of the following:
(A) The date that the last child and family team meeting was held.
(B) The individuals or representatives who participated in the last child and family team meeting, specifically noting whether the child or youth, their parent or guardian, and the caregiver were present, and if not, the reason for their nonattendance.
(C) The purpose of the meeting or specific reason or reasons for its convening.
(D) A summary of the action plan or recommendations of the child and family team.
(E) The rationale for any inconsistencies between the case plan and the child and family team recommendations, if relevant, as required by paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501.1.
(2) This subdivision does not authorize the disclosure of information that is otherwise confidential pursuant to state and federal law.

SEC. 3.

 Section 832 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

832.
 (a) (1) To promote more effective communication needed for the development of a plan to address the needs of the child or youth and family, a person designated as a member of a child and family team as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501 may receive and disclose relevant information and records, subject to the confidentiality provisions of state and federal law.
(2) Information exchanged among the team shall be received in confidence for the limited purpose of providing necessary services and supports to the child or youth and family and shall not be further disclosed except to the juvenile court with jurisdiction over the child, subject to the privileges and confidentiality requirements of state and federal law, or as otherwise required by law. Civil and criminal penalties may apply to the inappropriate disclosure of information held by the team.
(b) (1) If they agree to release information, each participant in the child and family team with legal power to consent shall sign an authorization to release information to team members. In the event that a child or youth who is a dependent or ward of the juvenile court does not have the legal power to consent to the release of information, the child’s attorney or other authorized individual may consent on behalf of the child.
(2) Authorization to release information shall be in writing and shall comply with all other applicable state law governing release of medical, mental health, social service, and educational records, and that covers identified team members, including service providers, in order to permit the release of records to the team.
(3) This authorization shall not include release of adoption records.
(4) The knowing and informed consent to release information given pursuant to this section shall only be in force for the time that the child or youth, or family, or nonminor dependent, is participating in the child and family team.

(c)Prior to the child welfare agency releasing its files or records, or any portion thereof, to the team, interested parties shall be given notice and an opportunity to file an objection pursuant to Section 827.

(d)

(c) Upon obtaining the authorization to release information as described in subdivision (b), and complying with subdivision (c), relevant information and records may be shared with members of the team. If a licensed health care practitioner on the team determines that team unless the disclosure of information would present a reasonable risk of a significant adverse or detrimental effect on the child’s or youth’s psychological or physical safety, the information shall not be released. safety.

(e)

(d) Information and records communicated or provided to the team, by all providers, programs, and agencies, as well as information and records created by the team in the course of serving its children, youth, and their families, shall be deemed private and confidential and shall be protected from discovery and disclosure by all applicable statutory and common law. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the authority of a health care provider to disclose medical information pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 56.10 of the Civil Code.

(f)

(e) If the child welfare agency files or records, or any portions thereof, are privileged or confidential, pursuant to any other state law, except Section 827, or federal law or regulation, the requirements of that state law or federal law or regulation prohibiting or limiting release of the child welfare agency files or records, or any portions thereof, shall prevail.

(g)

(f) All discussions during team meetings are confidential unless disclosure is required by law. Notwithstanding any other law, testimony concerning any team meeting discussion is not admissible in any criminal or civil proceeding except as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).

(h)

(g) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department shall, by July 1, 2021, issue written instructions to counties that describe all protections provided by statute for the confidentiality of mental health, reproductive and sexual health, and minor drug treatment information concerning minors and nonminor dependents for whom a child and family team meeting is held, including, but not limited to, the duties of therapists not to disclose confidential information, as described in Sections 123115 and 123116 of the Health and Safety Code and Section 1015 of the Evidence Code.

(i)

(h) Any request to sign an authorization for the release of information described in subdivision (h) (g) provided to minors or nonminor dependents shall incorporate all statutory protections for the confidentiality of the information, including, but not limited to, their right to consult with an attorney before signing the release of information.

(j)

(i) As used in this section, “privileged information” means any information subject to a privilege pursuant to Division 8 (commencing with Section 900) of the Evidence Code. Disclosure of otherwise privileged information to team members shall not be construed to waive the privilege.

SEC. 4.

 Section 16501 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

16501.
 (a) (1) As used in this chapter, “child welfare services” means public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of any or all of the following purposes:
(A) Protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, including disabled, homeless, dependent, or neglected children.
(B) Preventing or remedying, or assisting in the solution of problems that may result in, the neglect, abuse, exploitation, or delinquency of children.
(C) Preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families by identifying family problems, assisting families in resolving their problems, and preventing breakup of the family where the prevention of child removal is desirable and possible.
(D) Restoring to their families children who have been removed, by the provision of services to the child and the families.
(E) Identifying children to be placed in suitable adoptive homes, in cases where restoration to the biological family is not possible or appropriate.
(F) Ensuring adequate care of children away from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be returned home or cannot be placed for adoption.
(2) “Child welfare services” also means services provided on behalf of children alleged to be the victims of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The child welfare services provided on behalf of each child represent a continuum of services, including emergency response services, family preservation services, family maintenance services, family reunification services, and permanent placement services, including supportive transition services. The individual child’s case plan is the guiding principle in the provision of these services. The case plan shall be developed within a maximum of 60 days of the initial removal of the child or of the in-person response required under subdivision (f) if the child has not been removed from their home, or by the date of the dispositional hearing pursuant to Section 358, whichever comes first.
(3) “Child welfare services” are best provided in a framework that integrates service planning and delivery among multiple service systems, including the mental health system, using a team-based approach, such as a child and family team. A child and family team brings together individuals that engage with the child or youth and family in assessing, planning, and delivering services consistent with paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 16501.1. Use of a team approach increases efficiency, and thus reduces cost, by increasing coordination of formal services and integrating the natural and informal supports available to the child or youth and family.
(4) “Child and family team” means a group of individuals who are identified convened by the placing agency and who are engaged through a variety of team-based processes to identify the strengths and needs of the child or youth and their family, and to help achieve positive outcomes for safety, permanency, and well-being.
(A) The activities of the team shall include, but not be limited to, both of the following:
(i) Providing input into the development of a child and family plan that is strengths-based, needs-driven, and culturally relevant.
(ii) Providing input into the placement decision made by the placing agency and the services to be provided in order to support the child or youth.
(B) (i) The child and family team process shall engage the child or youth, the child’s family, and other people important to the family or to the child or youth in meeting the objectives set forth in subparagraph (A). The child and family team shall also include representatives who provide formal supports to the child or youth and family when appropriate, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(I) The caregiver.
(II) The placing agency caseworker.
(III) A representative from a foster family agency or short-term residential therapeutic program with which a child or youth is placed.
(IV) A county mental health representative.
(V) A representative from the regional center if the child is eligible for regional center services.
(VI) The child or youth’s Court-Appointed Special Advocate, if one has been appointed, unless the child or youth objects.
(VII) A representative of the child or youth’s tribe or Indian custodian, as applicable.
(ii) As appropriate, the child and family team also may include other formal supports, such as substance use disorder treatment professionals and educational professionals, providing services to the child or youth and family. For purposes of this definition, the child and family team also may include extended family and informal support persons, such as friends, coaches, faith-based connections, and tribes as identified by the child or youth and family. If placement into a short-term residential therapeutic program or a foster family agency that provides treatment services has occurred or is being considered, the mental health representative is required to be a licensed mental health professional. Any party to the child’s case who is represented by an attorney may consult with their attorney regarding this process. The child or youth and their family may request specific persons to be included on the child and family team. Nothing shall preclude another agency serving the child or youth from convening a team in collaboration with the placing agency.
(5) “Child and family team meeting” means a convening of all or some members of the child and family team. A child and family team meeting may be requested by any member of the child and family team. Decisions shall not be made at a child and family team meeting without the involvement of the child and family members.

(A)A neutral facilitator shall convene a child and family team meeting. The facilitator shall be skilled at, and trained in, facilitating child and family team meetings and act as a neutral party throughout the child and family team process. The facilitator may be an employee of the child welfare agency or an outside provider contracted by the agency. The social worker assigned to the child shall not serve as the neutral facilitator unless all members of the child and family team agree to it.

(B)The child and family team meeting facilitator shall provide electronic or telephonic notice to all child and family team members immediately following the scheduling of the meeting and at least 72 hours before convening the team meeting. If, due to exigent circumstances, the meeting is scheduled with less than 72 hours notice, notice shall be provided as soon as possible.

(C)The child and family team facilitator shall provide electronic notice to the minor’s and parent’s attorney immediately following the scheduling of the meeting at least 72 hours before convening a child and family team meeting. If, due to exigent circumstances, the meeting is scheduled with less than 72 hours notice, notice shall be provided as soon as possible.

(A) The facilitator of a child and family team meeting shall be skilled at, and trained in, facilitating child and family team meetings and act as a neutral party throughout the process. The facilitator may be an employee of the child welfare agency or an outside provider contracted by the agency. If a child and family team meeting will be facilitated by the social worker assigned to the case, the child, youth, parent, or caregiver shall be informed of the right to request an alternative facilitator. An alternative facilitator shall be provided upon request.
(B) Upon the scheduling of a child and family team meeting, a notification shall be provided to the child or youth, their parent or guardian, and the caregiver. Notification shall be provided by either telephonic or electronic means at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting, unless the facilitator or other members of the child and family team determine that a meeting needs to take place in less than 72 hours, in which case notification shall occur as soon as possible. The notification shall include whether the facilitator is the social worker assigned to the case and notice of the right to request an alternative facilitator. A courtesy notification shall also be provided by telephonic or electronic means to the attorneys for the child or youth and their parent or guardian pursuant to the aforementioned timelines.

(D)

(C) The occurrence of the child and family team meeting shall be documented in the court report, as described in Sections 358.1 and 366.1. The documentation shall include the date the team meeting was held, the members in attendance, and the recommendations of the child and family team.

(E)

(D) (i) The child’s court-appointed educational rights holder rights holder, if someone other than the parent, guardian, or caregiver, and the educational liaison from the child’s local education agency shall be invited to included in the child and family team meeting if any of the following apply:
(I) The child and family team meeting will develop and implement a placement preservation strategy pursuant to Section 16010.7.
(II) The child and family team meeting will discuss a placement change.
(III) The child and family team meeting is the first meeting following a placement change.
(ii) The child and family team facilitator shall ensure that information is shared at the child and family team meeting about which school or schools qualify as the child’s school of origin and ensure that all participants at the team meeting receive information regarding the child’s school of origin rights.
(iii) The child and family team shall discuss if remaining in the school of origin is in the child’s best interest.
(iv) If the child’s educational rights holder determines that remaining in, or returning to, the child’s school of origin is in the child’s best interest, the child and family team shall determine a developmentally appropriate transportation plan for the child to attend their school of origin and any available extracurricular activities.
(6) Child welfare services may include, but are not limited to, a range of service-funded activities, including case management, counseling, emergency shelter care, emergency in-home caretakers, temporary in-home caretakers, respite care, therapeutic day services, teaching and demonstrating homemakers, parenting training, substance abuse testing, transportation, and specialized permanency services. These service-funded activities shall be available to children and their families in all phases of the child welfare program in accordance with the child’s case plan and departmental regulations. Funding for services is limited to the amount appropriated in the annual Budget Act and other available county funds.
(7) Service-funded activities to be provided may be determined by each county, based upon individual child and family needs as reflected in the service plan.
(8) As used in this chapter, “emergency shelter care” means emergency shelter provided to children who have been removed pursuant to Section 300 from their parent or parents or their guardian or guardians. The department may establish, by regulation, the time periods for which emergency shelter care shall be funded. For the purposes of this paragraph, “emergency shelter care” may include “transitional shelter care facilities” as defined in paragraph (11) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code.
(9) As used in this chapter, “specialized permanency services” means services to assist a child or nonminor dependent whose case plan is for permanent placement or supportive transition to adulthood in achieving a permanent family through reunification, adoption, legal guardianship, or other lifelong connection to caring adults, including at least one adult who will provide a permanent, parent-like relationship for the child or nonminor dependent. Specialized permanency services are designed for and with the child to address the child’s history of trauma, separation, and loss. “Specialized permanency services” may include all of the following:
(A) Medically necessary mental health services, if the medical necessity criteria for Medi-Cal specialty mental health services, as described in Section 1830.205 or 1830.210 of Title 9 of the California Code of Regulations, is met, as needed to ameliorate impairments in significant areas of life functioning that may reduce the likelihood of the child or nonminor dependent achieving a permanent family, and may include other services designed to address the child’s or nonminor dependent’s history of trauma, grief, loss, stigma, and rejection that reduce the likelihood of the child or nonminor dependent achieving a permanent family.
(B) Permanency support core services, as appropriate to achieve, stabilize, and sustain the child or nonminor dependent in a permanent family.
(C) Services designed to prepare the identified permanent family to meet the child’s or nonminor dependent’s needs, set appropriate expectations before and after permanency is achieved, and stabilize the placement.
(b) As used in this chapter, “respite care” means temporary care for periods not to exceed 72 hours, and, in order to preserve the placement, may be extended up to 14 days in any one month pending the development of policies and regulations in consultation with county placing agencies and stakeholders. This care may be provided to the child’s parents or guardians. This care shall not be limited by regulation to care over 24 hours. These services shall not be provided for the purpose of routine, ongoing childcare.
(c) The county shall provide child welfare services as needed pursuant to an approved service plan and in accordance with regulations promulgated, in consultation with the counties, by the department. Counties may contract for service-funded activities, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). Counties shall not contract for needs assessment, client eligibility determination, or any other activity as specified by regulations of the State Department of Social Services, except as specifically authorized in Section 16100.
(d) This chapter shall not be construed to affect duties that are delegated to probation officers pursuant to Sections 601 and 654.
(e) A county may utilize volunteer individuals to supplement professional child welfare services by providing ancillary support services in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Department of Social Services.
(f) As used in this chapter, emergency response services consist of a response system providing in-person response, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, as required by Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code for the purpose of investigation pursuant to Section 11166 of the Penal Code and to determine the necessity for providing initial intake services and crisis intervention to maintain the child safely in their own home or to protect the safety of the child. County welfare departments shall respond to any report of imminent danger to a child immediately and all other reports within 10 calendar days. An in-person response is not required when the county welfare department, based upon an evaluation of risk, determines that an in-person response is not appropriate. This evaluation includes collateral contacts, a review of previous referrals, and other relevant information, as indicated.
(g) As used in this chapter, family maintenance services are activities designed to provide in-home protective services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation, for the purposes of preventing separation of children from their families.
(h) As used in this chapter, family reunification services are activities designed to provide time-limited foster care services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation, when the child cannot safely remain at home, and needs temporary foster care, while services are provided to reunite the family.
(i) (1) As used in this chapter, permanent placement services are activities designed to provide an alternate permanent family structure for children who, because of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, cannot safely remain at home and who are unlikely to ever return home. These services shall be provided on behalf of children for whom there has been a judicial determination of a permanent plan for adoption, legal guardianship, placement with a fit and willing relative, or continued foster care placement, and, as needed, shall include supportive transition services to nonminor dependents, as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400.
(2) For purposes of this section, “another planned permanent living arrangement” means a permanent plan ordered by the court for a child 16 years of age or older or a nonminor dependent, when there is a compelling reason or reasons to determine that it is not in the best interest of the child or nonminor dependent to return home, be placed for adoption, be placed for tribal customary adoption in the case of an Indian child, or be placed with a fit and willing relative. Placement in a group home, or, on and after January 1, 2017, a short-term residential therapeutic program, shall not be the identified permanent plan for any child or nonminor dependent.
(j) As used in this chapter, family preservation services include those services specified in Section 16500.5 to avoid or limit out-of-home placement of children, and may include those services specified in that section to place children in the least restrictive environment possible.
(k) (1) (A) In any county electing to implement this subdivision, all county welfare department employees who have frequent and routine contact with children shall, by February 1, 1997, and all welfare department employees who are expected to have frequent and routine contact with children and who are hired on or after January 1, 1996, and all such employees whose duties change after January 1, 1996, to include frequent and routine contact with children, shall, if the employees provide services to children who are alleged victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal conviction, and shall provide a set of fingerprints to the county welfare director.
(B) The county welfare director shall secure from the Department of Justice a criminal record to determine whether the employee has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation. The Department of Justice shall deliver the criminal record to the county welfare director.
(C) If it is found that the employee has been convicted of a crime, other than a minor traffic violation, the county welfare director shall determine whether there is substantial and convincing evidence to support a reasonable belief that the employee is of good character so as to justify frequent and routine contact with children.
(D) An exemption shall not be granted pursuant to subparagraph (C) if the person has been convicted of a sex offense against a minor, or has been convicted of an offense specified in Section 220, 243.4, 264.1, 273d, 288, or 289 of the Penal Code, or in paragraph (1) of Section 273a of, or subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 368 of, the Penal Code, or has been convicted of an offense specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code. The county welfare director shall suspend such a person from any duties involving frequent and routine contact with children.
(E) Notwithstanding subparagraph (D), the county welfare director may grant an exemption if the employee or prospective employee, who was convicted of a crime against an individual specified in paragraph (1) or (7) of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, has been rehabilitated as provided in Section 4852.03 of the Penal Code and has maintained the conduct required in Section 4852.05 of the Penal Code for at least 10 years and has the recommendation of the district attorney representing the employee’s or prospective employee’s county of residence, or if the employee or prospective employee has received a certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. In that case, the county welfare director may give the employee or prospective employee an opportunity to explain the conviction and shall consider that explanation in the evaluation of the criminal conviction record.
(F) If criminal record information has not been recorded, the county welfare director shall cause a statement of that fact to be included in that person’s personnel file.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, a conviction means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. An action that the county welfare director is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, or the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a of the Penal Code permitting the person to withdraw their plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment. For purposes of this subdivision, the record of a conviction, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the court or by a judge of the court in which the conviction occurred, shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction.

SEC. 5.

 Section 16501.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

16501.1.
 (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that the foundation and central unifying tool in child welfare services is the case plan.
(2) The Legislature further finds and declares that a case plan ensures that the child receives protection and safe and proper care and case management, and that services are provided to the child and parents or other caretakers, as appropriate, in order to improve conditions in the parent’s home, to facilitate the safe return of the child to a safe home or the permanent placement of the child, and to address the needs of the child while in foster care.
(3) The agency shall consider and document the recommendations of the child and family team, as defined in Section 16501, if any are available. The agency shall document the rationale for any inconsistencies between the case plan and the child and family team recommendations.
(b) (1) A case plan shall be based upon the principles of this section and the input from the child and family team.
(2) The case plan shall document that a preplacement assessment of the service needs of the child and family, and preplacement preventive services, have been provided, and that reasonable efforts to prevent out-of-home placement have been made. Preplacement services may include intensive mental health services in the home or a community setting and the reasonable efforts made to prevent out-of-home placement.
(3) In determining the reasonable services to be offered or provided, the child’s health and safety shall be the paramount concerns.
(4) Upon a determination pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 361.5 that reasonable services will be offered to a parent who is incarcerated in a county jail or state prison, detained by the United States Department of Homeland Security, or deported to their country of origin, the case plan shall include information, to the extent possible, about a parent’s incarceration in a county jail or the state prison, detention by the United States Department of Homeland Security, or deportation during the time that a minor child of that parent is involved in dependency care.
(5) Reasonable services shall be offered or provided to make it possible for a child to return to a safe home environment, unless, pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (e) of Section 361.5, the court determines that reunification services shall not be provided.
(6) If reasonable services are not ordered, or are terminated, reasonable efforts shall be made to place the child in a timely manner in accordance with the permanent plan and to complete all steps necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child.
(c) If out-of-home placement is used to attain case plan goals, the case plan shall consider the recommendations of the child and family team.
(d) (1) The case plan shall include a description of the type of home or institution in which the child is to be placed, and the reasons for that placement decision. The decision regarding choice of placement shall be based upon selection of a safe setting that is the least restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences and the most appropriate setting that meets the child’s individual needs and is available, in proximity to the parent’s home, in proximity to the child’s school, and consistent with the selection of the environment best suited to meet the child’s special needs and best interests. The selection shall consider, in order of priority, placement with relatives, nonrelative extended family members, and tribal members; foster family homes, resource families, and approved or certified homes of foster family agencies; followed by intensive services for foster care homes; or multidimensional treatment foster care homes or therapeutic foster care homes; group care placements in the order of short-term residential therapeutic programs, group homes, community treatment facilities, and out-of-state residential treatment pursuant to Part 5 (commencing with Section 7900) of Division 12 of the Family Code.
(2) If a short-term residential therapeutic program placement is selected for a child, the case plan shall indicate the needs of the child that necessitate this placement, the plan for transitioning the child to a less restrictive environment, and the projected timeline by which the child will be transitioned to a less restrictive environment. This section of the case plan shall be reviewed and updated at least semiannually.
(A) The case plan for placements in a group home, or commencing January 1, 2017, in a short-term residential therapeutic program, shall indicate that the county has taken into consideration Section 16010.8.
(B) (i) After January 1, 2017, a child and family team meeting as described in Section 16501 shall be convened by the county placing agency for the purpose of identifying the supports and services needed to achieve permanency and enable the child or youth to be placed in the least restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences.
(ii) Child and family teams shall be provided written or electronic information developed by the department describing services and activities, including specialized permanency services, shown to be effective in achieving and sustaining permanency for all children, youth, and nonminor dependents.
(3) On or after January 1, 2012, for a nonminor dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who is receiving AFDC-FC benefits and who is up to 21 years of age pursuant to Section 11403, in addition to the above requirements, the selection of the placement, including a supervised independent living placement, as described in subdivision (w) of Section 11400, shall also be based upon the developmental needs of young adults by providing opportunities to have incremental responsibilities that prepare a nonminor dependent to transition to successful adulthood. If admission to, or continuation in, a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement is being considered for a nonminor dependent, the group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement approval decision shall include a youth-driven, team-based case planning process, as defined by the department, in consultation with stakeholders. The case plan shall consider the full range of placement options, and shall specify why admission to, or continuation in, a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement is the best alternative available at the time to meet the special needs or well-being of the nonminor dependent, and how the placement will contribute to the nonminor dependent’s transition to successful adulthood. The case plan shall specify the treatment strategies that will be used to prepare the nonminor dependent for discharge to a less restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences, including a target date for discharge from the group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement. The placement shall be reviewed and updated on a regular, periodic basis to ensure that continuation in the group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement remains in the best interests of the nonminor dependent and that progress is being made in achieving case plan goals leading to successful adulthood. The group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement planning process shall begin as soon as it becomes clear to the county welfare department or probation office that a foster child in group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement is likely to remain in group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement on their 18th birthday, in order to expedite the transition to a less restrictive family setting that promotes normal childhood experiences, if the child becomes a nonminor dependent. The case planning process shall include informing the youth of all of the options, including, but not limited to, admission to or continuation in a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program placement.
(4) Consideration for continuation of existing group home placement for a nonminor dependent under 19 years of age may include the need to stay in the same placement in order to complete high school. After a nonminor dependent either completes high school or attains their 19th birthday, whichever is earlier, continuation in or admission to a group home placement is prohibited unless the nonminor dependent satisfies the conditions of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403, and group home placement functions as a short-term transition to the appropriate system of care. Treatment services provided by the group home placement to the nonminor dependent to alleviate or ameliorate the medical condition, as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403, shall not constitute the sole basis to disqualify a nonminor dependent from the group home placement.
(5) In addition to the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, and taking into account other statutory considerations regarding placement, the selection of the most appropriate home that will meet the child’s special needs and best interests shall also promote educational stability by taking into consideration proximity to the child’s school of origin, and school attendance area, the number of school transfers the child has previously experienced, and the child’s school matriculation schedule, in addition to other indicators of educational stability that the Legislature hereby encourages the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Education to develop.
(e) A written case plan shall be completed within a maximum of 60 days of the initial removal of the child or of the in-person response required under subdivision (f) of Section 16501 if the child has not been removed from their home, or by the date of the dispositional hearing pursuant to Section 358, whichever occurs first. The case plan shall be updated, as the service needs of the child and family dictate. At a minimum, the case plan shall be updated in conjunction with each status review hearing conducted pursuant to Sections 364, 366, 366.3, and 366.31, and the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 366.26, but no less frequently than once every six months. Each updated case plan shall include a description of the services that have been provided to the child under the plan and an evaluation of the appropriateness and effectiveness of those services.
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that extending the maximum time available for preparing a written case plan from 30 to 60 days will afford caseworkers time to actively engage families, and to solicit and integrate into the case plan the input of the child and the child’s family, as well as the input of relatives and other interested parties.
(2) The extension of the maximum time available for preparing a written case plan from 30 to 60 days shall be effective 90 days after the date that the department gives counties written notice that necessary changes have been made to the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) to account for the 60-day timeframe for preparing a written case plan.
(f) The child welfare services case plan shall be comprehensive enough to meet the juvenile court dependency proceedings requirements pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 300) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2.
(g) The case plan shall be developed considering the recommendations of the child and family team, as follows:
(1) The case plan shall be based upon an assessment of the circumstances that required child welfare services intervention. The child shall be involved in developing the case plan as age and developmentally appropriate.
(2) The case plan shall identify specific goals and the appropriateness of the planned services in meeting those goals.
(3) The case plan shall identify the original allegations of abuse or neglect, as defined in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code, or the conditions cited as the basis for declaring the child a dependent of the court pursuant to Section 300, or all of these, and the other precipitating incidents that led to child welfare services intervention.
(4) The case plan shall include a description of the schedule of the placement agency contacts with the child and the family or other caretakers. The frequency of these contacts shall be in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Department of Social Services. If the child has been placed in foster care out of state, the county social worker or probation officer, or a social worker or probation officer on the staff of the agency in the state in which the child has been placed, shall visit the child in a foster family home or the home of a relative, consistent with federal law and in accordance with the department’s approved state plan. For children in out-of-state group home facilities, visits shall be conducted at least monthly, pursuant to Section 16516.5. At least once every six months, at the time of a regularly scheduled placement agency contact with the foster child, and at each placement change, the child’s social worker or probation officer shall inform the child, the care provider, and the child and family team, if applicable, of the child’s rights as a foster child, as specified in Section 16001.9, and shall provide a written copy of the rights to the child as part of the explanation. The social worker or probation officer shall provide the information to the child in a manner appropriate to the age or developmental level of the child. The social worker or probation officer shall document in the case plan that they have informed the child of, and have provided the child with a written copy of, the child’s rights.
(5) (A) When out-of-home services are used, the frequency of contact between the natural parents or legal guardians and the child shall be specified in the case plan. The frequency of those contacts shall reflect overall case goals, and consider other principles outlined in this section.
(B) Information regarding any court-ordered visitation between the child and the natural parents or legal guardians, and the terms and conditions needed to facilitate the visits while protecting the safety of the child, shall be provided to the child’s out-of-home caregiver as soon as possible after the court order is made.
(6) When out-of-home placement is made, the case plan shall include provisions for the development and maintenance of sibling relationships as specified in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) of Section 16002. If appropriate, when siblings who are dependents of the juvenile court are not placed together, the social worker for each child, if different, shall communicate with each of the other social workers and ensure that the child’s siblings are informed of significant life events that occur within their extended family. Unless it has been determined that it is inappropriate in a particular case to keep siblings informed of significant life events that occur within the extended family, the social worker shall determine the appropriate means and setting for disclosure of this information to the child commensurate with the child’s age and emotional well-being. These significant life events shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(A) The death of an immediate relative.
(B) The birth of a sibling.
(C) Significant changes regarding a dependent child, unless the child objects to the sharing of the information with their siblings, including changes in placement, major medical or mental health diagnoses, treatments, or hospitalizations, arrests, and changes in the permanent plan.
(7) If out-of-home placement is made in a foster family home, resource family home, group home, or other childcare institution that is either a substantial distance from the home of the child’s parent or out of state, the case plan shall specify the reasons why that placement is in the best interest of the child. When an out-of-state group home placement is recommended or made, the case plan shall, in addition, specify compliance with Section 7911.1 of the Family Code.
(8) A case plan shall ensure the educational stability of the child while in foster care and shall include both of the following:
(A) An assurance that the placement takes into account the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement.
(B) An assurance that the placement agency has coordinated with the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the child and appropriate local educational agencies to ensure that the child remains in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement or, if remaining in that school is not in the best interests of the child, assurances by the placement agency and the local educational agency to provide immediate and appropriate enrollment in a new school and to provide all of the child’s educational records to the new school.
(9) (A) If out-of-home services are used, or if parental rights have been terminated and the case plan is placement for adoption, the case plan shall include a recommendation regarding the appropriateness of unsupervised visitation between the child and any of the child’s siblings. This recommendation shall include a statement regarding the child’s and the siblings’ willingness to participate in unsupervised visitation. If the case plan includes a recommendation for unsupervised sibling visitation, the plan shall also note that information necessary to accomplish this visitation has been provided to the child or to the child’s siblings.
(B) Information regarding the schedule and frequency of the visits between the child and siblings, as well as any court-ordered terms and conditions needed to facilitate the visits while protecting the safety of the child, shall be provided to the child’s out-of-home caregiver as soon as possible after the court order is made.
(10) If out-of-home services are used and the goal is reunification, the case plan shall describe the services to be provided to assist in reunification and the services to be provided concurrently to achieve legal permanency if efforts to reunify fail. The plan shall also consider in-state and out-of-state placements, the importance of developing and maintaining sibling relationships pursuant to Section 16002, and the desire and willingness of the caregiver to provide legal permanency for the child if reunification is unsuccessful.
(11) If out-of-home services are used, the child has been in care for at least 12 months, and the goal is not adoptive placement, the case plan shall include documentation of the compelling reason or reasons why termination of parental rights is not in the child’s best interest. A determination completed or updated within the past 12 months by the department when it is acting as an adoption agency or by a licensed adoption agency that it is unlikely that the child will be adopted, or that one of the conditions described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 366.26 applies, shall be deemed a compelling reason.
(12) (A) Parents and legal guardians shall have an opportunity to review the case plan, and to sign it whenever possible, and then shall receive a copy of the plan. In a voluntary service or placement agreement, the parents or legal guardians shall be required to review and sign the case plan. Whenever possible, parents and legal guardians shall participate in the development of the case plan. Commencing January 1, 2012, for nonminor dependents, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who are receiving AFDC-FC or CalWORKs assistance and who are up to 21 years of age pursuant to Section 11403, the transitional independent living case plan, as set forth in subdivision (y) of Section 11400, shall be developed with, and signed by, the nonminor.
(B) Parents and legal guardians shall be advised that, pursuant to Section 1228.1 of the Evidence Code, neither their signature on the child welfare services case plan nor their acceptance of any services prescribed in the child welfare services case plan shall constitute an admission of guilt or be used as evidence against the parent or legal guardian in a court of law. However, they shall also be advised that the parent’s or guardian’s failure to cooperate, except for good cause, in the provision of services specified in the child welfare services case plan may be used in any hearing held pursuant to Section 366.21, 366.22, or 366.25 of this code as evidence.
(13) A child shall be given a meaningful opportunity to participate in the development of the case plan and state their preference for foster care placement. A child who is 12 years of age or older and in a permanent placement shall also be given the opportunity to review the case plan, sign the case plan, and receive a copy of the case plan.
(14) The case plan shall be included in the court report, and shall be considered by the court at the initial hearing and each review hearing. Modifications to the case plan made during the period between review hearings need not be approved by the court if the casework supervisor for that case determines that the modifications further the goals of the plan. If out-of-home services are used with the goal of family reunification, the case plan shall consider and describe the application of subdivision (b) of Section 11203.
(15) (A) If the case plan has as its goal for the child a permanent plan of adoption, legal guardianship, or another planned permanent living arrangement, it shall include a statement of the child’s wishes regarding their permanent placement plan and an assessment of those stated wishes. The agency shall also include documentation of the steps the agency is taking to find an adoptive family or other permanent living arrangements for the child; to place the child with an adoptive family, an appropriate and willing relative, or a legal guardian, and to finalize the adoption or legal guardianship. At a minimum, the documentation shall include child-specific recruitment efforts, such as the use of state, regional, and national adoption exchanges, including electronic exchange systems, when the child has been freed for adoption. Regardless of whether the child has been freed for adoption, documentation shall include a description of any barriers to achieving legal permanence and the steps the agency will take to address those barriers. If a child has been in care for three years or more, the documentation shall include a description of the specialized permanency services used or, if specialized permanency services have not been used, a statement explaining why the agency chose not to provide these services. If the plan is for kinship guardianship, the case plan shall document how the child meets the kinship guardianship eligibility requirements.
(B) Specific elements of specialized permanency services may be included in the case plan as needed to meet the permanency needs of the individual child or nonminor dependent.
(C) When the child is 16 years of age or older and is in another planned permanent living arrangement, the case plan shall identify the intensive and ongoing efforts to return the child to the home of the parent, place the child for adoption, place the child for tribal customary adoption in the case of an Indian child, establish a legal guardianship, or place the child nonminor dependent with a fit and willing relative, as appropriate. Efforts shall include the use of technology, including social media, to find biological family members of the child.
(16) (A) (i) For a child who is 14 or 15 years of age, the case plan shall include a written description of the programs and services that will help the child, consistent with the child’s best interests, to prepare for the transition from foster care to successful adulthood. The description may be included in the document described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (18).
(ii) When appropriate, for a child who is 16 years of age or older and, commencing January 1, 2012, for a nonminor dependent, the case plan shall include the transitional independent living plan (TILP), a written description of the programs and services that will help the child, consistent with the child’s best interests, to prepare for the transition from foster care to successful adulthood, and, in addition, whether the youth has an in-progress application pending for Title XVI Supplemental Security Income benefits or for special immigrant juvenile status or other applicable application for legal residency and an active dependency case is required for that application. When appropriate, for a nonminor dependent, the transitional independent living case plan, as described in subdivision (y) of Section 11400, shall include the TILP, a written description of the programs and services that will help the nonminor dependent, consistent with their best interests, to prepare for transition from foster care and assist the youth in meeting the eligibility criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 11403. If applicable, the case plan shall describe the individualized supervision provided in the supervised independent living placement as defined in subdivision (w) of Section 11400. The case plan shall be developed with the child or nonminor dependent and individuals identified as important to the child or nonminor dependent, and shall include steps the agency is taking to ensure that the child or nonminor dependent achieves permanence, including maintaining or obtaining permanent connections to caring and committed adults.
(B) During the 90-day period prior to the participant attaining 18 years of age or older as the state may elect under Section 475(8)(B)(iii) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 675(8)(B)(iii)), whether during that period foster care maintenance payments are being made on the child’s behalf or the child is receiving benefits or services under Section 477 of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 677), a caseworker or other appropriate agency staff or probation officer and other representatives of the participant, as appropriate, shall provide the youth or nonminor dependent with assistance and support in developing the written 90-day transition plan, that is personalized at the direction of the child, information as detailed as the participant elects that shall include, but not be limited to, options regarding housing, health insurance, education, local opportunities for mentors and continuing support services, and workforce supports and employment services, a power of attorney for health care, and information regarding the advance health care directive form. Information provided regarding health insurance options shall include verification that the eligible youth or nonminor dependent is enrolled in Medi-Cal and a description of the steps that have been or will be taken by the youth’s social worker or probation officer to ensure that the eligible youth or nonminor dependent is transitioned into the Medi-Cal program for former foster youth upon case closure with no interruption in coverage and with no new application being required, as provided in Section 14005.28.
(C) For youth 14 years of age or older, the case plan shall include documentation that a consumer credit report was requested annually from each of the three major credit reporting agencies at no charge to the youth and that any results were provided to the youth. For nonminor dependents, the case plan shall include documentation that the county assisted the nonminor dependent in obtaining their reports. The case plan shall include documentation of barriers, if any, to obtaining the credit reports. If the consumer credit report reveals any accounts, the case plan shall detail how the county ensured the youth received assistance with interpreting the credit report and resolving any inaccuracies, including any referrals made for the assistance.
(17) For youth 14 years of age or older and nonminor dependents, the case plan shall be developed in consultation with the youth. At the youth’s option, the consultation may include up to two members of the case planning team who are chosen by the youth and who are not foster parents of, or caseworkers for, the youth. The agency, at any time, may reject an individual selected by the youth to be a member of the case planning team if the agency has good cause to believe that the individual would not act in the youth’s best interest. One individual selected by the youth to be a member of the case planning team may be designated to be the youth’s adviser and advocate with respect to the application of the reasonable and prudent parent standard to the youth, as necessary.
(18) For youth in foster care 14 years of age or older and nonminor dependents, the case plan shall include both of the following:
(A) A document that describes the youth’s rights with respect to education, health, visitation, and court participation, the right to be annually provided with copies of their credit reports at no cost while in foster care pursuant to Section 10618.6, and the right to stay safe and avoid exploitation.
(B) A signed acknowledgment by the youth that they have been provided a copy of the document and that the rights described in the document have been explained to the youth in an age-appropriate manner.
(19) The case plan for a child or nonminor dependent who is, or who is at risk of becoming, the victim of commercial sexual exploitation, shall document the services provided to address that issue.
(20) For a youth in foster care 10 years of age or older who is in junior high, middle, or high school, or a nonminor dependent enrolled in high school, the case plan shall be reviewed annually, and updated as needed, to indicate that the case management worker has verified that the youth or nonminor dependent received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements established in Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, through the school system. The case plan shall document either of the following:
(A) For a youth in junior high or middle school, either that the youth has already received this instruction during junior high or middle school, or how the county will ensure that the youth receives the instruction at least once before completing junior high or middle school if the youth remains under the jurisdiction of the dependency court during this timeframe.
(B) For a youth or nonminor dependent in high school, either that the youth or nonminor dependent already received this instruction during high school, or how the county will ensure that the youth or nonminor dependent receives the instruction at least once before completing high school if the youth or nonminor dependent remains under the jurisdiction of the dependency court during this timeframe.
(21) (A) For a youth in foster care 10 years of age or older or a nonminor dependent, the case plan shall be updated annually to indicate that the case management worker has done all of the following:
(i) Informed the youth or nonminor dependent that they may access age-appropriate, medically accurate information about reproductive and sexual health care, including, but not limited to, unplanned pregnancy prevention, abstinence, use of birth control, abortion, and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
(ii) Informed the youth or nonminor dependent, in an age- and developmentally appropriate manner, of their right to consent to sexual and reproductive health services and their confidentiality rights regarding those services.
(iii) Informed the youth or nonminor dependent how to access reproductive and sexual health care services and facilitated access to that care, including by assisting with any identified barriers to care, as needed.
(B) This paragraph shall not be construed to affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(22) For a child who is 16 years of age or older and for a nonminor dependent, the case plan shall identify the person or persons, who may include the child’s high school counselor, Court-Appointed Special Advocate, guardian, or other adult, who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, unless the child or nonminor dependent states that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education. If, at any point in the future, the child or nonminor dependent expresses that they wish to pursue postsecondary education, the case plan shall be updated to identify an adult individual responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid.
(h) If the court finds, after considering the case plan, that unsupervised sibling visitation is appropriate and has been consented to, the court shall order that the child or the child’s siblings, the child’s current caregiver, and the child’s prospective adoptive parents, if applicable, be provided with information necessary to accomplish this visitation. This section does not require or prohibit the social worker’s facilitation, transportation, or supervision of visits between the child and their siblings.
(i) The case plan documentation on sibling placements required under this section shall not require modification of existing case plan forms until the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) is implemented on a statewide basis.
(j) When a child is 10 years of age or older and has been in out-of-home placement for six months or longer, the case plan shall include an identification of individuals, other than the child’s siblings, who are important to the child and actions necessary to maintain the child’s relationship with those individuals, provided that those relationships are in the best interest of the child. The social worker or probation officer shall ask every child who is 10 years of age or older and who has been in out-of-home placement for six months or longer to identify individuals other than the child’s siblings who are important to the child, and may ask any other child to provide that information, or may seek that information from the child and family team, as appropriate. The social worker or probation officer shall make efforts to identify other individuals who are important to the child, consistent with the child’s best interests.
(k) The child’s caregiver shall be provided a copy of a plan outlining the child’s needs and services. The nonminor dependent’s caregiver shall be provided with a copy of the nonminor’s TILP.
(l) Each county shall ensure that the total number of visits made by caseworkers on a monthly basis to children in foster care during a federal fiscal year is not less than 95 percent of the total number of those visits that would occur if each child were visited once every month while in care and that the majority of the visits occur in the residence of the child. The county child welfare and probation departments shall comply with data reporting requirements that the department deems necessary to comply with the federal Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-288) and the federal Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Public Law 112-34).
(m) The implementation and operation of the amendments to subdivision (i) enacted at the 2005–06 Regular Session shall be subject to appropriation through the budget process and by phase, as provided in Section 366.35.

SEC. 6.

 To the extent that this act has an overall effect of increasing the costs already borne by a local agency for programs or levels of service mandated by the 2011 Realignment Legislation within the meaning of Section 36 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, it shall apply to local agencies only to the extent that the state provides annual funding for the cost increase. Any new program or higher level of service provided by a local agency pursuant to this act above the level for which funding has been provided shall not require a subvention of funds by the state or otherwise be subject to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

LegiScan Search

View Top 50 Searches

Select area of search.
Find an exact bill number.
Search bill text and data. [help]
Reset

LegiScan Trends

View Top 50 National

US SB5084 Safe School Meals Act of 2024
NJ A4837 Requires prescriptions for certain patients to include patients' weigh...
CA AB2680 Alzheimer’s disease.
NJ A4973 "The Manufactured Home Park Protection Act"; expands opportunity to purchase...
CA SB1418 Hydrogen-fueling stations: expedited review.
LA SB1 Constitutional amendment to provide for jurisdiction of courts. (2/3 -...
US HR1555 Condemning the spreading of disinformation and malicious rumors that have...
IL SJR0067 PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS
MI HR0304 A resolution to condemn the recent rise in antisemitic incidents.
CA AB2159 Common interest developments: association governance: elections.
feedback