BILL NUMBER: AB 1764	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Roger Hernández

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2012

   An act to amend Section 1502.6 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to private adoption agencies.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1764, as introduced, Roger Hernández. Private adoption
agencies: licensing.
   Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to
deny a private adoption agency a license, and to revoke an existing
private adoption agency license, unless the applicant or licensee
demonstrates that it employs either an executive director or a
supervisor who has had at least 5 years of full-time social work
employment in the field of child welfare, as described, 2 years of
which have been spent performing adoption social work services, as
specified.
   This bill would specify that these provisions of law do not
require an executive director or supervisor of a private adoption
agency to be licensed as a clinical social worker, provided the
individual meets the requisite years of experience in social work
employment and adoption social work services.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1502.6 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   1502.6.   (a)    The department shall deny a
private adoption agency a license, or revoke an existing private
adoption agency license, unless the applicant or licensee
demonstrates that it currently and continuously employs either an
executive director or a supervisor who has had at least five years of
full-time social work employment in the field of child welfare as
described in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 16500) of Part 4 of
Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or Division 13
(commencing with Section 8500) of the Family Code, two years of which
shall have been spent performing adoption social work services in
either the department or a licensed California adoption agency. 
   (b) Subdivision (a) shall not be construed to require an executive
director or supervisor of a private adoption agency to be licensed
as a clinical social worker. A licensed marriage and family
therapist, other licensed mental health practitioner, or any other
qualified individual may be employed as an executive director or
supervisor of a private adoption agency, provided that he or she
possesses the experience with respect to social work employment and
adoption social work services specified in subdivision (a).