AB 992: CalWORKs: Baby Wellness and Family Support Home Visiting Program.

Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states, with Californias version of this program being known as the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. Under the CalWORKs program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria, including limitations on income and assets generally applicable to public assistance programs.

This bill would establish the Baby Wellness and Family Support Home Visiting Program that would require the State Department of Social Services to allocate funds to counties for the purpose of implementing or contracting with specified early home visiting programs to provide voluntary home visiting programs approved by the department and would authorize the funds to be used to coordinate early home visiting services with, among others, child education and development programs and diaper bank services. The bill would require the parent or assisted caretaker to be advised in writing of his or her right to opt in to the home visiting program, and would specify the contents of the opt-in document, including a statement that participation in the program is not a condition of CalWORKs eligibility. The bill would require the department to develop and disseminate an informing notice to ensure that all assistance units, as specified, are aware of the program and their ability to participate. The bill would require the department, in consultation with specified persons and entities, to collect specified data and compile and distribute the data to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by January 30 of each year. The bill would authorize the department to issue an all-county letter or similar instructions until regulations are adopted and would require the department to adopt regulations to implement the provisions by October 1, 2019. The bill would require counties to identify persons eligible for the program and invite them to participate in the program. The bill would require counties to either implement the program or contract with 3rd parties to administer the program. By imposing additional duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.

This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.

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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.