AB 2459: Juveniles: mentoring programs.
- Session Year: 2023-2024
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2024-04-17
Current Status:
Failed
(2024-05-16: In committee: Held under submission.)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Enacted
What does this bill do?
This bill requires county social workers and probation officers to include information about voluntary mentoring services in the reports they file for foster youth, juvenile wards, and nonminor dependents. It directs staff to record whether the youth wants mentoring, efforts to refer them to trauma‑informed nonprofit programs, written consent to share placement information with mentors, that mentoring is voluntary and stopping cannot lead to punishment, and it defines mentors (they are not court‑appointed special advocates) and allows certain one‑to‑one mentoring under specified organizational rules.
The summary is provided by generative AI which can make mistakes. For original language, please view the details in the table below.
Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings. Existing law requires the status of every dependent child in foster care to be reviewed periodically, and requires the county welfare department social worker to prepare a supplemental report with supplemental information regarding the child for purposes of the status review hearing. Existing law also requires a probation officer to prepare a social study for purposes of the status review hearing of a ward who is placed in foster care or recommended for placement in foster care.
This bill would require the social worker and probation officer to include in the supplemental report or social study, respectively, information regarding voluntary one-to-one mentoring services for the foster youth, as specified. By increasing the duties on county staff, the 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.
Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings. Existing law requires the status of every dependent child in foster care to be reviewed periodically, and requires the county welfare department social worker to prepare a supplemental report with supplemental information regarding the child for purposes of the status review hearing. Existing law also requires a probation officer to prepare a social study for purposes of the status review hearing of a ward who is placed in foster care or recommended for placement in foster care.
This bill would require the social worker and probation officer to include in the supplemental report or social study, respectively, information regarding voluntary one-to-one mentoring services for the foster youth, as specified. By increasing the duties on county staff, the 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.
Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings. Existing law requires the status of every dependent child in foster care to be reviewed periodically, and requires the county welfare department social worker to prepare a supplemental report with supplemental information regarding the child for purposes of the status review hearing. Existing law also requires a probation officer to prepare a social study for purposes of the status review hearing of a ward who is placed in foster care or recommended for placement in foster care.
This bill would require the social worker and probation officer to include in the supplemental report or social study, respectively, information regarding voluntary one-to-one mentoring services for the foster youth, as specified. By increasing the duties on county staff, the 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.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)It is the intent of the Legislature to increase stability of children and youth in foster care, and in adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families by increasing the supports provided to these children and youth.
(b)While the number of children and youth in foster care has significantly decreased in recent decades, data continues to demonstrate the need for additional supports for children and youth in foster care and those seeking to achieve permanency, including the following data:
(1)Approximately 64.1% of all foster youth in California graduate high school.
(2)According to the University of California Berkeley Child Welfare Indicators Project, 3,167 youth aged out of care in California in the year preceding October of 2023.
(3)One-half of youth who have aged out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated.
(c)California policymakers have worked diligently to improve and strengthen the states foster care services for those in care, in permanent placements, in reunification, and within the juvenile justice system. However, children in foster care and former foster youth outcomes often continue the cycle of poverty, abuse, lack of education, substance abuse, incarceration, and homelessness.
(d)Foster children and youth would benefit from mentoring, including one-to-one mentoring models that provide appropriately screened, trained, and matched adult mentors that bring an approach to building positive relationships, positive experiences, and improved goals and outcomes. While a limited commitment is often required, mentor and mentee relationships often last several years or even a lifetime.
(e)One-to-one mentoring Mentoring programs have become an increasingly popular strategy for early intervention with at-risk youth. An analysis of 70 mentoring outcome studies conducted between 1975 and 2017, with a sample size of 25,286 youth with average age of 12 years of age, yielded a statistically significant effect of mentoring programs across all youth outcomes.
(f)Researchers examining mentored youth in comparison to unmentored youth after 18 months found that mentored youth were less likely to engage in a variety of risky and unhealthy behaviors, such as using illegal drugs or alcohol, skipping school, and hitting others.
(g)A 2014 report for MENTOR: the National Mentoring Partnership conducted by Civic Enterprising in association with Hart Research Associates stated that youth facing risks with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and to enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
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 the childs parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with the childs 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 in which 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 courts jurisdiction, and, if any siblings exist, all of the following:
(A)The nature of the relationship between the child and the childs 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 childs placement and planning for legal permanence.
(2)The factual discussion shall include a discussion of indicators of the nature of the childs 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 childs best emotional interests.
(h)(1)For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for a year or longer, or a nonminor dependent, either of the following:
(A)For a child in junior high or middle school, either that the child has already received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code through the school system while in junior high or middle school or how the county will ensure that the child receives that instruction at least once before completing junior high or middle school if the child remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court during that timeframe.
(B)For a child in high school or a nonminor dependent, either that the child has received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code through the school system while in high school, or how the county will ensure that the child or nonminor dependent receives that instruction at least once before completing high school if the child remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court during that timeframe.
(2)For a child who is 10 years of age or older or a nonminor dependent, whether the social worker or probation officer has done all of the following:
(A)Informed the child 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.
(B)Informed the child or nonminor dependent, in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, of the childs right to consent to sexual and reproductive health services and the childs confidentiality rights regarding those services.
(C)Informed the child 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.
(3)This subdivision does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(4)On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend and adopt rules of court and develop appropriate forms for the implementation of this subdivision.
(i)(1)For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the social worker or probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.
(2)On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend and adopt rules of court and develop appropriate forms for the implementation of this subdivision.
(j)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 childs siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the childs 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 childs siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the childs best interest. The social worker may ask any other child to provide that information, as appropriate.
(k)The implementation and operation of the amendments to subdivision (j) enacted at the 200506 Regular Session shall be subject to appropriation through the budget process and by phase, as provided in Section 366.35.
(l)On and after October 1, 2021, for a child whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for a child whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 361.22, the supplemental report shall include evidence of all of the following:
(1)Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the child that continues to support the determination that the needs of the child cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate care setting in the least restrictive environment, and placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the child.
(2)Documentation of the childs specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement and the length of time the child is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.
(3)Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the child welfare department, consistent with the childs permanency plan, to prepare the child to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home or tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting.
(m)Whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
(1)If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
(2)Documentation by the social worker shall be provided to confirm the following occurred:
(A)The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary.
(B)Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youths placement and any updates on new placements.
(C)Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youths case plan, the foster youths participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youths subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(D)For purposes of this section:
(i)Mentor means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii)Mentoring means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and a mentee and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being. Mentoring may be conducted on a one-to-one basis if it is provided by an organization that is exempt from the two mandated reporter requirement set forth in Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code.
SEC. 3.Section 706.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:706.5.(a)If placement in foster care is recommended by the probation officer, or where the minor is already in foster care placement or pending placement pursuant to an earlier order, the social study prepared by the probation officer that is received into evidence at disposition pursuant to Section 706 shall include a case plan, as described in Section 706.6. If the court elects to hold the first status review at the disposition hearing, the social study shall also include, but not be limited to, the factual material described in subdivision (c).
(b)If placement in foster care is not recommended by the probation officer prior to disposition, but the court orders foster care placement, the court shall order the probation officer to prepare a case plan, as described in Section 706.6, within 30 days of the placement order. The case plan shall be filed with the court.
(c)At each status review hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6 and the following information:
(1)(A)The continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement.
(B)On and after October 1, 2021, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 727.12, the social study shall include evidence of each of the following:
(i)Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the minor or nonminor dependent continues to support the determination that the needs of the minor or nonminor dependent cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate level of care in the least restrictive environment, and the placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the minor or nonminor dependent.
(ii)Documentation of the minor or nonminor dependents specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement, and the length of time the minor or nonminor dependent is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.
(iii)Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the probation department, consistent with the minor or nonminor dependents permanency plan, to prepare the minor or nonminor dependent to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home, tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting, or, in the case of a nonminor dependent, in a supervised independent living setting.
(2)The extent of the probation departments compliance with the case plan in making reasonable efforts to safely return the minor to the minors home or to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the minor.
(3)The extent of progress that has been made by the minor and parent or guardian toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement in foster care.
(4)If the first permanency planning hearing has not yet occurred, the social study shall include the likely date by which the minor may be returned to and safely maintained in the home or placed for adoption, appointed a legal guardian, permanently placed with a fit and willing relative, or referred to another planned permanent living arrangement.
(5)Whether the minor has been or will be referred to educational services and what services the minor is receiving, including special education and related services if the minor has exceptional needs as described in Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code or accommodations if the child has disabilities as described in Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 701) of Title 29 of the United States Code Annotated. The probation officer or child advocate shall solicit comments from the appropriate local education agency prior to completion of the social study.
(6)If the parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to participate in making an educational or developmental services decision for their child, or if other circumstances exist that compromise the ability of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the child, the probation department shall consider whether the right of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor should be limited. If the study makes that recommendation, it shall identify whether there is a responsible adult available to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor pursuant to Section 726.
(7)When the minor is 16 years of age or older and in another planned permanent living arrangement, the social study shall include a description of all of the following:
(A)The intensive and ongoing efforts to return the minor to the home of the parent, place the minor for adoption, or establish a legal guardianship, as appropriate.
(B)The steps taken to do both of the following:
(i)Ensure that the minors care provider is following the reasonable and prudent parent standard.
(ii)Determine whether the minor has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities, including consulting with the minor about opportunities for the minor to participate in the activities.
(8)When the minor is under 16 years of age and has a permanent plan of return home, adoption, legal guardianship, or placement with a fit and willing relative, the social study shall include a description of any barriers to achieving the permanent plan and the efforts made by the agency to address those barriers.
(9)(A)For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been declared a ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 601 or 602 for a year or longer, the information in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.
(B)For a child who is 10 years of age or older, whether the probation officer has informed the minor or nonminor dependent of the information in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.
(C)This paragraph does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(10)For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.
(11)(A)Whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
(B)If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the probation officer to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
(C)Documentation by the probation officer shall be provided to confirm the following occurred:
(i)The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary.
(ii)Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youths placement and any updates on new placements.
(D)Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youths case plan, the foster youths participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youths subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(E)For purposes of this section:
(i)Mentor means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii)Mentoring means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and a mentee and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being. Mentoring may be conducted on a one-to-one basis if it is provided by an organization that is exempt from the two mandated reporter requirement set forth in Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code.
(d)At each permanency planning hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6, the factual material described in subdivision (c) of this section, and a recommended permanent plan for the minor.
SEC. 4.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 XIIIB of the California Constitution.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)It is the intent of the Legislature to increase stability of children and youth in foster care, and in adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families by increasing the supports provided to these children and youth.
(b)While the number of children and youth in foster care has significantly decreased in recent decades, data continues to demonstrate the need for additional supports for children and youth in foster care and those seeking to achieve permanency, including the following data:
(1)Approximately 64.1% of all foster youth in California graduate high school.
(2)According to the University of California Berkeley Child Welfare Indicators Project, 3,167 youth aged out of care in California in the year preceding October of 2023.
(3)One-half of youth who have aged out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated.
(c)California policymakers have worked diligently to improve and strengthen the states foster care services for those in care, in permanent placements, in reunification, and within the juvenile justice system. However, children in foster care and former foster youth outcomes often continue the cycle of poverty, abuse, lack of education, substance abuse, incarceration, and homelessness.
(d)Foster children and youth would benefit from one-to-one mentoring models that provide appropriately screened, trained, and matched adult mentors that bring an approach to building positive relationships, positive experiences, and improved goals and outcomes. While a limited commitment is often required, mentor and mentee relationships often last several years or even a lifetime.
(e)One-to-one mentoring programs have become an increasingly popular strategy for early intervention with at-risk youth. An analysis of 70 mentoring outcome studies conducted between 1975 and 2017, with a sample size of 25,286 youth with average age of 12 years of age, yielded a statistically significant effect of mentoring programs across all youth outcomes.
(f)Researchers examining mentored youth in comparison to unmentored youth after 18 months found that mentored youth were less likely to engage in a variety of risky and unhealthy behaviors, such as using illegal drugs or alcohol, skipping school, and hitting others.
(g)A 2014 report for MENTOR: the National Mentoring Partnership conducted by Civic Enterprising in association with Hart Research Associates stated that youth facing risks with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and to enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
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 the childs parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with the childs 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 in which 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 courts jurisdiction, and, if any siblings exist, all of the following:
(A)The nature of the relationship between the child and the childs 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 childs placement and planning for legal permanence.
(2)The factual discussion shall include a discussion of indicators of the nature of the childs 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 childs best emotional interests.
(h)(1)For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for a year or longer, or a nonminor dependent, either of the following:
(A)For a child in junior high or middle school, either that the child has already received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code through the school system while in junior high or middle school or how the county will ensure that the child receives that instruction at least once before completing junior high or middle school if the child remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court during that timeframe.
(B)For a child in high school or a nonminor dependent, either that the child has received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code through the school system while in high school, or how the county will ensure that the child or nonminor dependent receives that instruction at least once before completing high school if the child remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court during that timeframe.
(2)For a child who is 10 years of age or older or a nonminor dependent, whether the social worker or probation officer has done all of the following:
(A)Informed the child 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.
(B)Informed the child or nonminor dependent, in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, of the childs right to consent to sexual and reproductive health services and the childs confidentiality rights regarding those services.
(C)Informed the child 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.
(3)This subdivision does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(4)On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend and adopt rules of court and develop appropriate forms for the implementation of this subdivision.
(i)(1)For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the social worker or probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.
(2)On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend and adopt rules of court and develop appropriate forms for the implementation of this subdivision.
(j)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 childs siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the childs 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 childs siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the childs best interest. The social worker may ask any other child to provide that information, as appropriate.
(k)The implementation and operation of the amendments to subdivision (j) enacted at the 200506 Regular Session shall be subject to appropriation through the budget process and by phase, as provided in Section 366.35.
(l)On and after October 1, 2021, for a child whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for a child whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 361.22, the supplemental report shall include evidence of all of the following:
(1)Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the child that continues to support the determination that the needs of the child cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate care setting in the least restrictive environment, and placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the child.
(2)Documentation of the childs specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement and the length of time the child is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.
(3)Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the child welfare department, consistent with the childs permanency plan, to prepare the child to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home or tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting.
(m)(1)Documentation of the likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the child or nonminor dependent, including trauma-informed mentoring, the discussion with the child or nonminor dependent regarding working with a mentor, the child or nonminor dependents attitude toward engaging in one-to-one mentoring, efforts made to identify available nonprofit organizations with experience in working with foster children in one-to-one mentoring, particularly trauma-informed mentoring, and actions taken to refer the child or nonminor dependent for one-to-one mentoring with a mentor.(2)(A)The social worker shall advise the foster youth that if they participate in a mentoring program, the information described in subparagraph (B) will be shared with the nonprofit organization and mentor.(B)Only with the explicit written and informed consent of the foster youth, a social worker may provide information regarding the foster youths placement and any updates on new placements to the nonprofit organization.(C)A social worker shall provide updates on new placements to any mentor with whom a foster youth has an existing mentoring relationship prior to the foster youth entering or reentering foster care, even if the foster youth was not referred to the mentor pursuant to this section.(m)Whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
(1)If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
(2)Documentation by the social worker shall be provided to confirm the following occurred:
(A)The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary.
(B)Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youths placement and any updates on new placements.
(D)(C)Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youths case plan, the foster youths participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youths subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(E)(D)For purposes of this section, the following terms apply: section:
(i)Mentor means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii)Mentoring means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee that is fully supported by a parent or guardian and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being.
(iii)Trauma-informed mentoring means an approach that involves an understanding and consideration of the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently retraumatize an individual.SEC. 3.Section 706.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:706.5.(a)If placement in foster care is recommended by the probation officer, or where the minor is already in foster care placement or pending placement pursuant to an earlier order, the social study prepared by the probation officer that is received into evidence at disposition pursuant to Section 706 shall include a case plan, as described in Section 706.6. If the court elects to hold the first status review at the disposition hearing, the social study shall also include, but not be limited to, the factual material described in subdivision (c).
(b)If placement in foster care is not recommended by the probation officer prior to disposition, but the court orders foster care placement, the court shall order the probation officer to prepare a case plan, as described in Section 706.6, within 30 days of the placement order. The case plan shall be filed with the court.
(c)At each status review hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6 and the following information:
(1)(A)The continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement.
(B)On and after October 1, 2021, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 727.12, the social study shall include evidence of each of the following:
(i)Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the minor or nonminor dependent continues to support the determination that the needs of the minor or nonminor dependent cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate level of care in the least restrictive environment, and the placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the minor or nonminor dependent.
(ii)Documentation of the minor or nonminor dependents specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement, and the length of time the minor or nonminor dependent is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.
(iii)Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the probation department, consistent with the minor or nonminor dependents permanency plan, to prepare the minor or nonminor dependent to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home, tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting, or, in the case of a nonminor dependent, in a supervised independent living setting.
(2)The extent of the probation departments compliance with the case plan in making reasonable efforts to safely return the minor to the minors home or to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the minor.
(3)The extent of progress that has been made by the minor and parent or guardian toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement in foster care.
(4)If the first permanency planning hearing has not yet occurred, the social study shall include the likely date by which the minor may be returned to and safely maintained in the home or placed for adoption, appointed a legal guardian, permanently placed with a fit and willing relative, or referred to another planned permanent living arrangement.
(5)Whether the minor has been or will be referred to educational services and what services the minor is receiving, including special education and related services if the minor has exceptional needs as described in Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code or accommodations if the child has disabilities as described in Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 701) of Title 29 of the United States Code Annotated. The probation officer or child advocate shall solicit comments from the appropriate local education agency prior to completion of the social study.
(6)If the parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to participate in making an educational or developmental services decision for their child, or if other circumstances exist that compromise the ability of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the child, the probation department shall consider whether the right of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor should be limited. If the study makes that recommendation, it shall identify whether there is a responsible adult available to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor pursuant to Section 726.
(7)When the minor is 16 years of age or older and in another planned permanent living arrangement, the social study shall include a description of all of the following:
(A)The intensive and ongoing efforts to return the minor to the home of the parent, place the minor for adoption, or establish a legal guardianship, as appropriate.
(B)The steps taken to do both of the following:
(i)Ensure that the minors care provider is following the reasonable and prudent parent standard.
(ii)Determine whether the minor has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities, including consulting with the minor about opportunities for the minor to participate in the activities.
(8)When the minor is under 16 years of age and has a permanent plan of return home, adoption, legal guardianship, or placement with a fit and willing relative, the social study shall include a description of any barriers to achieving the permanent plan and the efforts made by the agency to address those barriers.
(9)(A)For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been declared a ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 601 or 602 for a year or longer, the information in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.
(B)For a child who is 10 years of age or older, whether the probation officer has informed the minor or nonminor dependent of the information in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.
(C)This paragraph does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(10)For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.
(11)(A) Documentation of the likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the minor, including trauma-informed mentoring, the discussion with the minor regarding working with a mentor, the minors attitude toward engaging in one-to-one mentoring, efforts made to identify available nonprofit organizations with experience in working with foster children in one-to-one mentoring, particularly trauma-informed mentoring, and actions taken to refer the minor for one-to-one mentoring with a mentor.(B)The probation officer shall advise the minor that if they participate in a mentoring program, the information described in subparagraph (C) will be shared with the nonprofit organization and mentor.(C)Only with the explicit written and informed consent of the minor, a probation officer or social worker may provide information regarding the minors placement and any updates on new placements to the nonprofit organization.(D)A probation officer or social worker shall provide updates on new placements to any mentor with whom a foster youth has an existing mentoring relationship prior to the minor entering or reentering foster care, even if the minor was not referred to the mentor pursuant to this section.(11)(A)Whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
(B)If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the probation officer to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
(C)Documentation by the probation officer shall be provided to confirm the following occurred:
(i)The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary.
(ii)Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youths placement and any updates on new placements.
(E)(D)Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youths case plan, the foster youths participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youths subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(F)(E)For purposes of this section, the following terms apply: section:
(i)Mentor means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii)Mentoring means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee that is fully supported by a parent or guardian and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being.
(iii)Trauma-informed mentoring means an approach that involves an understanding and consideration of the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently retraumatize an individual.(d)At each permanency planning hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6, the factual material described in subdivision (c) of this section, and a recommended permanent plan for the minor.
SEC. 4.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 XIIIB of the California Constitution.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)It is the intent of the Legislature to increase stability of children and youth in foster care, and in adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families by increasing the supports provided to these children and youth.
(b)While the number of children and youth in foster care has significantly decreased in recent decades, data continues to demonstrate the need for additional supports for children and youth in foster care and those seeking to achieve permanency, including the following data:
(1)Approximately 64.1% of all foster youth in California graduate high school.
(2)According to the University of California Berkeley Child Welfare Indicators Project, 3,167 youth aged out of care in California in the year preceding October of 2023.
(3)One-half of youth who have aged out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated.
(c)California policymakers have worked diligently to improve and strengthen the states foster care services for those in care, in permanent placements, in reunification, and within the juvenile justice system. However, children in foster care and former foster youth outcomes often continue the cycle of poverty, abuse, lack of education, substance abuse, incarceration, and homelessness.
(d)Foster children and youth would benefit from one-to-one mentoring models that provide appropriately screened, trained, and matched adult mentors that bring an approach to building positive relationships, positive experiences, and improved goals and outcomes. While a limited commitment is often required, mentor and mentee relationships often last several years or even a lifetime.
(e)One-to-one mentoring programs have become an increasingly popular strategy for early intervention with at-risk youth. An analysis of 70 mentoring outcome studies conducted between 1975 and 2017, with a sample size of 25,286 youth with average age of 12 years of age, yielded a statistically significant effect of mentoring programs across all youth outcomes.
(f)Researchers examining mentored youth in comparison to unmentored youth after 18 months found that mentored youth were less likely to engage in a variety of risky and unhealthy behaviors, such as using illegal drugs or alcohol, skipping school, and hitting others.
(g)A 2014 report for MENTOR: the National Mentoring Partnership conducted by Civic Enterprising in association with Hart Research Associates stated that youth facing risks with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and to enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
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 the childs parent who is enrolled in a certified substance abuse treatment facility that allows a dependent child to reside with the childs 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 in which 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 courts jurisdiction, and, if any siblings exist, all of the following:
(A)The nature of the relationship between the child and the childs 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 childs placement and planning for legal permanence.
(2)The factual discussion shall include a discussion of indicators of the nature of the childs 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 childs best emotional interests.
(h)(1)For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for a year or longer, or a nonminor dependent, either of the following:
(A)For a child in junior high or middle school, either that the child has already received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code through the school system while in junior high or middle school or how the county will ensure that the child receives that instruction at least once before completing junior high or middle school if the child remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court during that timeframe.
(B)For a child in high school or a nonminor dependent, either that the child has received comprehensive sexual health education that meets the requirements of Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 51930) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code through the school system while in high school, or how the county will ensure that the child or nonminor dependent receives that instruction at least once before completing high school if the child remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court during that timeframe.
(2)For a child who is 10 years of age or older or a nonminor dependent, whether the social worker or probation officer has done all of the following:
(A)Informed the child 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.
(B)Informed the child or nonminor dependent, in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, of the childs right to consent to sexual and reproductive health services and the childs confidentiality rights regarding those services.
(C)Informed the child 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.
(3)This subdivision does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(4)On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend and adopt rules of court and develop appropriate forms for the implementation of this subdivision.
(i)(1)For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the social worker or probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.
(2)On or before January 1, 2023, the Judicial Council shall amend and adopt rules of court and develop appropriate forms for the implementation of this subdivision.
(j)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 childs siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the childs 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 childs siblings who are important to the child, consistent with the childs best interest. The social worker may ask any other child to provide that information, as appropriate.
(k)The implementation and operation of the amendments to subdivision (j) enacted at the 200506 Regular Session shall be subject to appropriation through the budget process and by phase, as provided in Section 366.35.
(l)On and after October 1, 2021, for a child whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for a child whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 361.22, the supplemental report shall include evidence of all of the following:
(1)Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the child that continues to support the determination that the needs of the child cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate care setting in the least restrictive environment, and placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the child.
(2)Documentation of the childs specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement and the length of time the child is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.
(3)Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the child welfare department, consistent with the childs permanency plan, to prepare the child to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home or tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting.
(m)(1)Documentation of the likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the child or nonminor dependent, including trauma-informed mentoring, the discussion with the child or nonminor dependent regarding working with a mentor, the child or nonminor dependents attitude toward engaging in one-to-one mentoring, efforts made to identify available nonprofit organizations with experience in working with foster children in one-to-one mentoring, particularly trauma-informed mentoring, and actions taken to refer the child or nonminor dependent for one-to-one mentoring with a mentor.
(2)(A)The social worker shall advise the foster youth that if they participate in a mentoring program, the information described in subparagraph (B) will be shared with the nonprofit organization and mentor.
(B)Only with the explicit written and informed consent of the foster youth, a social worker may provide information regarding the foster youths placement and any updates on new placements to the nonprofit organization.
(C)A social worker shall provide updates on new placements to any mentor with whom a foster youth has an existing mentoring relationship prior to the foster youth entering or reentering foster care, even if the foster youth was not referred to the mentor pursuant to this section.
(D)Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youths case plan, the foster youths participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youths subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(E)For purposes of this section, the following terms apply:
(i)Mentor means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii)Mentoring means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee that is fully supported by a parent or guardian and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being.
(iii)Trauma-informed mentoring means an approach that involves an understanding and consideration of the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently retraumatize an individual.
SEC. 3.Section 706.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:706.5.(a)If placement in foster care is recommended by the probation officer, or where the minor is already in foster care placement or pending placement pursuant to an earlier order, the social study prepared by the probation officer that is received into evidence at disposition pursuant to Section 706 shall include a case plan, as described in Section 706.6. If the court elects to hold the first status review at the disposition hearing, the social study shall also include, but not be limited to, the factual material described in subdivision (c).
(b)If placement in foster care is not recommended by the probation officer prior to disposition, but the court orders foster care placement, the court shall order the probation officer to prepare a case plan, as described in Section 706.6, within 30 days of the placement order. The case plan shall be filed with the court.
(c)At each status review hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6 and the following information:
(1)(A)The continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement.
(B)On and after October 1, 2021, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program has been reviewed and approved, and, on and after July 1, 2022, for the minor or nonminor dependent whose placement in a community treatment facility has been reviewed and approved, pursuant to Section 727.12, the social study shall include evidence of each of the following:
(i)Ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the minor or nonminor dependent continues to support the determination that the needs of the minor or nonminor dependent cannot be met by family members or in another family-based setting, placement in a short-term residential therapeutic program or community treatment facility, as applicable, continues to provide the most effective and appropriate level of care in the least restrictive environment, and the placement is consistent with the short- and long-term mental and behavioral health goals and permanency plan for the minor or nonminor dependent.
(ii)Documentation of the minor or nonminor dependents specific treatment or service needs that will be met in the placement, and the length of time the minor or nonminor dependent is expected to need the treatment or services. For a Medi-Cal beneficiary, the determination of services and expected length of time for those services funded by Medi-Cal shall be based upon medical necessity and on all other state and federal Medi-Cal requirements, and shall be reflected in the documentation.
(iii)Documentation of the intensive and ongoing efforts made by the probation department, consistent with the minor or nonminor dependents permanency plan, to prepare the minor or nonminor dependent to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, an adoptive parent, in a resource family home, tribally approved home, or in another appropriate family-based setting, or, in the case of a nonminor dependent, in a supervised independent living setting.
(2)The extent of the probation departments compliance with the case plan in making reasonable efforts to safely return the minor to the minors home or to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the minor.
(3)The extent of progress that has been made by the minor and parent or guardian toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement in foster care.
(4)If the first permanency planning hearing has not yet occurred, the social study shall include the likely date by which the minor may be returned to and safely maintained in the home or placed for adoption, appointed a legal guardian, permanently placed with a fit and willing relative, or referred to another planned permanent living arrangement.
(5)Whether the minor has been or will be referred to educational services and what services the minor is receiving, including special education and related services if the minor has exceptional needs as described in Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code or accommodations if the child has disabilities as described in Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 701) of Title 29 of the United States Code Annotated. The probation officer or child advocate shall solicit comments from the appropriate local education agency prior to completion of the social study.
(6)If the parent or guardian is unwilling or unable to participate in making an educational or developmental services decision for their child, or if other circumstances exist that compromise the ability of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the child, the probation department shall consider whether the right of the parent or guardian to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor should be limited. If the study makes that recommendation, it shall identify whether there is a responsible adult available to make educational or developmental services decisions for the minor pursuant to Section 726.
(7)When the minor is 16 years of age or older and in another planned permanent living arrangement, the social study shall include a description of all of the following:
(A)The intensive and ongoing efforts to return the minor to the home of the parent, place the minor for adoption, or establish a legal guardianship, as appropriate.
(B)The steps taken to do both of the following:
(i)Ensure that the minors care provider is following the reasonable and prudent parent standard.
(ii)Determine whether the minor has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities, including consulting with the minor about opportunities for the minor to participate in the activities.
(8)When the minor is under 16 years of age and has a permanent plan of return home, adoption, legal guardianship, or placement with a fit and willing relative, the social study shall include a description of any barriers to achieving the permanent plan and the efforts made by the agency to address those barriers.
(9)(A)For a child who is 10 years of age or older and has been declared a ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 601 or 602 for a year or longer, the information in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.
(B)For a child who is 10 years of age or older, whether the probation officer has informed the minor or nonminor dependent of the information in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 366.1.
(C)This paragraph does not affect any applicable confidentiality law.
(10)For a child who is 16 years of age or older or for a nonminor dependent, whether the probation officer has, pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (22) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, identified the person or persons who shall be responsible for assisting the child or nonminor dependent with applications for postsecondary education and related financial aid, or that the child or nonminor dependent stated that they do not want to pursue postsecondary education, including career or technical education.
(11)(A) Documentation of the likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the minor, including trauma-informed mentoring, the discussion with the minor regarding working with a mentor, the minors attitude toward engaging in one-to-one mentoring, efforts made to identify available nonprofit organizations with experience in working with foster children in one-to-one mentoring, particularly trauma-informed mentoring, and actions taken to refer the minor for one-to-one mentoring with a mentor.
(B)The probation officer shall advise the minor that if they participate in a mentoring program, the information described in subparagraph (C) will be shared with the nonprofit organization and mentor.
(C)Only with the explicit written and informed consent of the minor, a probation officer or social worker may provide information regarding the minors placement and any updates on new placements to the nonprofit organization.
(D)A probation officer or social worker shall provide updates on new placements to any mentor with whom a foster youth has an existing mentoring relationship prior to the minor entering or reentering foster care, even if the minor was not referred to the mentor pursuant to this section.
(E)Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youths case plan, the foster youths participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youths subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(F)For purposes of this section, the following terms apply:
(i)Mentor means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii)Mentoring means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee that is fully supported by a parent or guardian and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being.
(iii)Trauma-informed mentoring means an approach that involves an understanding and consideration of the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently retraumatize an individual.
(d)At each permanency planning hearing, the social study shall include, but not be limited to, an updated case plan as described in Section 706.6, the factual material described in subdivision (c) of this section, and a recommended permanent plan for the minor.
SEC. 4.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 XIIIB of the California Constitution.
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Date
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Status
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|---|---|
| May 16, 2024 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| May 1, 2024 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr 18, 2024 | Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Apr 17, 2024 | Read second time and amended. |
| Apr 16, 2024 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 16). |
| Apr 15, 2024 | Re-referred to Com. on JUD. |
| Apr 11, 2024 | Read second time and amended. |
| Apr 10, 2024 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 9). |
| Mar 18, 2024 | Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD. |
| Feb 14, 2024 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 15. |
| Feb 13, 2024 | Read first time. To print. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2024 | Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Assembly Standing Committee on Judiciary |
Passed |
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| Apr 9, 2024 | Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] | Assembly Standing Committee on Human Services |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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|---|---|---|
| Alameda County Office Of Education | ** Support | |
| Alliance for Children's Rights | ** Support | |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of California | ** Support |
Date of Hearing: May 1, 2024
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Buffy Wicks, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2459
Author:(Wilson) – As Amended Ver:April 17, 2024
Policy Committee: | Human Services | Vote: | 6 - 0 |
Judiciary | 12 - 0 | ||
|
|
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires county social workers and probation officers, in their reports to the court prepared in advance of review hearings regarding foster youth, to document whether a child or nonminor dependent (NMD) is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
Specifically, this bill:
- Requires each supplemental report regarding a child or NMD in foster care filed at the six-month status review to include the following:
- Documentation of whether a child or NMD is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
- If the child or NMD has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or NMD to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
- Requires a social worker to provide documentation that the child or NMD understands mentoring is voluntary and that the child or NMD granted explicit written and informed consent for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youth’s placement and any updates on new placements.
- Requires, at each status review hearing about a child who is under probation supervision but placement in foster care is recommended, or where the child is already in foster care placement or pending placement, the social study prepared by the probation officer to include the following:
- Documentation of whether a child or NMD is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
- If the child or NMD has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or NMD to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
- Requires a probation officer to provide documentation that the child or NMD understands mentoring is voluntary and that the child or NMD granted explicit written and informed consent for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youth’s placement and any updates on new placements.
- Provides, notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youth’s case plan, the foster youth’s participation in the mentoring program is on a purely voluntary basis.
- Requires the foster youth’s subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
FISCAL EFFECT:
- General Fund costs of $11.5 million General Fund (GF) ($18.8 million total funds (TF)) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 and $1.8 million GF ($2.5 million TF) annually ongoing for increased administrative workload for county child welfare agencies and probation departments associated with the requirements for additional documentation of mentoring benefits for foster youth.
This estimate is based on approximately 19,830 active child welfare cases of youth ages 10 and older, based on California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP) data as of January 1, 2024, and approximately 5,553 child welfare entries per year of youth ages 10 and older, based on CCWIP data from January 1, 2023 to December 21, 2023. The estimate assumes three hours of social worker time per case, and that 53% of cases are federally eligible. Although these county costs are state-mandated costs, they are not reimbursable, but instead must be funded by the state pursuant to Proposition 30.
Proposition 30 (2012) requires legislation enacted after September 30, 2012, that has an overall effect of increasing the costs already borne by a local agency for programs or levels of service mandated by realignment (including child welfare services and foster care) to apply to local agencies only to the extent the state provides annual funding for the cost increase.
- CDSS estimates one-time automation costs of $9.9 million GF in FY 2024-25, to update CWS-CARES to properly document and track mentoring services.
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years.
COMMENTS:
- Purpose. The author seeks to provide additional mentoring opportunities for foster youth through nonprofit organizations. This bill is sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters.
- Background. Formal mentoring, in which mentors and mentees are matched through programs, is a common intervention strategy for addressing the needs of foster youth. By modeling care and providing support, mentors can both challenge negative views that some youth may hold of themselves and demonstrate that positive relationships with adults are possible. Studies indicate a mentoring relationship may become a “corrective experience” for youth who have experienced unsatisfactory relationships with parents or other caregivers.
In addition, studies have found that youth with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and to enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
A court-appointed special advocate (CASA) is a trained volunteer, appointed by a judge in a local court, who advocates for a foster child, with ongoing supervision from professionals at local nonprofit CASA programs. These volunteers are assigned to the same youth while they’re in the child welfare system regardless of changes in placements or schools. As an educational rights holder for a foster child, a CASA has the legal authority to attend teacher conferences, monitor grades, keep track of progress, and ensure the court provides the student with access to needed services. A mentor under the provisions of this bill cannot be considered a CASA.
In December 2021, State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Tony Thurmond announced plans for a statewide mentorship program focusing on students of color, low-income students, and any other students in need of additional support. Superintendent Thurmond envisions this mentorship program will work with other California Department of Education (CDE) programs like California Community Schools Partnership Programs (CCSPP). In 2022, the Legislature expanded the program by adding funds and extending the program to 2031.
This bill, in order to encourage the mentoring of foster youth, requires a social study report prepared by a social worker, as well as a status review report about dual-status youth prepared by a probation officer, to include documentation of whether the foster youth is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services. If the youth is interested, the social study or status review report must specify the efforts made by the social worker or probation officer to refer the youth to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
To ensure the youth’s participation in mentoring is voluntary, the reports must document the youth understands the mentoring is voluntary, and that the youth has given explicit written and informed consent for information regarding the youth’s placement to be shared with the mentor.
- Prior Legislation. AB 1154 (Wilson), of this legislative session, requires county social workers and probation officers to include in their reports to the court information on the likely benefits for a dependent child or ward of one-on-one mentoring services, and allows a court to refer a foster youth to participate in a mentoring program. AB 1154 also establishes eligibility criteria for nonprofit mentoring organizations to provide one-on-one mentoring for foster youth per a court referral, and provids access to reports by the mentoring organizations. AB 1154 was held on this committee’s suspense file.
Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
Date of Hearing: April 16, 2024
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Ash Kalra, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2459
Author:(Wilson) – As Amended Ver:April 11, 2024
Proposed Consent (As Proposed to be Amended)
SUBJECT: Juveniles: mentoring programs
KEY ISSUE: should reports that are prepared by social workers or probation officers in advance of review hearings regarding foster youth be required to document whether the youth is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services?
SYNOPSIS
California has a history of enacting programs that support mentoring. Among other programs supported or endorsed by the state, in December 2021, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced plans for a statewide mentorship program that focuses on students of color, low-income students, and any other students in need of additional support.
According to a 2021 study entitled, “A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mentoring on Youth in Foster Care,” formal mentoring, in which mentors and mentees are matched through programs, is a successful strategy for addressing the needs of foster youth. Existing law states that a youth service organization must have policies requiring, “to the greatest extent possible, the presence of at least two mandated reporters whenever administrators, employees, or volunteers are in contact with, or supervising, children.” However, there is an exception allowing organizations that meet certain criteria to provide one-to-one mentoring to youth.
In order to encourage mentoring of foster youth, this bill requires reports that are prepared by social workers or probation officers in advance of review hearings regarding foster youth to document whether the foster youth is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services. If the youth is interested, additional efforts would be required to identify a mentor for the youth, and the youth may consent to the sharing of their placement with their mentor. The author proposes a minor amendment to clarify that one-to-one mentoring may occur only as authorized by existing law. The amendment is incorporated into the SUMMARY and explained in the analysis. The bill, sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters California, is also supported by the Alameda County Office of Education and Alliance for Children’s Rights. Recently approved by the Assembly Committee on Human Services on consent, the bill has no opposition on file.
SUMMARY: Requires social studies that are prepared by social workers or probation officers in advance of review hearings regarding foster youth to document whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services. Specifically, this bill:
- Finds and declares, on behalf of the Legislature, all of the following:
- It is the intent of the Legislature to increase stability of children and youth in foster care, and in adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families by increasing the supports provided to these children and youth.
- While the number of children and youth in foster care has significantly decreased in recent decades, data continues to demonstrate the need for additional supports for children and youth in foster care and those seeking to achieve permanency, including the following data:
- Approximately 64.1% of all foster youth in California graduate high school.
- According to the University of California Berkeley Child Welfare Indicators Project, 3,167 youth aged out of care in California in the year preceding October of 2023.
- One-half of youth who have aged out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated.
- California policymakers have worked diligently to improve and strengthen the state’s foster care services for those in care, in permanent placements, in reunification, and within the juvenile justice system. However, children in foster care and former foster youth outcomes often continue the cycle of poverty, abuse, lack of education, substance abuse, incarceration, and homelessness.
- Foster children and youth would benefit from one-to-one mentoring models that provide appropriately screened, trained, and matched adult mentors that bring an approach to building positive relationships, positive experiences, and improved goals and outcomes. While a limited commitment is often required, mentor and mentee relationships often last several years or even a lifetime.
- One-to-one mentoring programs have become an increasingly popular strategy for early intervention with at-risk youth. An analysis of 70 mentoring outcome studies conducted between 1975 and 2017, with a sample size of 25,286 youth with average age of 12 years of age, yielded a statistically significant effect of mentoring programs across all youth outcomes.
- Researchers examining mentored youth in comparison to unmentored youth after 18 months found that mentored youth were less likely to engage in a variety of risky and unhealthy behaviors, such as using illegal drugs or alcohol, skipping school, and hitting others.
- A 2014 report for MENTOR: the National Mentoring Partnership conducted by Civic Enterprising in association with Hart Research Associates stated that youth facing risks with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and to enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
- Requires, in each supplemental report regarding a child or nonminor dependent in foster care required to be filed pursuant to Section 366 of the Welfare & Institutions Code, to include the following:
- Documentation of whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
- If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
- Documentation by the social worker shall be provided that the following occurred:
- The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary; and
- Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youth’s placement and any updates on new placements.
- Provides that notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youth’s case plan, the foster youth’s participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youth’s subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
- Requires, at each status review hearing about a minor who is under probation supervision but placement in foster care is recommended by the probation officer, or where the minor is already in foster care placement or pending placement pursuant to an earlier order, the social study prepared by the probation officer that is received into evidence at disposition shall include a case plan and, if the court elects to hold the first status review at the disposition hearing, the social study shall also include the following:
- Documentation of whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
- If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
- Documentation by the probation officer shall be provided that the following occurred:
- The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary; and
- Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youth’s placement and any updates on new placements.
- Provides that notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youth’s case plan, the foster youth’s participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youth’s subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
- Defines the following for purposes of the above:
- “Mentor” means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
- “Mentoring” means a meaningful and mutually desired relationship between a mentor and a mentee and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being. Mentoring may be conducted on a one-to one basis if it is provided by an organization that is exempt from the two mandated reporter requirement set forth in Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code.
EXISTING LAW:
- Establishes the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) and states that the intent and purpose of the Act is to protect children from abuse and neglect. (Penal Code Section 11164.)
- Defines "child abuse or neglect" under CANRA to include physical injury or death inflicted by other than accidental means upon a child by another person, sexual abuse as defined, neglect as defined, the willful harming or injuring of a child or the endangering of the person or health of a child as defined, and unlawful corporal punishment or injury, as defined. (Penal Code Section 11165.6.)
- Requires an administrator, employee, or regular volunteer of a youth service organization to complete training in child abuse and neglect identification and training in child abuse and neglect reporting and to undergo a background check. (Bus. & Prof. Code Section 18975 (a), (b).)
- Requires a youth service organization to develop and implement child abuse prevention policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, both of the following:
- Policies to ensure reporting of suspected incidents of child abuse to persons or entities outside of the organization, including the reporting required pursuant to Section 11165.9 of the Penal Code.
- Policies requiring, to the greatest extent possible, the presence of at least two mandated reporters whenever administrators, employees, or volunteers are in contact with, or supervising, children. (Bus. & Prof. Code Section 18975 (c)(1)—(c)(2)(A).)
- Provides that 4b), above, does not apply to an organization that provides one-to-one mentoring to youth that has adopted and implemented the policies described in 4a), above, and has adopted and implemented policies to ensure comprehensive screening of volunteers, training of volunteers and parents or guardians, and regular contact with volunteers and parents or guardians. (Id., at (c)(2)(B).)
- Defines “youth service organization” as an organization that employs or utilizes the services of persons who, due to their relationship with the organization, are mandated reporters. (Id., at (e)(2).)
- Defines “ regular volunteer” as “a volunteer with the youth service organization who is 18 years of age or older and who has direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year.” (Bus. & Prof. Code Section 18975 (e)(1).)
FISCAL EFFECT: As currently in print this bill is keyed fiscal.
COMMENTS: This bill, sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters of California, requires reports that are prepared by social workers or probation officers in advance of review hearings regarding foster youth to document whether the foster youth is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services. According to the author:
Foster youth experience traumatic experiences including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and/or witness (sometimes often) traumatic experiences. Studies have shown that foster youth experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at twice the rate of U.S. War Veterans. Many who exit foster care through an abrupt transition are further impacted as they face their independence without support and guidance from adult family members and friends. Mentors provide a valuable, guiding and inspiring relationship with mentees and often maintain the relationship with their mentees for many years, and even a lifetime. Mentors who are trauma-informed and can relate to a foster youth who has suffered failures from adults in their lives can often be a lifeline for their mentees and can help them see beyond current circumstances to understand that they can have successful lives despite their past experiences.
California Programs to Support Mentoring. In 1995, then-Governor Wilson issued an executive order, establishing the California Mentor Initiative. Funding was subsequently provided to four state departments and the Office of Child Development and Education. Governor Davis renewed the program, renaming it the Governor's Mentoring Partnership (GMP). Approximately $76 million was expended on local mentoring initiatives funded by a variety of state agencies between 1995 and 2002.
The GMP continues to operate to some extent, at least, today under the authority of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). According to the GMP website, the program works in partnership with over 700 California community based mentoring programs such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs and other mentoring coalitions. (See https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/for-law-enforcement/be-a-mentor.) Since 1995, over 493,000 mentor matches have provided support to California's youth through mentor programs. Yet tens of thousands of young people are still waiting for a mentor. (Ibid.) The GMP program seeks to recruit volunteer mentors from within the CHP “to mentor a child or youth through a mentoring organization that meets the quality assurance standards, for a minimum of one school year” and offers “Mentoring Leave” as a benefit only to qualified CHP employees. (Ibid.)
In December 2021, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced plans for a statewide mentorship program that focuses on students of color, low-income students, and any other students in need of additional support. Superintendent Thurmond envisions that these mentorship programs will work with other California Department of Education (CDE) programs like California Community Schools Partnership Programs (CCSPP). The Communities Schools initiative is a $3-billion-dollar California policy reform effort with a mission to unite academics, health and social services, youth and community development and engagement for the purpose of improving learning, supporting families and strengthening communities for low-income families, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities. In 2022, the Legislature expanded the program by adding funds and extending the program to 2031. These initiatives, if designed and implemented with the unique needs of students in foster care and youth experiencing homelessness in mind, can also have a profound and lasting impact on the lives of both populations.
The benefits to foster youth of mentoring. According to a 2021 study entitled, “A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mentoring on Youth in Foster Care,” formal mentoring, in which mentors and mentees are matched through programs, is a successful strategy for addressing the needs of foster youth. By modeling caring and providing support, mentors can both challenge negative views that some youth may hold of themselves, and demonstrate that positive relationships with adults are possible. The study asserts that, in this way, a mentoring relationship may become a “corrective experience” for youth who have experienced unsatisfactory relationships with parents or other caregivers.
MENTOR, an organization that focuses on youth mentoring, states, “Mentoring is essential to everyone’s development whether it happens organically or formally. For the majority of youth in foster care, there is no safety net to rely on during the transition from dependence to independence. This places even more importance on those caring adults whom they learn to trust over time.” Their 2014 report stated that youth facing risks with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
Existing law limits the circumstances under which one-one-on mentoring of foster youth is allowed. Existing law states that a youth service organization must have policies requiring, “to the greatest extent possible, the presence of at least two mandated reporters whenever administrators, employees, or volunteers are in contact with, or supervising, children.” (Bus. & Prof. Code Section 18975 (c)(1)—(c)(2)(A).) However, there is an exception for certain organizations that provide one-to-one mentoring to youth. A mentoring organization is exempt from the two mandated reporter requirement if it does both of the following: (1) develops and implements child abuse prevention policies to ensure reporting of suspected incidents of child abuse to persons or entities outside of the organization, including the reporting required pursuant to the Penal Code; and (2) has adopted and implemented policies to ensure comprehensive screening of volunteers, training of volunteers and parents or guardians, and regular contact with volunteers and parents or guardians. (Id., at (c)(2)(B).)
This exception allows a youth service organization that pairs one adult mentor with one child mentee, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, to operate.
Last year’s AB 1154 (Wilson). AB 1154 also required social study reports and status review reports to include documentation about the benefits to the minor of one-on-one mentoring. But it also had additional (and potentially costly) mandates. For example, it required one-on-one mentoring to be included in a youth’s case plan under certain circumstances. It also required a social worker or probation officer to make their best efforts to identify and refer a foster youth for whom mentoring has been recommended and accepted or for whom mentoring has been ordered. It mandated certain information about the foster youth, such as information about the foster youth’s placement and any updates on new placements. AB 1154 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.
The bill, in order to encourage the mentoring of foster youth, requires that social study reports about minors in foster care that are prepared by a social worker, as well as status review reports about dual-status youth that are prepared by a probation officer, to include documentation of whether the foster youth is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services. If the youth has indicated interest, then the social study or status review report would be required to specify the efforts made by the social worker of probation officer to refer the youth to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
In order to ensure that the youth’s participation in mentoring is voluntary, the reports would also be required to document the following: (1) that the youth understands that mentoring is voluntary; and (2) that the youth has given explicit written and informed consent for information to be shared with the mentor, regarding the youth’s placement and any updates on new placements.
Author’s amendments. While the bill in print defines “mentoring” to mean “a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee,” it does not refer to the conditions under which a one-to-one relationship is allowed to occur under existing law (i.e. only when the mentoring organization is exempt from the two mandated reporter requirement set forth in Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code). In order to address this issue, the author proposes the following minor clarifying amendment:
(ii) “Mentoring” means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and a mentee and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being. Mentoring may be conducted on a one-to one basis if it is provided by an organization that is exempt from the two mandated reporter requirement set forth in Section 18975 of the Business and Professions Code.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of California writes the following in support of the bill:
For willing youth, a mentor can be a lifeline to a stable, caring relationship that can last years or even a lifetime.
Moreover, there have been many cases where a BBBS agency on behalf of a mentor are unable to maintain their relationship when the foster youth is moved to a new placement because under current law, CPS is not authorized to provide information about the location of a new placement. Losing contact with their caring mentor simply reinforces the trauma of abandonment for foster youth and intensifies their lack of trust in adults.
AB 2459 would require social workers and probation officers to discuss mentoring with foster youth, and if the youth agrees to pursue a mentoring relationship, they would work with a nonprofit organization with experience working with foster youth in one-to-one mentoring with trained mentors. This information would be included in the supplemental report provided to the court.
AB 2459 is intended to provide a safe, reliable, caring adult resource for foster youth: a mentor who can provide support and inspiration to a youth who can benefit from an encouraging perspective.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of California (sponsor)
Alameda County Office of Education
Alliance for Children's Rights
One individual
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Alison Merrilees / JUD. / (916) 319-2334
Date of Hearing: April 9, 2024
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Alex Lee, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2459 (
Author:Wilson) – As Introduced Ver:February 13, 2024
SUBJECT: Juveniles: mentoring programs
SUMMARY: Requires social workers and probation officers to document the benefits of one-to-one mentoring services for foster youth in the supplemental report required to be filed at status reviews. Specifically, this bill:
- Requires documentation included in the supplemental report filed at the six-month status review to include a factual discussion of the following:
- The likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the youth, including trauma-informed mentoring;
- The discussion with the youth regarding working with a mentor;
- The youth’s attitude toward engaging in one-to-one mentoring;
- Efforts made to identify available nonprofit organizations with experience in working with foster children in one-to-one mentoring, particularly trauma-informed mentoring; and,
- Actions taken to refer the youth for one-to-one mentoring with a mentor.
- Requires the social worker or probation officer to advise the foster youth that if they participate in a mentoring program, information regarding the foster youth’s placement and any updates on new placements, will only be shared with the nonprofit organization and mentor with the explicit written and informed consent of the foster youth.
- Requires a social worker or probation officer to provide updates on new placements to any mentor with whom a foster youth has an existing mentoring relationship prior to the foster youth entering or re-entering foster care, even if the foster youth was not referred to the mentor pursuant to these provisions.
- Specifies, notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the case plan that the foster youth’s participation in the mentoring program is to be on a purely voluntary basis.
- Requires the foster youth’s subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program not to be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
- Defines the following terms:
- “Mentor” means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to these provisions shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA);
- “Mentoring” means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee that is fully supported by a parent or guardian and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being;
- “Trauma-informed mentoring” means an approach that involves an understanding and consideration of the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently re-traumatize an individual.
- States legislative intent to increase stability of children and youth in foster care, and in adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families by increasing the supports provided to these children and youth.
- Declares that foster children and youth would benefit from one-to-one mentoring models that provide appropriately screened, trained, and matched adult mentors that bring an approach to building positive relationships, positive experiences, and improved goals and outcomes.
EXISTING LAW:
- States that the purpose of foster care law is to provide maximum safety and protection for children who are currently being neglected, exploited, and/or physically, sexually, and emotionally abused and to ensure the safety of children who are at risk of that harm. Specifies that safety, protection, and physical and emotional well-being may include the provision of social and health services to help the child and family and a balanced focus on the health and well-being of the child along with the preservation of the family. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] § 300.2)
- Declares legislative intent to, whenever possible preserve and strengthen a child’s family ties and ensure that if the child is removed from their family, the state shall work to secure as nearly as possible for the child the custody, care, and discipline equivalent to that which should have been given to the child by their parents. Further, states legislative intent to reaffirm its commitment to children who are in out-of-home placement to live in the least restrictive setting and as close to the child’s family as possible, as specified. (WIC § 16000)
- Defines “nonminor dependent” as a current or former foster youth who is between 18 and 21 years of age, in foster care under the responsibility of the county welfare department, county probation department, or Indian tribe, and participating in a transitional independent living plan, as specified. (WIC § 11400(v))
- Declares the case plan as the foundation and central unifying tool in child welfare services, and requires a child welfare/probation case plan, whichever is applicable, to include certain information, including, but not limited to: assessment of child and family needs; consideration of the child and family team recommendations; a description of the circumstances that resulted in the minor being placed under the supervision of the probation department and in foster care; and, to identify specific goals and the appropriateness of services in meeting those goals, among others. (WIC §§ 16501.1 and 706.6)
- Requires a social worker, at least 10 calendar days prior to the hearing in which an order is made placing a child under the supervision of the juvenile court, to file a supplemental report with the court describing the services offered to the family and the progress made by the family in eliminating the conditions or factors requiring court supervision. Further requires the social worker to make a recommendation regarding the necessity of continued supervision and for a copy of this report to be furnished to all parties at least 10 calendar days prior to the hearing. (WIC § 364(b))
- Enumerates requirements for certain reports made to the court by social workers, CASAs, and probation officers, including topics about which the report contains a factual discussion, including a youth’s health and education summary, whether the youth has any siblings under the court’s jurisdiction, and what actions have been taken by the youth’s parent to correct the problems that caused the child to be made a dependent child of the court, among others. (WIC §§ 366.1, 366.3, 366.31, and 706.5).
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown, this bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.
COMMENTS:
Background: Child Welfare Services (CWS): California’s child welfare system was established to protect youth from abuse and neglect and is designed to provide for the safety, health, and overall well-being of children. When a child is identified as being at risk of abuse or neglect, reports can be made to either law enforcement or a county child welfare agency. Often, these reports are submitted by mandated reporters who are legally required to report suspicion of child abuse or neglect due to their profession, such as a teacher or physician. When a mandated reporter submits a report to either law enforcement or the county child welfare agency, a social worker determines whether the allegation is of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The child's social worker and the court collaborate to evaluate and review the circumstances of each case, seeking either reunification or placement outside of the home as a way for the child to achieve permanency.
California's CWS programs are administered by the 58 individual counties with each county organizing and operating its own program of child protection based on local needs while adhering to state and federal regulations. When a child welfare case is open, counties are the primary governmental entity interacting with children and families when addressing issues of child abuse and neglect and are responsible, either directly or through providers, for obtaining or providing the interventions and relevant services to protect children and assist families with issues related to child abuse and neglect.
The California Department of Social Services secures federal funding to support CWS programs, provides statewide best practices training for social workers, and conducts program regulatory oversight and administration, and is responsible for the development of policy while also providing direct services such as adoption placements.
Court Appointed Special Advocate is a trained volunteer, appointed by a judge in a local court, who advocates for a child who has experienced abuse or neglect, with ongoing supervision from professionals at local nonprofit CASA programs. These volunteers are assigned to the same youth while they’re in the CWS system regardless of changes in placements or schools. As an educational rights holder for a foster child, a CASA has the legal authority to attend teacher conferences, monitor grades, keep track of progress, and ensure the court provides the student with access to needed services.
This bill specifies that a mentor is an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization, as described in these provisions, and is not be considered a CASA.
Foster Youth Mentoring. According to a 2021 study entitled, “A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mentoring on Youth in Foster Care,” formal mentoring, in which mentors and mentees are matched through programs, is another common intervention strategy for addressing the needs of foster youth. By modeling caring and providing support, mentors can both challenge negative views that some youth may hold of themselves, and demonstrate that positive relationships with adults are possible. The study asserts that, in this way, a mentoring relationship may become a “corrective experience” for youth who have experienced unsatisfactory relationships with parents or other caregivers.
MENTOR, an organization that focuses on youth mentoring, states, “Mentoring is essential to everyone’s development whether it happens organically or formally. For the majority of youth in foster care, there is no safety net to rely on during the transition from dependence to independence. This places even more importance on those caring adults whom they learn to trust over time.” Their 2014 report stated that youth facing risks with mentors were more likely to aspire to attend and enroll in college, more likely to report participating in sports and other extracurricular activities, and more likely to report taking on leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities and to regularly volunteer in their communities.
Author’s Statement: According to the Author, “This measure stems from the disruption of mentoring relationships with foster youth — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic — because social workers and probation officers are not authorized by law to provide mentors or their nonprofit organization information about the location of a new placement for the foster youth. When youth are moved to new placements and a mentor loses touch with the youth, it can be devastating for the youth, and further imbeds their lack of trust in adults.
“In addition to protecting these existing mentoring relationships, the sponsor, Big Brothers Big Sisters determined that there are many youth in the foster care system who would benefit from having a mentor who is trained to understand how to navigate the trauma(s) and disruptive experiences in the youth’s life experience.
“Many youth do begin to understand the many opportunities available to them to create a brighter future — those who never considered college often realize that not only can they attend college, but that they wish to do so. They gain new experiences, and see a more broad world before them that is not founded in their trauma and grief, but that gives them hope and inspiration.”
Equity Implications: The provisions of this bill seek to address the impact of trauma, abuse, neglect and abandonment on youth in foster care by ensuring every foster youth has the opportunity to decide if they would like to engage in one-to-one mentoring. With the unique position the state and counties have as guardians of foster youth who have been removed from their homes, it is reasonable to assume there is a lack of positive adult role models in many of these youth’s lives. Mentoring can provide positive role models who can empower foster youth, expand their view of the world, and help them envision a life that is different from the one they are currently experiencing.
Foster youth represent one of the most vulnerable and academically at-risk student groups, according to the California Department of Education and suffer poorer educational outcomes with higher rates of suspension and lower rates of graduation. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), in California, the populations reflected in foster care are predominantly youth of color as 21% are Black and 50% are Latino. Further highlighting the disproportionality comprising the foster youth population, the number of Black and Native American youth in foster care are four times larger than the number of the general population of Black and Native American youth in California. The LAO also states that racial disproportionalities and disparities are present within initial allegations and persist at all levels of the system—becoming the most pronounced for youth in care. Additionally, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ) youth are also overrepresented in foster care, according to the UCLA Williams Institute, with 13.6 % of foster youth identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning, and 5.6% identifying as transgender, compared to 10.3% of California’s students in public middle and high schools identifying as LGBTQ.
By encouraging foster and probation-supervised youth to become involved with mentorship programs, foster youth have the opportunity to be exposed to positive role models who have the potential to shape their worldview toward achievement that could lead to self-sufficiency in adulthood. As a result of the systems and structures that lead to the gaps in opportunity that many foster youth face, mentoring programs create access to positive adult relationships outside of the family, and can provide a response to the unique issues that foster youth face.
Policy Considerations: While this bill is well-intentioned, the provisions require a social worker or probation officer to document an extensive list of requirements related to the discussion with the youth regarding their interest in participating in a formalized mentoring program.
The additional documentation would be required to be included in the supplemental report that is filed for a status review. This status review is required to be held no less than once every six months until parental rights are terminated, and broadly requires the court to consider the safety of the youth and determine the continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the placement, the extent of the compliance with the case plan, steps necessary to finalize the placement, and the extent of the progress that has been made toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement in foster care, among other subjects.
While a discussion to see if youth are interested in mentoring and requiring the documentation of the efforts to make a referral is an appropriate addition to the subjects included in the supplemental report, many of the elements required by the bill are not relevant to the status review hearing or the factual report that social workers and probation officers have to complete.
Proposed Committee Amendments: The Committee proposes the following amendments to address policy considerations stated above:
Section 366.1 and 706.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code are amended to read:
Whether a child or nonminor dependent is interested in engaging in voluntary mentoring services.
1) If the child or nonminor dependent has indicated interest, the efforts made by the social worker to refer the child or nonminor dependent to a nonprofit organization with experience mentoring foster youth in a trauma-informed manner.
2) Documentation by the social worker shall be provided that the following occurred:
A) The child or nonminor dependent understands mentoring is voluntary; and
B) Explicit written and informed consent was granted for information to be shared to the mentor by the social worker regarding the youth’s placement and any updates on new placements.
(m) (1 ) Documentation of the likely emotional and social benefits from one-to-one mentoring services for the child or nonminor dependent, including trauma-informed mentoring, the discussion with the child or nonminor dependent regarding working with a mentor, the child or nonminor dependent’s attitude toward engaging in one-to-one mentoring, efforts made to identify available nonprofit organizations with experience in working with foster children in one-to-one mentoring, particularly trauma-informed mentoring, and actions taken to refer the child or nonminor dependent for one-to-one mentoring with a mentor.
(2) (A)The social worker shall advise the foster youth that if they participate in a mentoring program, the information described in subparagraph (B) will be shared with the nonprofit organization and mentor.
(B) Only with the explicit written and informed consent of the foster youth, a social worker may provide information regarding the foster youth’s placement and any updates on new placements to the nonprofit organization
(C) A social worker shall provide updates on new placements to any mentor with whom a foster youth has an existing mentoring relationship prior to the foster youth entering or reentering foster care, even if the foster youth was not referred to the mentor pursuant to this section.
(D) Notwithstanding a mentoring program being included in the foster youth’s case plan, the foster youth’s participation in the mentoring program shall be on a purely voluntary basis. The foster youth’s subsequent decision to discontinue participation in the mentoring program shall not be the basis for discipline, punishment, or any other adverse action by the social worker or the court.
(E) For purposes of this section, the following terms apply:
(i) “Mentor” means an individual who works for, or volunteers with, a nonprofit organization and provides mentoring services. A mentor providing mentoring services pursuant to this section shall not be considered as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA), as described in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 100).
(ii) “Mentoring” means a meaningful and mutually desired one-to-one relationship between a mentor and mentee that is fully supported by a parent or guardian and includes outcomes such as positive behaviors and choices, educational and career success, and increased social, emotional, and mental health well-being.
(iii) “Trauma-informed mentoring” means an approach that involves an understanding and consideration of the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently retraumatize an individual.
Double referral: Should this bill pass out of this committee, it will be referred to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.
RELATED AND PRIOR LEGISLATION:
AB 1154 (Wilson) of 2023, would have required county social workers and probation officers to include in their reports to the court information on the likely benefits for a dependent child or ward of one-on-one mentoring services, and a referral recommendation, and would have allowed a court to refer a foster youth to participate in a mentoring program. AB 1154 would have also established eligibility criteria for nonprofit mentoring organizations to provide one-on-one mentoring for foster youth per a court referral, and would have provided access to reports by the mentoring organizations. AB 1154 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of California (Sponsor)
Alameda County Office of Education
Alliance for Children's Rights
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by: Jessica Langtry / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089
Discussed in Hearing
6MIN
Assembly Standing Committee on Human Services
Bill Author
