AB 2477: Foster care: independent living.

Existing law establishes the Independent Living Program (ILP), which has among its purposes providing training in daily living skills, budgeting, locating and maintaining housing, and career planning for foster youth up to 21 years of age. Existing federal law authorizes a state, under certain circumstances, to expand eligibility for the ILP to former foster youth who have not attained 23 years of age. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, with the approval of the federal government, to amend the foster care state plan to permit all eligible children to be served by the ILP up to 21 years of age.

Existing law authorizes a child who is declared a ward or dependent child of the court who is 16 years of age or older, or a nonminor dependent, as defined, who is participating in a transitional independent living case plan to retain resources with a combined value of $10,000, consistent with federal law, and still remain eligible to receive public social services. Existing law requires the written approval of a childs probation officer or social worker for withdrawal of the childs savings, as specified.

Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care. Existing law requires the county to review the child or nonminor dependents payment amount annually, including an examination of any circumstances of a foster child or nonminor dependent that are subject to change and could affect the childs or nonminor dependents potential eligibility or payment amount.

This bill would remove that monetary value limit and instead allow those nonminor dependents to retain resources consistent with federal law. The bill would prohibit those resources from being evaluated after the initial determination for the same foster care episode to determine continued eligibility for a foster care maintenance payment. The bill would require AFDC-FC benefits to be available if all other criteria are met but the nonminor is determined ineligible for federal financial participation pursuant to specified criteria. Because counties would administer these extended benefits, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.