Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Child and Family Service Review System in order to review all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Existing law requires the review system outcome indicators to be consistent with the federal child and family service review measures and standards for child and family outcomes and system factors, as specified.

This bill would require the review system to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty, and would require the department to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on those measures, as specified.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Child and Family Service Review System in order to review all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Existing law requires the review system outcome indicators to be consistent with the federal child and family service review measures and standards for child and family outcomes and system factors, as specified.

This bill would require the review system to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty, and would require the department to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on those measures, as specified.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Child and Family Service Review System, System in order to review all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Existing law requires the review system outcome indicators to be consistent with the federal child and family service review measures and standards for child and family outcomes and system factors, as specified.

This bill would require the review system to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education, poverty, and would require the department to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on those measures, as specified.

Existing law establishes a system of child welfare services provided to children alleged to be the victims of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Under existing law, a child reported to the county child welfare services department to be endangered by abuse, neglect, or exploitation is eligible for initial intake and evaluation of risk services. Existing law requires each county child welfare services department to maintain and operate a 24-hour response system, and to make an immediate in-person response in emergency situations, as specified.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions and correct an erroneous cross-reference.

 UNFINISHED BUSINESS  

Bill No: SB 1421

Author: McGuire (D)

Amended: 8/17/26

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 4-0, 4/20/26

AYES: Becker, Niello, Laird, Weber Pierson

NO VOTE RECORDED: Pérez

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/14/26

AYES: Cervantes, Seyarto, Cabaldon, Dahle, Grayson, Richardson, Wahab

SENATE FLOOR: 33-0, 5/22/26

AYES: Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Ochoa Bogh, Pérez, Reyes, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Wahab, Weber Pierson, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Becker, Hurtado, Niello, Padilla, Stern

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: Passed, 8/27/26

SUBJECT: California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill requires the California Child and Family Service Review System (CFSR) to track how many nonminor dependents (NMDs) are using benefits designed to reduce poverty.

Assembly Amendments

make technical and clarifying changes.

ANALYSIS

Existing law:

1. Creates the California Child and Family Service Review System to review the child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living facilities in every county. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] 10601.2)
2. Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a workgroup comprised of representatives of the Judicial Council, the State Department of Social Services (CDSS), the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Education, the State Department of Justice, any other state departments or agencies the California Health and Human Services Agency deems necessary, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the California State Association of Counties, the Chief Probation Officers of California, the California Youth Connection, and representatives of California tribes, interested child advocacy organizations, researchers, and foster parent organizations. The workgroup is required to establish a work plan by which child and family service reviews shall be conducted. The work plan should consider any existing federal program improvement plans entered into by the state pursuant to federal regulations, the outcome indicators to be measured, compliance thresholds for each indicator, timelines for implementation, county review cycles, uniform processes, procedures and review instruments to be used, a corrective action process, and any funding or staffing increases needed. (WIC 10601.2 (c))
3. Requires CDSS to provide information to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees and appropriate legislative policy committees annually, beginning with the 2002–03 fiscal year on the following:
   1. CDSS’s progress in planning for the federal child and family service review and the findings of that review.
   2. CDSS’s progress in implementing the California child and family service reviews, including, but not limited to, the timelines for implementation, the process to be used, and any funding or staffing increases needed at the state or local level to implement the requirements of the program.
   3. The findings and recommendations for child welfare system improvements identified in county self-assessments and county system improvement plans, including information on common statutory, regulatory, or fiscal barriers identified as inhibiting system improvements, any recommendations to overcome those barriers, and, as applicable, information regarding the allocation and use of the moneys provided to counties. (WIC 10601.2 (f))

This bill:

1. Requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty.
2. Provides that these data measures include, but are not limited to, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and enrolment in postsecondary education and vocational education.
3. Provides that CDSS may consider feedback from relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience, in determining which additional relevant data to include.
4. Requires CDSS, at least once every five years, to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance measures based on the data collected.

Background

Author’s Statement. According to the author, “SB 1421 builds on California’s existing obligation to track outcomes for young people in the state’s child welfare system by addressing gaps in how outcomes for nonminor dependents are measured. Federal and state oversight mechanisms were largely designed prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21, and current review processes do not consistently capture outcomes for this population. SB 1421 will require the inclusion of utilization data measures within the California Child and Family Service Review System related to nonminor dependents’ use of resources such as the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and requires the State Department of Social Services to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Connection to these supports is crucial to education access and economic stability, and we owe it to every youth in extended foster care to ensure they have the best opportunity for upward mobility as they transition into adulthood.”

California Child and Family Service Review System and California Child Welfare Indicators Project The California Child and Family Service Review System was created by AB 636 (Chapter 92, Statues 2001) to require CDSS to establish a new system to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal foster care funds. The system replaced the former oversight mechanism and created a continuous quality improvement model that requires review of all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living facilities and is managed by county child welfare departments. County probation departments, Native American tribes, service recipients, and other relevant county departments are also expected to contribute to the review. Other relevant government entities and non-profit providers are allowed to participate.

The California Child and Family Service Review System consists of five components:

• County Self-Assessment – an assessment completed every five years by the county in coordination with their local community partners to “determine effectiveness of current practice, programs and resources across the continuum of child welfare and probation placement services and identifies areas for targeted system improvement.”
• Peer Review – allows counties to share qualitative feedback about their programs and share best practices.
• System Improvement Plan – an agreement between the county and state created every five years about improvements they will make.
• Annual System Improvement Plan Progress Report – a progress report created by county child welfare departments and their stakeholders about the effectiveness of strategies agreed to in the System Improvement Plan
• Quarterly Data Reports – Outcome-based data reports created by CDSS quarterly focused on core safety, permanency and well-being measures. The data is extracted from the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) and provides qualitative data that helps inform the other reports that are a part of the entire review system.

AB 636 also requires CDSS to provide annual data updates to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees. The California Child Welfare Indicators Project was created out of that requirement. The project is a collaborative effort between CDSS and the University of California at Berkley and is housed in the School of Social Welfare. According to CDSS, the website reports the child outcomes related to safety, permanency and well-being as well as numerous other important longitudinal systemic outcome measures. The website also provides counties with the opportunity to analyze data and to identify areas that are either performing well or need improvement. It provides data on outcomes for foster youth, placement rates, documented mistreatment and many of the other points of data counties track.

This system was largely created prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21. This bill seeks to fill these gaps by adding data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1907 (Pellerin, Chapter 944, Statutes of 2024) requires, subject to an appropriation, the California Child and Family Services Review System to include data from the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment tool.

AB 636 (Steinberg, Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001) requires CDSS to establish, by July 1, 2003, a Child and Family Service Review System in order to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal foster care funds.

AB 403 (Stone, Chapter 773, Statutes of 2015) initiated continuum of care reform and created Child and Family Teams.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. CDSS estimates General Fund (GF) costs of $185,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2027-28 and ongoing GF costs of $181,000 annually for one position related to data collection activities.
2. CDSS estimates GF county costs of $3.7 million GF in FY 2027-28 and $2.6 million GF annually thereafter related to additional data measure requirements. These costs include:
3. Ongoing county administrative costs of $1.3 million annually to collect the required data on NMDs and incorporate the data into system’s county self-assessments, system improvement plans, and comprehensive reviews.
4. Ongoing additional contract costs of $200,000 annually to update the existing California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP) contract with the University of California, Berkeley to include the required data.
5. One-time automation costs of $1.1 million in FY 2027-28 to update the Child Welfare System – California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) to include the required data fields on program usage by NMDs.

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/27/26)

3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic
Allies for Every Child
Cal Poly Humboldt Elite Scholars Program
California Alliance of Caregivers
Children Youth & Family Collaborative
Creative Alternatives
Foster & Kinship Care Education, Woodland Community College
John Burton Advocates for Youth
Ohlone College Nextup
Orange County United Way
Public Counsel
Redwood Community Action Agency - Youth Services Bureau
Rio Hondo College
Safe Place for Youth
San Francisco State Gsp Program
Santa Ana College Gsp
The Community College Foundation
United Friends of the Children

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/27/26)

None received

Prepared by: Heather Hopkins / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

8/27/26 16:58:30

**** END ****

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SB 1421

Author:(McGuire)

As Amended Ver:August 13, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Requires the California Child and Family Service Review System (CFSR) to track how many nonminor dependents (NMDs) are using benefits designed to reduce poverty.

Major Provisions

1. Requires the California CFSR to include data measures related to the utilization of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and enrollment in postsecondary education and vocational education.
2. Adds those new measures to the comprehensive review of county performance that the state conducts at least once every five years.
3. Permits the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to consider feedback from researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience in determining which additional related measures to include.

COMMENTS

The California Child and Family Service Review System. California's child welfare system is state-supervised but county-administered, which means CDSS sets policy and the 58 counties deliver services. In 2001, through the enactment of the Child Welfare System Improvement and Accountability Act, AB 636 (Steinberg), Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001, the California CFSR was designed to keep this decentralized system accountable and replaced an older compliance structure that asked whether counties followed prescribed processes, in favor of an outcomes-based approach that asks whether children and families are actually safer and better served.

In practice, the review operates on a multi-year cycle. Each county completes a self-assessment of its own performance, including a qualitative peer review of cases, develops a multi-year system improvement plan, and submits annual progress reports against that plan. CDSS monitors county performance on an ongoing basis and conducts a comprehensive review of each county at least once every five years.

California's CFSR is modeled on and aligned with the federal CFSR, administered by the Children's Bureau within the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services. Federal funding for foster care and child welfare services is conditioned on each state operating an approved plan, and the federal review is the mechanism the federal government uses to test conformity with it.

The federal review evaluates states across the same broad outcome measures: safety, permanency, and well-being, together with a set of systemic factors such as case review, quality assurance, and the agency's responsiveness to the community. When a state is found out of conformity, they do not lose funding outright but instead enters into a program improvement plan with negotiated targets and timelines. California's review imports the federal measures and standards, and then layers state-specific indicators on top of them. This bill would add data measures on the extent to which NMDs use programs that are designed to reduce poverty and enrollment in postsecondary and vocational education. These new measures would be added to the comprehensive review of county performance that the state conducts at least once every five years.

This Bill in Practice. Currently, the California CFSR focuses on the federal safety, permanency, and well-being measures and on operational metrics like caseworker visits and the timeliness of abuse investigations. This bill extends the system into outcomes based on the utilization of programs designed to reduce poverty of older foster youth as they prepare to leave care. This bill asks the system to measure how many NMDs have completed the FAFSA, while leaving room for CDSS to add related anti-poverty and college-access measures over time. These new measures would then be attached to the existing every-five-year comprehensive county review, so they become part of the recurring accountability cycle rather than a one-time data pull.

A recent example comes from Los Angeles County, which voluntarily implemented the type of data collection proposed in this bill: the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) began tracking whether foster youth were receiving assistance with completing college financial aid applications (FAFSA/California Dream Act Application [CADAA]) as required by SB 12 (Beall), Chapter 722, Statutes of 2017. To support implementation, DCFS developed a dashboard that reported SB 12 compliance rates by Service Bureau. These data were reviewed regularly at both the Service Bureau and department-wide levels to identify performance disparities and focus corrective action where needed.

The result was a significant improvement in compliance with SB 12 and, in turn, an increase in college enrollment. Compliance rates increased from 1.7% in 2019 to 66.4% as of August 27, 2025, the most recent date for which aggregate data are available. During that same period, the number of foster youth enrolled in the 21 Los Angeles-based community colleges increased 44%, according to the California Community College Chancellor's Office. Notably, this growth occurred while Los Angeles County's foster care population declined by 38%, indicating that a substantially greater share of foster youth were enrolling in college.

By incorporating these measures into the California CFSR process, the state can ensure that counties routinely collect, review, and act on outcome data related to postsecondary access and success.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the single application students use to establish eligibility for federal student aid, which includes Pell Grants, federal work-study, and federal student loans, and for most state and institutional aid as well, including California's Cal Grant program. It is the gateway form that determines what aid a student can receive. The form is administered by Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, which develops, distributes, and processes roughly 22 million FAFSAs each year and enforces the underlying aid rules. In California, completion data for foster youth is tracked through a statewide initiative led by John Burton Advocates for Youth in partnership with the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).

Foster youth qualify as independent students. The FAFSA asks whether the applicant was in foster care at any point since 13 years of age, and these youth generally do not have to report parental income, which removes a significant barrier for young people who are not in contact with their parents.^[1] Completing the FAFSA is one of the strongest predictors of college-going high school seniors who complete it are roughly twice as likely to enroll within 12 months.^[2] California's dedicated Foster Youth FAFSA/ CADAA Challenge, launched in 2017, raised foster-youth completion to 65% in the 2022-23 school year, up from 45% when the effort began. Foster youth remain far behind their peers for degree completion, with only about one in ten earning a college degree by their early-to-mid twenties.^[3]

This bill would make FAFSA completion among NMDs a standing, county-level measure within the review system.

According to the Author

"[This bill] builds on California's obligation to track outcomes for young people in the state's child welfare system by addressing gaps in how outcomes for nonminor dependents are measured. Federal and state oversight mechanisms were largely designed prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21, and current review processes do not consistently capture outcomes for this population. [This bill] will require the inclusion of utilization data measures within the California Child and Family Service Review System related to nonminor dependents' use of resources such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and require the State Department of Social Services to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Connection to these supports is crucial to education access and economic stability, and we owe it to every youth in extended foster care to ensure they have the best opportunity for upward mobility as they transition into adulthood."

Arguments in Support

The California Alliance of Child and Family Services writes, "When federal and state oversight mechanisms such as the California Child and Family Service Review System were designed, foster care had not yet been expanded to cover youths up to age 21. Since then, these systems have failed to consistently capture outcomes for this population. [This bill] will build on California's obligation to track outcomes for youths in the child welfare system by requiring the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data related to nonminor dependents' use of resources, like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It will also require the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Through these efforts, we will be able to track where youth in extended foster care are falling through the cracks and ensure they receive the support they need to thrive."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 13, 2026:

1. CDSS estimates General Fund (GF) costs of $185,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2027-28 and ongoing GF costs of $181,000 annually for one position related to data collection activities.
2. CDSS estimates GF county costs of $3.7 million GF in FY 2027-28 and $2.6 million GF annually thereafter related to additional data measure requirements. These costs include:
3. Ongoing county administrative costs of $1.3 million annually to collect the required data on NMDs and incorporate the data into system's county self-assessments, system improvement plans, and comprehensive reviews.
4. Ongoing additional contract costs of $200,000 annually to update the existing California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP) contract with the University of California, Berkeley to include the required data.
5. One-time automation costs of $1.1 million in FY 2027-28 to update the Child Welfare System – California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) to include the required data fields on program usage by NMDs.

VOTES

SENATE FLOOR: 33-0-7

YES: Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Ochoa Bogh, Pérez, Reyes, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Wahab, Weber Pierson, Wiener

ABS, ABST OR NV: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Becker, Hurtado, Niello, Padilla, Stern

ASM HUMAN SERVICES: 7-0-0

YES: Lee, Tangipa, Calderon, Elhawary, Jackson, Celeste Rodriguez, Sanchez

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-4

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Pacheco, Pellerin, Sharp-Collins, Solache

ABS, ABST OR NV: Hoover, Dixon, Ta, Tangipa

UPDATED

VERSION: August 13, 2026

CONSULTANT: Jessica Langtry / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN: 0003668

1. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/foster-care-postsecondary-education-and-financial-aid-california ↑

2. https://jbay.org/financial-aid-results-2023/ ↑

3. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/foster-care-postsecondary-education-and-financial-aid-california ↑

Date of Hearing: August 5, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1421

Author:(McGuire) – As Amended Ver:March 26, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to track utilization of programs for nonminor dependents (NMDs) designed to reduce poverty and support college access.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to utilization of programs for NMDs designed to reduce poverty and increase participation in postsecondary education, including, but not limited to, the foster youth tax credit, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Allows the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to consider feedback from relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience, in determining which additional relevant data to include.
3. Requires CDSS to add these performance measures to its comprehensive review of county performance conducted at least once every five years.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. CDSS estimates General Fund (GF) costs of $185,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2027-28 and ongoing GF costs of $181,000 annually for one position related to data collection activities.
2. CDSS estimates GF county costs of $3.7 million GF in FY 2027-28 and $2.6 million GF annually thereafter related to additional data measure requirements. These costs include:
3. Ongoing county administrative costs of $1.3 million annually to collect the required data on NMDs and incorporate the data into system’s county self-assessments, system improvement plans, and comprehensive reviews.
4. Ongoing additional contract costs of $200,000 annually to update the existing California Child Welfare Indicators Project (CCWIP) contract with the University of California, Berkeley to include the required data.
5. One-time automation costs of $1.1 million in FY 2027-28 to update the Child Welfare System – California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) to include the required data fields on program usage by NMDs.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the Author:

[This bill] builds on California’s obligation to track outcomes for young people in the state’s child welfare system by addressing gaps in how outcomes for NMDs are measured. Federal and state oversight mechanisms were largely designed prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21, and current review processes do not consistently capture outcomes for this population. [This bill] will require the inclusion of utilization data measures within the California Child and Family Service Review System related to NMDs’ use of resources such as the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and require [CDSS] to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years.

1. Background. Existing law establishes the California Child and Family Service Review System, which requires CDSS to establish a system to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal funds. The system replaced the former oversight mechanism and created a continuous quality improvement model that requires review of all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Counties are responsible for and accountable to CDSS for child welfare program performance measures. Counties must submit updates to CDSS at least annually on their progress in achieving improvements on applicable measures.

State law establishes the Extended Foster Care (EFC) Program. The EFC Program allows eligible youth in the child welfare and probation systems (“nonminor dependents”) to remain in foster care until age 21. Youth may leave extended foster care and later choose to re-enter the program up to age 21.

This bill updates the review system to capture utilization of programs available to NMDs.

1. Related Legislation. SB 624 (Caballero), Chapter 230, Statutes of 2025, requires county child welfare agencies and probation departments to annually notify NMDs of the foster youth tax credit and tax filing.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: June 30, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Alex Lee, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1421

Author:(McGuire) – As Amended Ver:March 26, 2026

SENATE VOTE: 33-0

SUBJECT: California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents

SUMMARY: Requires the California Child and Family Service Review System (CFSR) to track how many nonminor dependents (NMDs) are using benefits designed to reduce poverty and support college access, including, but not limited to, the Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC) and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the California CFSR to include data measures related to the utilization of NMDs programs designed to reduce poverty and increase participation in postsecondary education, including the FYTC and the FAFSA.
2. Adds those new measures to the comprehensive review of county performance that the state conducts at least once every five years.
3. Permits the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to consider feedback from researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience in determining which additional related measures to include.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires CDSS to establish the California CFSR in order to review all county child welfare systems, covering child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] § 10601.2(a))
2. Requires those reviews to maximize compliance with the federal requirements for foster care and adoption assistance funding and to ensure compliance with the federal child welfare services state plan. (WIC § 10601.2(b))
3. Requires the review system’s outcome indicators to be consistent with the measures and standards used in the federal child and family service review. (WIC § 10601.2(d))
4. Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a multi-agency and stakeholder workgroup to establish the work plan for the reviews, and authorizes consideration of additional outcome indicators in subsequent review cycles. (WIC § 10601.2(c), (d)(3))
5. Holds counties accountable to CDSS for specified federal and state child welfare performance measures, and requires CDSS to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on those measures at least once every five years. (WIC § 10601.2(j))
6. Authorizes the review system to include data from the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment and other readily available behavioral health data, subject to appropriation. (WIC § 10601.2(l))
7. Establishes extended foster care for NMDs, generally up to 21 years of age, and defines the conditions of their continued eligibility. (WIC § 11400 et seq.).
8. Establishes the FYTC, a refundable credit available to qualifying current and former foster youth 18 to 25 years of age. (Revenue and Tax Code § 17052.2)

Federal law:

1. Establishes the child welfare services state plan requirements that states must meet to receive federal child welfare funding. (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] §§ 621 et seq.)
2. Establishes federal foster care and adoption assistance funding, conditioned on an approved state plan. (42 U.S.C. § 670 et seq.)
3. Establishes the federal CFSR and the measures and standards for child and family outcomes and systemic factors that it uses to assess state conformity. (45 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1355-1357)

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Committee on Appropriations on May 1, 2026:

• The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) estimates ongoing General Fund costs of $181,000 for state administration related to data collection activities. CDSS also indicates unknown potential automation costs.
• Unknown potential costs to counties for administration related to additional data measure requirements

COMMENTS:

Background: The California Child and Family Service Review System. California’s child welfare system is state-supervised but county-administered, which means CDSS sets policy and the 58 counties deliver services. In 2001, through the enactment of the Child Welfare System Improvement and Accountability Act, AB 636 (Steinberg), Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001, the California CFSR was designed to keep this decentralized system accountable and replaced an older compliance structure that asked whether counties followed prescribed processes, in favor of an outcomes-based approach that asks whether children and families are actually safer and better served.

In practice, the review operates on a multi-year cycle. Each county completes a self-assessment of its own performance, including a qualitative peer review of cases, develops a multi-year system improvement plan, and submits annual progress reports against that plan. CDSS monitors county performance on an ongoing basis and conducts a comprehensive review of each county at least once every five years.

California’s CFSR is modeled on and aligned with the federal CFSR, administered by the Children’s Bureau within the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services. Federal funding for foster care and child welfare services is conditioned on each state operating an approved plan, and the federal review is the mechanism the federal government uses to test conformity with it.

The federal review evaluates states across the same broad outcome measures: safety, permanency, and well-being, together with a set of systemic factors such as case review, quality assurance, and the agency’s responsiveness to the community. When a state is found out of conformity, they do not lose funding outright but instead enters into a program improvement plan with negotiated targets and timelines. California’s review imports the federal measures and standards, and then layers state-specific indicators on top of them. This bill would add data measures on the extent to which NMDs use the FYTC and the FAFSA. These new measures would be added to the comprehensive review of county performance that the state conducts at least once every five years.

This Bill in Practice. Currently, the California CFSR focuses on the federal safety, permanency, and well-being measures and on operational metrics like caseworker visits and the timeliness of abuse investigations. This bill extends the system into outcomes based on the economic and educational self-sufficiency of older foster youth as they prepare to leave care. This bill names two specific benefits and asks the system to measure how many NMDs are connected to them through the receipt of the FYTC and completion of the FAFSA, while leaving room for CDSS to add related anti-poverty and college-access measures over time. These new measures would then be attached to the existing every-five-year comprehensive county review, so they become part of the recurring accountability cycle rather than a one-time data pull.

A recent example comes from Los Angeles County, which voluntarily implemented the type of data collection proposed in this bill: the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) began tracking whether foster youth were receiving assistance with completing college financial aid applications (FAFSA/California Dream Act Application [CADAA]) as required by SB 12 (Beall), Chapter 722, Statutes of 2017. To support implementation, DCFS developed a dashboard that reported SB 12 compliance rates by Service Bureau. These data were reviewed regularly at both the Service Bureau and department-wide levels to identify performance disparities and focus corrective action where needed.

The result was a significant improvement in compliance with SB 12 and, in turn, an increase in college enrollment. Compliance rates increased from 1.7% in 2019 to 66.4% as of August 27, 2025, the most recent date for which aggregate data are available. During that same period, the number of foster youth enrolled in the 21 Los Angeles-based community colleges increased 44%, according to the California Community College Chancellor's Office. Notably, this growth occurred while Los Angeles County's foster care population declined by 38%, indicating that a substantially greater share of foster youth were enrolling in college.

By incorporating these measures into the California CFSR process, the state can ensure that counties routinely collect, review, and act on outcome data related to postsecondary access and success.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the single application students use to establish eligibility for federal student aid, which includes Pell Grants, federal work-study, and federal student loans, and for most state and institutional aid as well, including California’s Cal Grant program. It is the gateway form that determines what aid a student can receive. The form is administered by Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, which develops, distributes, and processes roughly 22 million FAFSAs each year and enforces the underlying aid rules. In California, completion data for foster youth is tracked through a statewide initiative led by John Burton Advocates for Youth in partnership with the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).

Foster youth qualify as independent students. The FAFSA asks whether the applicant was in foster care at any point since 13 years of age, and these youth generally do not have to report parental income, which removes a significant barrier for young people who are not in contact with their parents.^[1] Completing the FAFSA is one of the strongest predictors of college-going high school seniors who complete it are roughly twice as likely to enroll within 12 months.^[2] California’s dedicated Foster Youth FAFSA/ CADAA Challenge, launched in 2017, raised foster-youth completion to 65% in the 2022-23 school year, up from 45% when the effort began. Foster youth remain far behind their peers for degree completion, with only about one in ten earning a college degree by their early-to-mid twenties.^[3]

This bill would make FAFSA completion among NMDs a standing, county-level measure within the review system.

Foster Youth Tax Credit. The FYTC is a refundable California tax credit for current and former foster youth 18 to 25 years of age who qualify for the California Earned Income Tax Credit and who were in foster care at or after 13 years of age through the California foster care system. Because it is refundable, an eligible youth receives the full value as cash even if they owe no tax. For the 2025 tax year, the maximum credit is $1,189 per eligible person, or up to $2,378 if both an eligible taxpayer and spouse/Registered Domestic Partner qualify.^[4]

The FYTC was the first tax credit of its kind in the nation and was established through the 2022–23 state budget with roughly $21 million in ongoing funding, signed into law on June 30, 2022, and made available for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2022.

Because the credit is tied to the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), its maximum value has risen each year: from $1,083 for 2022 to $1,189 for 2025. CalEITC is a state-level, cash-back tax credit for low- to moderate-income working Californians. If you qualify, the credit can significantly reduce the amount of state income tax you owe or provide you with a larger tax refund. The credit is administered by the Franchise Tax Board as part of the CalEITC, and is claimed by filing a state tax return. A youth’s foster-care status is verified by CDSS against a statewide database, with the youth’s consent provided on the tax form.

Over the credit’s first three years, and as of August 31, 2025, it had reached more than 16,000 current and former foster youth and delivered about $17.2 million directly, plus an estimated $18.7 million in additional credits unlocked when those youth filed returns.^[5] For recipients, the effect on income is substantial: the credit raised annual income by roughly 10% for single filers and 26% for filers with dependent children. However, of an estimated 33,648 eligible youth statewide, only about 17% claimed the credit in 2025.^[6] To narrow that gap, SB 624 (Caballero), Chapter 230, Statues of 2025, now requires county child welfare agencies and probation departments to notify NMDs about the credit. This bill would complement that outreach mandate by adding FYTC receipt to the review system as a recurring, county-level measure.

Author’s Statement: According to the Author, “[This bill] builds on California’s obligation to track outcomes for young people in the state’s child welfare system by addressing gaps in how outcomes for nonminor dependents are measured. Federal and state oversight mechanisms were largely designed prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21, and current review processes do not consistently capture outcomes for this population. [This bill] will require the inclusion of utilization data measures within the California Child and Family Service Review System related to nonminor dependents’ use of resources such as the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and require the State Department of Social Services to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Connection to these supports is crucial to education access and economic stability, and we owe it to every youth in extended foster care to ensure they have the best opportunity for upward mobility as they transition into adulthood.”

Equity Implications: The provisions of this bill seek to identify how many older foster youth are actually using programs designed to reduce poverty and increase participation in college. As it relates to the FYTC, advocates estimate roughly 33,600 current and former foster youth are eligible statewide. Over the credit’s first three years, it reached more than 16,000 youth and delivered about $17.2 million, but in its most recent year, only about 17% of eligible youth actually claimed it. For those who do claim it, there is a measurable increase in annual income for a group at an age when earnings are typically low, and family support is usually absent.

A coordinated statewide push raised FAFSA completion among California foster youth to roughly 65% in the 2022-23 school year, up from about 45% several years earlier. Data show that financial-aid completion is one of the strongest predictors of college enrollment, and foster youth remain far behind their peers in degree attainment, with only about one in ten earning a college degree by their early twenties. Because the review system reports at the county level, measuring these two benefits is also a way to surface geographic disparities: it can show which counties are connecting their youth to income and education supports and which are leaving money and aid on the table.

Arguments in Support: The California Alliance of Child and Family Services write, “When federal and state oversight mechanisms such as the California Child and Family Service Review System were designed, foster care had not yet been expanded to cover youths up to age 21. Since then, these systems have failed to consistently capture outcomes for this population. [This bill] will build on California’s obligation to track outcomes for youths in the child welfare system by requiring the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data related to nonminor dependents’ use of resources like the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, as well as require the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Through these efforts, we will be able to track where youth in extended foster care are falling through the cracks and ensure they receive the supports they need to thrive.”

Arguments in Opposition: None on file.

RELATED AND PRIOR LEGISLATION:

SB 624 (Caballero), Chapter 230, Statutes of 2025, required county child welfare agencies and probation departments to annually notify NMDs about the FYTC and tax filing, in order to increase uptake of the credit.

SB 12 (Beall), Chapter 722, Statutes of 2017, Required CSAC to work with CDSS to develop an automated system to verify a student's status as a foster youth for the purposes of processing applications for federal financial aid; expanded the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program from up to 10 community college districts to 20 community college districts; and, made changes aimed at increasing and facilitating foster youth and NMD access to postsecondary education.

AB 12 (Beall), Chapter 559, Statutes of 2010, extended foster care to 21 years of age and created the NMD category around which this bill’s new measures are built.

AB 636 (Steinberg), Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001, established the California CFSR and shifted county oversight from process compliance to an outcomes-based review aligned with the federal review.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Allies for Every Child

California Alliance of Child and Family Services

John Burton Advocates for Youth

San Francisco CASA

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Jessica Langtry / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089

1. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/foster-care-postsecondary-education-and-financial-aid-california ↑

2. https://jbay.org/financial-aid-results-2023/ ↑

3. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/foster-care-postsecondary-education-and-financial-aid-california ↑

4. https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2025/2025-3514-booklet.html ↑

5. https://jbay.org/fytc-three-year-progress/ ↑

6. https://jbay.org/resources/fytc-report-2025/ ↑

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: SB 1421

Author: McGuire (D)

Amended: 3/26/26

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 4-0, 4/20/26

AYES: Becker, Niello, Laird, Weber Pierson

NO VOTE RECORDED: Pérez

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/14/26

AYES: Cervantes, Seyarto, Cabaldon, Dahle, Grayson, Richardson, Wahab

SUBJECT: California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to the utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Creates the California Child and Family Service Review System to review the child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living facilities in every county. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] 10601.2)
2. Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a workgroup comprised of representatives of the Judicial Council, the State Department of Social Services (CDSS), the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Education, the State Department of Justice, any other state departments or agencies the California Health and Human Services Agency deems necessary, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the California State Association of Counties, the Chief Probation Officers of California, the California Youth Connection, and representatives of California tribes, interested child advocacy organizations, researchers, and foster parent organizations. The workgroup is required to establish a work plan by which child and family service reviews shall be conducted. (WIC 10601.2 (c))
3. Requires CDSS to provide information to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees and appropriate legislative policy committees annually, beginning with the 2002–03 fiscal year on the following:
   1. CDSS’s progress in planning for the federal child and family service review and the findings of that review.
   2. CDSS’s progress in implementing the California child and family service reviews, including, but not limited to, the timelines for implementation, the process to be used, and any funding or staffing increases needed at the state or local level to implement the requirements of the program.
   3. The findings and recommendations for child welfare system improvements identified in county self-assessments and county system improvement plans, including information on common statutory, regulatory, or fiscal barriers identified as inhibiting system improvements, any recommendations to overcome those barriers, and, as applicable, information regarding the allocation and use of the moneys provided to counties. (WIC 10601.2 (f))

This bill:

1. Requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education.
2. Provides that these data measures include, but are not limited to, the foster youth tax credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
3. Provides that CDSS may consider feedback from relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience, in determining which additional relevant data to include.
4. Requires CDSS, at least once every five years, to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance measures based on the data collected.

Background

Author Statement. According to the author, “SB 1421 builds on California’s existing obligation to track outcomes for young people in the state’s child welfare system by addressing gaps in how outcomes for nonminor dependents are measured. Federal and state oversight mechanisms were largely designed prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21, and current review processes do not consistently capture outcomes for this population. SB 1421 will require the inclusion of utilization data measures within the California Child and Family Service Review System related to nonminor dependents’ use of resources such as the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and requires the State Department of Social Services to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Connection to these supports is crucial to education access and economic stability, and we owe it to every youth in extended foster care to ensure they have the best opportunity for upward mobility as they transition into adulthood.”

California Child and Family Service Review System and California Child Welfare Indicators Project The California Child and Family Service Review System was created by AB 636 (Chapter 92, Statues 2001) to require CDSS to establish a new system to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal foster care funds. The system replaced the former oversight mechanism and created a continuous quality improvement model that requires review of all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living facilities and is managed by county child welfare departments. County probation departments, Native American tribes, service recipients, and other relevant county departments are also expected to contribute to the review. Other relevant government entities and non-profit providers are allowed to participate.

The California Child and Family Service Review System consists of five components:

• County Self-Assessment – an assessment completed every five years by the county in coordination with their local community partners to “determine effectiveness of current practice, programs and resources across the continuum of child welfare and probation placement services and identifies areas for targeted system improvement.”
• Peer Review – allows counties to share qualitative feedback about their programs and share best practices.
• System Improvement Plan – an agreement between the county and state created every five years about improvements they will make.
• Annual System Improvement Plan Progress Report – a progress report created by county child welfare departments and their stakeholders about the effectiveness of strategies agreed to in the System Improvement Plan
• Quarterly Data Reports – Outcome-based data reports created by CDSS quarterly focused on core safety, permanency and well-being measures. The data is extracted from the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) and provides qualitative data that helps inform the other reports that are a part of the entire review system.

AB 636 also requires CDSS to provide annual data updates to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees. The California Child Welfare Indicators Project was created out of that requirement. The project is a collaborative effort between CDSS and the University of California at Berkley and is housed in the School of Social Welfare. According to CDSS, the website reports the child outcomes related to safety, permanency and well-being as well as numerous other important longitudinal systemic outcome measures. The website also provides counties with the opportunity to analyze data and to identify areas that are either performing well or need improvement. It provides data on outcomes for foster youth, placement rates, documented mistreatment and many of the other points of data counties track.

This system was largely created prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21. This bill seeks to fill these gaps by adding data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 1907 (Pellerin, Chapter 944, Statutes of 2024) required, subject to an appropriation, the California Child and Family Services Review System to include data from the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment tool.

AB 636 (Steinberg, Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001) required CDSS to establish, by July 1, 2003, a Child and Family Service Review System in order to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal foster care funds.

AB 403 (Stone, Chapter 773, Statutes of 2015), initiated continuum of care reform and created Child and Family Teams.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) estimates ongoing General Fund costs of $181,000 for state administration related to data collection activities. CDSS also indicates unknown potential automation costs.
• Unknown potential costs to counties for administration related to additional data measure requirements.

SUPPORT: (Verified 5/14/26)

3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic
Allies for Every Child
Cal Poly Humboldt Elite Scholars Program
California Alliance of Caregivers
Children Youth & Family Collaborative
Creative Alternatives
Foster & Kinship Care Education, Woodland Community College
John Burton Advocates for Youth
Ohlone College Nextup
Orange County United Way
Public Counsel
Redwood Community Action Agency - Youth Services Bureau
Rio Hondo College
Safe Place for Youth
San Francisco State Gsp Program
Santa Ana College Gsp
The Community College Foundation
United Friends of the Children

OPPOSITION: (Verified 5/14/26)

None received

Prepared by: Heather Hopkins / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

5/14/26 16:58:04

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Sabrina Cervantes, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

SB 1421 (McGuire) - California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents

Bill Summary:

SB 1421 would require the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents, as specified.

Fiscal Impact:

• The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) estimates ongoing General Fund costs of $181,000 for state administration related to data collection activities. CDSS also indicates unknown potential automation costs.
• Unknown potential costs to counties for administration related to additional data measure requirements.

Background:

Current law establishes the California Child and Family Service Review System which requires CDSS to establish a system to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal funds. The system replaced the former oversight mechanism and created a continuous quality improvement model that requires review of all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Counties are responsible for and accountable to CDSS for child welfare program performance measures. Counties must submit updates to CDSS, no less than annually, on their progress in achieving improvements on applicable measures.

State law establishes the Extended Foster Care (EFC) Program. The EFC Program allows eligible youth in the child welfare and probation systems (“nonminor dependents”) to remain in foster care until age 21. Youth may leave extended foster care and later choose to re-enter the program up to age 21.

Proposed Law:

Specific provisions of the bill would:

• Require the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education, including, but not limited to, the foster youth tax credit, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Require CDSS, at least once every five years, to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures.
• Allow CDSS to consider feedback from relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience, in determining which additional relevant data to include.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Becker, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Subject: California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents

SUMMARY

This bill requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to the utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education.

ABSTRACT

Existing Law:

1. Creates the California Child and Family Service Review System to review the child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living facilities in every county. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] 10601.2)

1. Requires the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a workgroup comprised of representatives of the Judicial Council, the State Department of Social Services (CDSS), the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Education, the State Department of Justice, any other state departments or agencies the California Health and Human Services Agency deems necessary, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the California State Association of Counties, the Chief Probation Officers of California, the California Youth Connection, and representatives of California tribes, interested child advocacy organizations, researchers, and foster parent organizations. The workgroup is required to establish a work plan by which child and family service reviews shall be conducted. The work plan should consider any existing federal program improvement plans entered into by the state pursuant to federal regulations, the outcome indicators to be measured, compliance thresholds for each indicator, timelines for implementation, county review cycles, uniform processes, procedures and review instruments to be used, a corrective action process, and any funding or staffing increases needed. (WIC 10601.2 (c))
   
2. Requires CDSS to provide information to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees and appropriate legislative policy committees annually, beginning with the 2002–03 fiscal year on the following:
   1. CDSS’s progress in planning for the federal child and family service review and the findings of that review.
      
   2. CDSS’s progress in implementing the California child and family service reviews, including, but not limited to, the timelines for implementation, the process to be used, and any funding or staffing increases needed at the state or local level to implement the requirements of the program.
      
   3. The findings and recommendations for child welfare system improvements identified in county self-assessments and county system improvement plans, including information on common statutory, regulatory, or fiscal barriers identified as inhibiting system improvements, any recommendations to overcome those barriers, and, as applicable, information regarding the allocation and use of the moneys provided to counties. (WIC 10601.2 (f))
      

This Bill:

1. Requires the California Child and Family Service Review System to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education
2. Provides that these data measures include, but are not limited to, the foster youth tax credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
3. Provides that CDSS may consider feedback from relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to, researchers, county representatives, advocates, and individuals with lived experience, in determining which additional relevant data to include.
4. Requires CDSS, at least once every five years, to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance measures based on the data collected.

FISCAL IMPACT

This bill has not yet been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Purpose of the Bill:

According to the author, “SB 1421 builds on California’s existing obligation to track outcomes for young people in the state’s child welfare system by addressing gaps in how outcomes for nonminor dependents are measured. Federal and state oversight mechanisms were largely designed prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21, and current review processes do not consistently capture outcomes for this population. SB 1421 will require the inclusion of utilization data measures within the California Child and Family Service Review System related to nonminor dependents’ use of resources such as the Foster Youth Tax Credit and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and requires the State Department of Social Services to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance on these measures every five years. Connection to these supports is crucial to education access and economic stability, and we owe it to every youth in extended foster care to ensure they have the best opportunity for upward mobility as they transition into adulthood.”

California Child and Family Service Review System and California Child Welfare Indicators Project

The California Child and Family Service Review System was created by AB 636 (Chapter 92, Statues 2001) to require CDSS to establish a new system to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal foster care funds. The system replaced the former oversight mechanism and created a continuous quality improvement model that requires review of all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living facilities and is managed by county child welfare departments. County probation departments, Native American tribes, service recipients, and other relevant county departments are also expected to contribute to the review. Other relevant government entities and non-profit providers are allowed to participate.

The California Child and Family Service Review System consists of five components:

• County Self-Assessment – an assessment completed every five years by the county in coordination with their local community partners to “determine effectiveness of current practice, programs and resources across the continuum of child welfare and probation placement services and identifies areas for targeted system improvement.”
• Peer Review – allows counties to share qualitative feedback about their programs and share best practices.
• System Improvement Plan – an agreement between the county and state created every five years about improvements they will make.
• Annual System Improvement Plan Progress Report – a progress report created by county child welfare departments and their stakeholders about the effectiveness of strategies agreed to in the System Improvement Plan
• Quarterly Data Reports – Outcome-based data reports created by CDSS quarterly focused on core safety, permanency and well-being measures. The data is extracted from the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) and provides qualitative data that helps inform the other reports that are a part of the entire review system.

AB 636 also requires CDSS to provide annual data updates to the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees. The California Child Welfare Indicators Project was created out of that requirement. The project is a collaborative effort between CDSS and the University of California at Berkley and is housed in the School of Social Welfare. According to CDSS, the website reports the child outcomes related to safety, permanency and well-being as well as numerous other important longitudinal systemic outcome measures. The website also provides counties with the opportunity to analyze data and to identify areas that are either performing well or need improvement. It provides data on outcomes for foster youth, placement rates, documented mistreatment and many of the other points of data counties track.

This system was largely created prior to the expansion of foster care to age 21. This bill seeks to fill these gaps by adding data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education

Related/Prior Legislation:

AB 1907 (Pellerin, Chapter 944, Statutes of 2024) requires, subject to an appropriation, the California Child and Family Services Review System to include data from the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment tool.

AB 636 (Steinberg, Chapter 678, Statutes of 2001) requires CDSS to establish, by July 1, 2003, a Child and Family Service Review System in order to review all county child welfare systems, and to ensure compliance with federal regulations for the receipt of federal foster care funds.

AB 403 (Stone, Chapter 773, Statutes of 2015), initiated continuum of care reform and created Child and Family Teams.

COMMENTS

This bill adds data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education as a required part of the California Child and Family Service Review System and requires that data to be posted regularly on the California Child Welfare Indicators Project website. The California Child Welfare Indicators Project website provides valuable data about foster youth that lawmakers, policy advocates, and researchers consult to learn about that population. This bill would expand data collected for nonminor dependents as well as require CDSS to conduct a comprehensive review of county performance measures at least once every five years. With thousands of nonminor dependents in the state, tracking and reviewing such data is crucial to ensuring programs are meeting their needs.

POSITIONS

Support:

California Alliance of Caregivers
Foster & Kinship Care Education, Woodland Community College

Oppose:

None Received

-- END --