CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 640

Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley

February 12, 2021

An act to add Section 11401.7 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster youth.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 640, as introduced, Cooley. Extended foster care: eligibility redetermination.
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 and to nonminor dependents up to 21 years of age. Existing law specifies that a nonminor dependent is eligible for federal financial participation for benefits under the AFDC-FC program if the nonminor dependent meets certain criteria, including, among others, that they have been deprived of parental support, as specified.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to develop and disseminate guidance to county child welfare and probation agencies on recommended procedures to follow in order to transition a youth to the extended foster care program in a manner that enables the county to redetermine the youth’s eligibility for federal financial participation.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 11401.7 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

11401.7.
 (a) On or before July 1, 2022, the State Department of Social Services shall develop and disseminate guidance to county child welfare and probation agencies on recommended procedures to follow in order to transition a youth to the extended foster care program in a manner that enables the county to redetermine the youth’s eligibility for federal financial participation pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 11401.
(b) The procedures developed pursuant to this section shall take into consideration input from stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of county child welfare and probation agencies, the Judicial Council, child welfare workers, dependency counsel for children, and current and former foster youth.