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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 04242001 - C.64 .. f G TO: ' BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA '� �• COSTA COUNTY FROM: John Sweeten, County Administrator DATE: April 24, 2001 SUBJECT: SB 249 (Chesbro) - Support SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): 1. SUPPORT SB 249 (Chesbro) which would allow counties to provide Ca1WORKs based assistance and supportive services to parents and children involved with Child Protective Services when assistance is needed to enable family reunification. 2. REQUEST the County Lobbyist to appropriately communicate the Board's position on SB 518. BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): Currently, under state law, parents and children are eligible for CalWORKs assistance and supportive services up to 30 days after removal of the child from a home by Child Protective Services. This 30 day "temporary absence"rule generally does not provide a parent sufficient time to establish a safe and stable environment for a child to return to, as determined by the County and the Court. Without financial support and �efficient time, families have a very difficult time successfully reunifying. This results in fewer reunificatiors, families being kept apart longer and increased cost for the Child Welfare System. Federal statute allows for 180 days "temporary absence." SB 249 aligns the California law with federal statute. CONTINUED ON ATTACHI14ENT: —YES SIGNATURE: i RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR—RECOMMENDATION OF BOA P.MITTEE APPROVE OTHER J I- lam.r. .' SIGNATURE(S): ' ACTION OF BOARD ON April 24� 20�;-` APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED MOTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A XX UNANIMOUS(ABSENT IV ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: ATTESTED April 24, 2001 JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE B ARD OF SUPERVISORS AA, AND C U TY ADMINIST TOR cc: -�71�1 John Cullen,EHSD B DEPUTY Jti 249 Senate bill - Status rage i Ui i CURRENT BILL STATUS MEASURE S.B. No. 249 AUTHOR(S) Chesbro. TOPIC Ca1WORKs: eligibility. HOUSE LOCATION SEN TYPE OF BILL Active Non-Urgency Appropriations 2/3 Vote Required State-Mandated Local Program Fiscal Non-Tax Levy LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 04/04/2001 LAST HIST. ACTION Set for hearing April 23. COMM. LOCATION SEN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMM. ACTION DATE 03/23/2001 COMM. ACTION Hearing postponed by Committee. TITLE An act to amend Section 11203 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services, and making an appropriation therefor. http-Hwww.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0201-0250/sb_249_bill_20010404_status.htn-d 4/12/01 SB 249 Senate Bill- INTRODUCED Pagel of 2 BILL NUMBER: SB 249 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Chesbro FEBRUARY 15, 2001 An act to amend Section 11203 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 249, as introduced, Chesbro. CalWORKs: eligibility. Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the CalWORKs program for the allocation of federal funds received through the TANF program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund for a share of CalWORKs aid grant costs. Existing law provides that during such times as the federal government provides funds for the care of a needy relative with whom a needy child is living, aid to the child for any month includes aid to meet the need of that relative, if CalWORKs payments are made with respect to the child for that month, except as prescribed. This bill would provide that the parent or needy relative shall be considered living with the needy child or needy children for a period of up to 180 consecutive days of the needy child's or children' s absence from the family assistance unit when the child is receiving child protective services and the county has determined that the provision of assistance is necessary for family reunification. By permitting a parent or other needy relative to remain eligible for aid for an increased period of time under certain circumstances, the bill would increase aid payments, thereby constituting an appropriation. By permitting a parent or other needy relative to remain eligible for aid for an increased period of time under certain circumstances, the bill would increase aid payments and administrative functions, thereby creating 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, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000, 000 statewide and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed $1,000,000. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pubibill/sen/sb 0201-0250/sb_249_bill_20010215_introduced.htrnl 4/12/01 SB 249 Senate Bill - INTRODUCED Page 2 of 2 SECTION 1. Section 11203 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 11203. (a) During such times as the federal government provides funds for the care of a needy relative with whom a needy child or needy children are living, aid to the child or children for any month includes aid to meet the needs of —est that relative, if money payments are made with respect to the child or children for that month, and if the relative is not receiving aid under Chapters 3 (commencing with Section 12000) or 5 (commencing with Section 13000) of this part or Part A of Title XVI of the Social Security Act for that month. Needy relatives under this chapter include only natural or adoptive parents, the spouse of a natural or adoptive parent, and other needy caretaker relatives. (b) The parent or needy relative shall be considered living with the needy child or needy children for a period of up to 180 consecutive days of the needy child's or children 's absence from the family assistance unit when the child is receiving child protective services and the county has determined that the provision of assistance is necessary for family reunification. The department shall revise its state plan to incorporate the requirements of this subdivision. SEC. 2. Notwithstanding Section 17610 of the Government Code, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. If the statewide cost of the claim for reimbursement does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000) , reimbursement shall be made from the State Mandates Claims Fund. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb 0201-0250/sb 249_bill_20010215_introduced.html 4/12/01