CA SB 824

Title: Foster care.
Author: Angelique Ashby

Summary
SB 824, as amended, Ashby. Foster care. (1) Existing law subjects foster care provider applicants, resource family applicants, and certain other adults in those homes, to a criminal records check and requires the applicant or other adult in the applicant’s home to obtain a criminal record clearance or criminal record exemption prior to licensure or approval. Existing law prohibits the State Department of Social Services or other approving entity from granting a criminal records exemption, except as specified, to an applicant or other adult in the applicant’s home who has been convicted of certain felonies. Existing law authorizes the State Department of Social Services or other approving entity, for the purpose of the resource family approval process described below, to grant an exemption from disqualification for the conviction of a felony for which a criminal record exemption cannot be granted if the applicant is a relative seeking placement of a specific relative child or children, the applicant or other adult living in the home is of present good character necessary to justify granting the exemption, and the applicant or other adult living in the home has not been convicted of certain felonies within the last 5 years.This bill would, among other things, additionally authorize the department, or other approving entity, to grant an exemption under those circumstances to a nonrelative extended family member or an extended family member.(2) Existing law authorizes the court to order temporary placement of the child in the home of a relative, extended family member, or nonrelative extended family member, and requires the court to consider the results of a criminal records check, among other things, before ordering that placement. Existing law also authorizes the placement of a child on an emergency basis in the home of a relative or nonrelative extended family member, and requires the relative or nonrelative extended family member to submit an application for approval as a resource family after the emergency placement. Existing law authorizes the court to place a child after an order of removal, or on a temporary or emergency basis in the home of a relative, regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval if the court finds that the placement does not pose a risk to the health and safety of the child.This bill would also authorize the court to place a child after an order of removal, or on a temporary or emergency basis, in the home of a nonrelative extended family member or an extended family member, regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval or tribally approved home approval if the court finds that the placement does not pose a risk to the health and safety of the child.(3) Existing law establishes the state-funded Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP), which provides aid on behalf of eligible children who are placed in the home of a relative guardian. Existing law requires aid in the form of state-funded Kin-GAP to be provided on behalf of any child under 18 years of age and to any eligible youth under 19 years of age who has had a kinship guardianship established, as described above, and who meets other requirements, including that the child or youth has been adjudicated a dependent child or ward of the juvenile court, has been residing for at least 6 consecutive months in the approved home of the prospective relative guardian, and has had the dependency jurisdiction or wardship terminated, as specified.This bill would also make eligible for state-funded Kin-GAP a child who was subject to an order for placement with a relative regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval or tribally approved home approval, as specified.(4) Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers

Status
July 12 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

Bill Documents
CA SB 824 - 04/11/23 - Amended Senate
04/11/23 - CA SB 824 (04/11/23 - Amended Senate)