AB 1984, as introduced, Linder. Foster youth: enrichment activities.
Existing law provides that it is the policy of the state that all minors and nonminors in foster care have specified rights, including, among others, the right to attend school and participate in extracurricular, cultural, and personal enrichment activities, consistent with the child’s age and developmental level, with minimal disruptions to school attendance and educational stability.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, on or before May 1, 2017, and after consultation with a workgroup composed of individuals and groups that represent the interests of foster youth, to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that outlines a program to provide grants to foster youth to enable the foster youth to participate in enrichment activities. The bill would require the report to address, among other things, the criteria and review process for youth to submit applications for grants for enrichment activities. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2017, an upon appropriation by the Legislature, to implement the program outlined in the report.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 16007 is added to the Welfare and
2Institutions Code, to read:
(a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
4following:
5(A) California foster youth face many challenges. Approximately
6three-fourths of youth in foster care have spent two or more years
7in the system between birth and 12th grade. While in foster care,
8about 70 percent of youth had three or more placements. Less than
9half of foster youth complete high school.
10(B) Although the state has seen a reduction in the number of
11children in foster care and a decreased reliance on group homes,
12it continues to struggle to find stable, fulfilling families for
13children.
14(C) Participating in enrichment
activities, including, but not
15limited to, sports leagues, camps, college preparation courses, arts,
16music, and formative social experiences, can greatly contribute to
17a foster youth’s sense of normalcy and increase the likelihood of
18a successful transition to adulthood.
19(2) The purpose of this section is to create a program to provide
20grants to foster youth to participate in enrichment activities and
21provide for the program’s transition from public funding and
22control to private funding and control.
23(b) On or before February 1, 2017, the State Department of
24Social Services shall convene a workgroup composed of individuals
25and groups that represent the interests of foster youth.
26(c) On or before May 1, 2017, the State Department of Social
27Services, after consultation with the workgroup established
28pursuant to
subdivision (b), shall submit a report to the Joint
29Legislative Budget Committee that outlines a program to provide
30grants to foster youth to enable the foster youth to participate in
31enrichment activities. The report shall address, at a minimum, all
32of the following:
33(1) The nonprofit organization that will receive the funds
34appropriated for the program and serve as administrator of the
35program.
36(2) The criteria and review process for youth to submit
37applications for grants for enrichment activities, including a list
38of preapproved categories of enrichment activities.
P3 1(3) The maximum amount of the grant.
2(4) The means by which grants will be disbursed.
3(5) A plan to transition the program
from public funding to
4private funding and control.
5(d) On or before July 1, 2017, upon an appropriation by the
6Legislature, the State Department of Social Services shall
7implement the program, as outlined in the report.
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