Agenda

Return

C.18

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	David Twa, County Administrator
Date:	April 28, 2009

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

SUPPORT POSITION on AB 12 (Beall and Bass): Fostering Connections to Success Act

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 04/28/2009

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

L. DeLaney, 5-1097

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: April 28, 2009
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

SUPPORT Assembly Bill 12 (Beall and Bass) as amended on March 23, 2009, a bill that would extend foster care to youth through age 21 and allow California to draw down newly available federal funds, as recommended by the Legislaton Committee.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Existing law, through the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP), which is a part of the CalWORKs program, provides aid on behalf of eligible children who are placed in the home of a relative caretaker. The program is funded by state and county funding and available federal funds.

FISCAL IMPACT: (CONT'D)

This bill would repeal the Kin-GAP Program and would require the state to exercise its option under specified federal law to establish a kinship guardianship assistance payment program, as specified. The bill would make related conforming changes.

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. The program is funded by a combination of federal, state, and county funds. Under existing law, AFDC-FC benefits are available, with specified exceptions, on behalf of qualified children under 18 years of age.

This bill would require the department to amend its foster care state plan required under specified federal law, to extend AFDC-FC benefits, commencing October 1, 2010, to specified individuals up to 21 years of age, in accordance with a designated provision of federal law.

BACKGROUND:

AB 12, by Assembly Member Jim Beall and Speaker Karen Bass, would extend foster care to youth through age 21. This measure will allow California to draw down newly available federal funds.

Youth would have the option to continue receiving services and supports. Studies have shown that extending these services enormously increase the youth's chances of succeeding in school, staying out of prison, and avoiding homelessness.

The Assembly Human Services Committee will consider AB 12 at their meeting on April 14, 2009.

At their April 6, 2009 meeting, the Legislation Committee recommended the Board of Supervisors support the bill.