Assemblymember Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa.

Evans' Assembly Bill 1331 is designed to keep severely disabled foster youth from winding up on the streets when they "age out" of state care.

The measure requires county child welfare agencies to screen all foster youth between 16 and 17 for mental or physical disabilities and help them apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a federal monthly income supplement for the disabled.

The bill's goal is to have SSI in place for eligible youth upon emancipation from the foster care system. To help meet this goal, the bill allows youth with pending SSI applications to remain in foster care past their 18th birthday as their applications are processed.

Widespread problem

An estimated 15 percent of foster youth live with a serious physical or mental disability, according to a prepared statement from Evan's office.

There are nearly 80,000 children in California's foster care system, the statement said, and each year, more than 4,000 youth turn 18 and age out of foster care.

Sixty-five percent of foster youth leave state care without a place to live, Evans' office notes, 51 percent are unemployed and less than 3 percent attend college.

Foster youth with disabilities are particularly vulnerable and at greater risk, Evans said. "Without these benefits, disabled foster youth are at significantly greater risk for homelessness, unemployment, and chronic physical and mental health problems," she said.

More information about AB 1331 is available online at www.leginfo.ca.gov.

This is the third Evans bill signed by the governor this year. She has seven bills still awaiting his signature or veto.

The governor has until Oct. 14 to take action on all legislation pending on his desk