Senate Approves Wolk's Bill Improving Services For Abused and Neglected Children

Legislation allows counties adequate time to consider all needs and arrange services to keep families together

The measure, authored by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, gives counties up to 60 days to complete an appropriate plan for a child and family after intervention by child welfare services workers. It also allows extensions of the current 12-month period to provide family maintenance services if these are needed to meet the purposes of the plan.

The bill was introduced in response to the recommendations of a federal review of the state's child welfare services program and the state's commitment to make those changes in its June 2003 Program Improvement Plan. It is sponsored by the State Department of Social Services.

“We must take special care in planning and providing services to meet the needs of abused and neglected children,” said Wolk. “Counties need flexibility as is given them by AB 2795 to do the job right.”

The bill passed the Senate on a 36-0 vote. The Assembly will next vote to concur in the bill passed by the Senate before it is presented to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signature.