California Legislators Undertake Reforming the State’s Foster Care System

Nationwide, more than 500,000 children live in foster care. In California, which has the largest foster care population than any other state, the number of foster youth has tripled in the last 20 years. Many of these children who have suffered abuse and neglect have fallen through the cracks of our fractured child welfare system.

In response to the state and national concern for our most vulnerable youth, the Select Committee on Foster Care was created to provide a forum to discuss, review and debate public policy on California's child welfare system. There was a dire need for the development of this Select Committee to help devise new approaches and move forward a coordinated action in regards to the thousands of abused and neglected youth that are placed into our state's foster care system. 

The mission is to address how the state’s Foster Care System "parents" these children as well as determine the way in which the various agencies can effectively work together. The goal is to collectively address the critical challenges and issues that impact our state's at-risk children. The Select Committee will focus on the following areas:

• Statewide leadership and collaboration;
  
• Challenges and hurdles facing relative caregivers;
  
• Critical needs of teens in foster care, crossover youth, and emancipation; and
  
• Critical role and importance of the court and legal process.

To accomplish its goals, the Committee will conduct hearings throughout the state to engage stakeholders knowledgeable about the challenges facing our child welfare system. Those participating will include academia, elected officials, current and former foster youth, current and former probationary youth, relative caregivers, foster parents, foster family agencies, group home administrators, county administrators and child welfare advocates. The Committee will review and discuss existing policy and examine positive changes that would result in significant and improved outcomes for the lives of our youth in foster care.

Accomplishments

• During the 2007-2008 Legislative Session, the bipartisan Select Committee introduced more than 30 bills to continue its efforts to improve gaps in the state’s foster care system.
  
  
• During the 2005-2006 Legislative Session, the bipartisan Select Committee introduced a historic 25 piece legislative packet, which addressed various components of the System including emancipation, health, education, relative care, social worker workload, state oversight and legal issues.
  
  
• A series of Select Committee hearings were held throughout the state addressing relative caregivers, and emancipation issues. Attendees included foster youth, social workers, administrators and foster care reform advocates.
  
  
• The state’s historic bond package included $50 million that will address housing needs for emancipated youth.
  
  
• The Senate and Assembly approved $83.2 million Foster Care and Child Welfare budget package, which would provide funds to reduce caseload, provide resources for relative caregivers, to help foster youth effectively transition into adulthood and Title IV-E waiver implementation.

Last Modified on Thursday, July 12, 2007