Sacramento – A group of critical foster care bills authored by Assemblymember Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) passed out the Assembly to the Senate. These bills address the issues that affect California’s Foster Care System, which is the largest in the nation.

The bills include:

• AB 1532 – Increases the opportunity for foster youth to attend California colleges by removing barriers to participate in the Cal Entitlement Programs
• AB 1979 – Helps recruit volunteer mentors for foster youth by waiving the fees for background checks
  
• AB 1982 – Extends services to relatives who are caring for foster youth on probation
• AB 2193 – Establishes a five year strategy to reduce the number of cases social workers have to handle, which was recommended in the 2000 Child Welfare Services Workload Study
• AB 2194 – Ensure that foster youth will receive independent living services as they transition into adulthood including former foster care youth who have aged out the system and those who have been adopted
• AB 2195 – Help keep foster youth with relatives or extended family members during emergency circumstances and require health and safety checks for placement
• AB 2216 – Helps ensure effective management and accountability the Foster Care System by building a new leadership structure

“This is a good step as we continue to move forward to reform the state’s foster care,” states Assemblymember Bass. “There is still a lot of work to do and we must allocate substantial financial resources to ensure we can accomplish our goal. I call on the Senate and the Governor to support our efforts."

An additional $75 million was placed in the budget for Foster Care. These funds will provide support services to relative care and youth leaving the System as well as reduce caseloads.

Assemblymember Bass is the Chair of the Select Committee on Foster Care. Under her leadership, she has obtained bi-partisan participation on the Foster Care Legislative Packet, which addresses emancipation, health, education, relative/kinship issues, social worker workload, court issues, state oversight, and caregiver support.