Child welfare services system: information access: outcomes.

Under existing law, the state, through the State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments, is required to establish and support a public system of statewide child welfare services. Existing law requires the department to establish the California Child and Family Service Review System, in order to review all county child welfare systems, as specified. Under existing law, these reviews cover child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to authorize the department to obtain access to designated information held by other state agencies as it relates to outcomes for children and youth involved in the child welfare system, for purposes of monitoring those outcomes and improving the operations of the child welfare system. This bill would require the department to consult with state and local agencies, child welfare advocates, and other appropriate entities, to determine the outcomes identified pursuant to the bill. The bill would require the department to provide information to the budget and appropriate policy committees of both houses of the Legislature, regarding identifying and monitoring the specified outcomes, and related findings and recommendations for needed statutory, regulatory, and fiscal changes. Existing law provides for the payment of unemployment compensation benefits to eligible unemployed individuals and requires that the Employment Development Department implement the unemployment insurance system in the state. Existing law authorizes the Director of Employment Development to permit the use of information in his or her possession for specified purposes, including to enable various state agencies to administer programs under their respective jurisdictions. This bill would additionally authorize the director to release specified quarterly wage data to the State Department of Social Services for the purpose of carrying out the department's responsibilities under the bill, to the extent permitted by federal law.