Dependent children: military notification.

Existing law provides that a child may come within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and become a dependent child of the court in certain cases, including when the child has suffered, or is at substantial risk of suffering, serious physical harm or illness as a result of the willful or negligent failure of the parent or guardian to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law requires a social worker who has cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected to immediately conduct an investigation to determine whether child welfare services should be offered to the family and whether proceedings in the juvenile court should be commenced. This bill would require a social worker, when he or she is conducting that investigation, to ascertain whether the parent or guardian of the child, or that person's spouse, is a member of the Armed Forces, as specified. The bill would require the social worker to notify the applicable military Family Advocacy Program when there is an open investigation, relating to a military parent or guardian, or a military spouse of the parent or guardian, to determine if a child has been abused or neglected. Because this bill would impose additional duties on social workers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.