Foster care.

Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care. In order to be eligible for AFDC-FC, existing law requires, in pertinent part, a child to be placed in one of several specified placements. Existing law sets forth the rights of a minor in foster care, including, among other rights, the right to be involved in the development of, and to review, their own case plan and plan for permanent placement. Prior to making a change in the placement of a dependent child, existing law requires a social worker or placing agency to develop and implement a placement preservation strategy to preserve the dependent child's placement. If a placement change is necessary, existing law requires the social worker or placing agency to serve written notice of that change on specified parties at least 14 days prior to the change. Existing law requires complaints under these provisions to be investigated by the Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson, and requires the office to provide the findings of an investigation to the county child welfare director or their designee. This bill would delete references to placing agencies, would extend the application of these provisions to probation-supervised youth in foster care placement, and make related changes. The bill would also require a social worker or probation officer to, among other things, develop with the caregiver a placement preservation strategy. The bill would also require a social worker or probation officer to notify specified parties at least 14 calendar days prior to a placement change if the social worker or probation officer reserves a placement change request from the caregiver or provider or otherwise finds that a foster care placement change is necessary. If a complaint is investigated by the office under these provisions, the bill would also require the office to provide the findings of the investigation to the chief probation officer or the chief probation officer's designee, as applicable. The bill would also exempt placement changes made under certain circumstances, including hospitalizations, from these provisions. By adding to the duties of probation officers, this 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.