Office of Child Abuse Prevention.

Under existing law, the Office of Child Abuse Prevention is established in the State Department of Social Services and is required to apply for federal funding for the administration of its functions. Existing law requires the office to use those funds to undertake specified activities, including, among other things, assisting and providing funds for the coordination of child abuse prevention programs. This bill would also require the office to use those funds to support coordination and sharing of best practices implemented by family resource centers. The bill would define a "family resource center" for the purposes of these provisions. Existing law authorizes a county to establish a child abuse multidisciplinary personnel team, consisting of specified individuals, within that county to allow provider agencies to share confidential information in order for provider agencies to investigate reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. This bill would authorize the team to also include a representative of a local child abuse prevention council or family-strengthening organization, including, but not limited to, a family resource center.