Grandparents: caregivers support.

Existing law establishes the California Department of Aging within the California Health and Human Services Agency to provide leadership to the area agencies on aging in developing systems of home- and community-based services that maintain individuals in their own homes or least restrictive homelike environments. Existing law requires the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Director of the California Department of Aging, to lead the development and implementation of the Master Plan for Aging established pursuant to Executive Order N-14-19. Existing law also establishes the grounds for removal of a dependent child from the custody of the dependent child's parent or guardian and establishes procedures to determine the placement of a dependent child. Existing law requires foster care placement, if possible, to be made in the home of a relative unless the placement would not be in the best interest of the child. Existing law establishes the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program (Kin-GAP) , which provides aid on behalf of eligible children who are placed in the home of a relative guardian, and the Kinship Support Services Program to provide community-based support services to relative caregivers and children placed in their homes. This bill would require the California Department of Aging, in consultation with the Department of Justice and the State Department of Social Services, to conduct a study to examine the issues faced by grandparents who are 60 years of age or older and are primary caregivers for their grandchildren, and requires the California Department of Aging to report the findings of the study to the Legislature.