CA Governor to Sign Historic Legislation for Disabled Youth in Foster Care

Sacramento, CA: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will sign historic legislation today that leads the nation in ensuring that disabled youth in foster care receive the necessary assistance when they exit the State's foster care system. The legislation, Assembly Bill 1331, authored by Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), creates a safety net for severely physically and mentally disabled foster youth by requiring county child welfare agencies to screen all youth in foster care at age 16.5 for a mental or physical disability and apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on behalf of those who are likely to qualify. SSI is a federal program that provides a monthly cash benefit to low-income, seriously disabled individuals.

Prior to passage of AB 1331, youth with disabilities as serious as mental retardation, paraplegia and schizophrenia commonly "aged out" of California's foster care system without a place to live or a source of income. AB 1331 will ensure that seriously disabled youth in each of the State's 58 counties exit foster care with the vital support of SSI, along with the supportive services SSI entitles them to, such as affordable housing and rehabilitative services.
In passing AB 1331, California is the first state in the nation to develop a solution to the barriers preventing youth in foster care from exiting foster with SSI in hand. Congressman Pete Stark (D-California) has introduced federal legislation that may bring California's solution to the rest of the nation.

According to Staff Attorney Angie Schwartz of the Public Interest Law Project in Oakland, up to 15% of youth in California's foster care system suffer from a serious physical or mental disability, and yet the vast majority of these youth are exiting foster care without SSI. "Without financial and other supports in place, these youth will likely become homeless or incarcerated, beginning a chronic cycle of poverty. We can stop this cycle by ensuring that youth emancipate with the critical support of SSI."

According to Attorney Laura Streimer, of Los Angeles-based Alliance for Children's Right, the issue is a lack of knowledge about the SSI program. "Unfortunately, eligible foster youth exit care without this necessary benefit in place because county agencies have been poorly informed about the SSI program or the application process itself," says Streimer, whose organization, together with the Public Interest Law Project, California Child Welfare Director's Association and the John Burton Foundation were co-sponsors of the legislation. "AB1331 will play a critical role in overcoming these barriers."

The issue of youth "aging out" of foster care is a growing one, and particularly serious for youth with serious physical and mental disabilities. According to the Washington D.C.-based Kids Are Waiting Campaign, the number of youth aging out of care nationally is at an all time high. Data from the UC Berkeley Center for Social Services Research indicates that California is matching that trend, with a 40% increase in the number of youth who age out of foster care annually between 1998 and 2006. County child welfare agencies are noticing the growth and regard access to SSI as a vital resource to ensure disabled youth make a successful transition.

"County child welfare agencies recognize of importance of ensuring that youth with disabilities receive the best care possible," said Frank Mecca, Executive Director of the California Child Welfare Director's Association, located in Sacramento. "We've been glad to create new guidelines that help counties do a good job of identifying those who may be eligible for SSI benefits and are happy to co-sponsor legislation that makes California a leader in helping youth leave foster care with these benefits in place."

AB 1331 will go into effect on January 1, 2008, and many expect that the policy will be a net financial savings for the State of California. A study from the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research found that homelessness among mentally ill people costs an average of $40,500 in publicly-funded services every year.
"We have got to do more for these children," said John Burton, former President Pro Tem of the California State Senate and founder of the John Burton Foundation for Children without Homes. "We wouldn't begin to treat our own children this way. The State of California is the parent for children and youth in foster care and with AB 1331, we can begin to live up to that serious responsibility."

Hittng the M.A.R.C. - Establishing Foster Care Minimum Adequate Rates for Children

In October 2007, Children’s Rights, the National Foster Parent Association and the University of Maryland School of Social Work released the first-ever nationwide, state-by-state calculation of the real cost of supporting children in foster care. The report reveals widespread deficiencies in reimbursement rates across the nation—and major disparities among the states—and proposes a new standard rate for each state to use in fulfilling the federal requirement to provide foster parents with payments to cover the basic needs of children in foster care, including food, shelter, clothing and school supplies. Read more.

Update from Systems Subcommittee

The committee plans to meet regularly and will post their meetings on the SB 64 blog. One meeting will always be at 7:30 am prior to the regularly scheduled SB 64 task force meeting. All meetings will take place at Mile High United Way

The committee reviewed their charge and discussed the following areas:

-Consult with CDHS on CFSR
-How to mediate conflicts
-Identify Best Practices and promising approaches
-Prevision of competent mental health services for children
-Issue of appropriate response to institutional abuse

The following items have been added to their agenda to discuss in more detail:

-Separating subsidies from the block grant
-Children moving from one school district to another losing credit within High School
-Identify best practice being used in mediation of conflicts with the goal of managing, nurturing placements
-Identify best practice recruiting, supporting foster parents /kinship and caring for children

For a copy of the complete meetings notes please e-mail kippi.clausen@unitedwaydenver.org

SB 64 Committee members:
Sharen Ford
Andi Leopoldus
Bunny Nicolson
Shari Shink
Jerri Spears

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 -SB 64 Task Force Agenda

Meeting Time: 9:30 - 1:30
Location: Mile HighUnited Way - Founders Room

Agenda
I. Welcome

II. Review and Approval of Minutes

III. Public comment

IV. Presentations

-CPA
-Youth Panel
-Kempe Foundation

V. Subcommittee Reports and Discussion

VI. Interim Tasks

VII. Announcements and Close

For a copy of previous meetings minutes e-mail kippi.clausen@unitedwaydenver.org

Update from Child Wellbeing and Permanency Subcommittee

The subcommittee plans to meet at 8:00 before the regularly scheduled SB 64 taskforce meetings. Meetings will last 1 1/2 hours and be held at Mile High United Way. The committee welcome others to join them for their meetings.

After reviewing their charge the following items were discussed during this meeting and will be incorporated into the existing charge of this committee.
-Reunification with Bio Families
-Transition for 18 year olds
-OPPLA

Additional Data the Subcommittee would like:

% of youth who return home
% who are adopted
% who are in kinship
% OPPLA
% of re-entries
% of failed adoptions% of re-unifications

Areas to compare/discuss

-Paid vs unpaid kinship
-Custody vs no custody
-Voluntary vs D & N
-Prevention strategies to reduce placement(s)
-Circumventing access to foster care for Kinship
-Communication strategies to get information out to parties involvedKinship adoption

Areas to explore to get a better understanding

-Types of services available for later issues that arise after a child is adopted
-Mental Health services – access if youth request – pre and post adoption
-Dual permanency planning process available in Colorado
-SB 07- 226 – youth/ child voice in case planning and permanency planning
-Support Services for pre/post adoption, kinship, re-unification and families in crisis

SB 64 Subcommittee Members:
“Skip” Barber
Ember Beamon
Deborah Cave
Senator Moe Keller
Marlin Peterson
Heather Taussig