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State Policies

This page contains specific California state policies that pertain to the Fostering Connections to Success Act. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) provides several All County Letters (ACLs) addressed to those who will be providing services to the After 18 population. A list of the ACLs is provided below:

All County Welfare Directors Letters - 2012

  1. ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS NO. 12-03 - The purpose is to inform counties of the implementation of six new aid codes to address AB 12.  The codes will be used to identify non-minor dependents (NMDs) ages 18 through 21, who qualify for:
    1. Foster Care (FC)
    2. Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP)
    3. California Work Opportunities to Kids (CalWORKS) and
    4. Adoptions Assistance Program (AAP)
  2. CWDA Intercounty Transfer Protocol - The statewide ICT protocol provides guidelines regarding the transferring of cases (including cases involving non-minor dependent youth), CWS/CMS assignment protocol, required CWS/CMS entries prior to transferring a case, and casework practices/considerations.

All County Letters (ACLs) - 2012

  1. ACL NO. 12-03 - The purpose is to inform the County Welfare Departments (CWDs) of the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 43 and to explain its provisions. SB 43 contains modifications to CalFresh Employment and Training (E&T) requirements and to the Welfare and Institutions Code.
     
  2. ACL NO. 12-05 - The purpose is to provide instruction to the counties about the statewide Special Project Codes (SPCs) in CWS/CMS, and of additional new and revised forms, required for the implementation of Extended Foster Care (EFC).
     
  3. ACL NO. 12-12 - The purpose is to provide the requirements for re-entry of a former foster youth (probation, child welfare, or Tribally supervised) into Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) benefits after attaining 18 years of age. This ACL contains information on both case management and eligibility determination responsibilities for re-entry.
     
  4. ACL NO. 12-13 - The purpose is to provide counties with information and instructions about the forms used for the assessment of a prospective or existing relative or nonrelative extended family member (NREFM) caregiver.
     
  5. ACL NO. 12-27 - This letter transmits a series of questions and answers (Q&As) initiated by counties regarding NMDs under the CalWORKs program. Youth must meet at least one of the five eligibility requirements in order to receive CalWORKS benefits. 
     
  6. ACL NO.12-32 - This letter provides county eligibility and payment systems with aid codes and claiming instructions for the CA 800 related to AB 12 Extended Foster Care (EFC) Program.
     
  7. ACL NO. 12-43 - The purpose is to inform counties and other interested parties of the CNI increase that is applicable to out-of-home placements and the AFDC-FC Program. It discusses SILP and the SB 1013 (Chapter 35, July 1, 2012), commonly known as the “Child Welfare Realignment budget trailer bill” and includes changes to the law that affect the age eligibility for extending AFDC-FC benefits.
     
  8. ACL NO. 12-44 - The primary purpose is to provide information about the Transitional Housing Placement-Plus-Foster Care (THP+FC) program, a type of Supervised Independent Living Setting (SILS), a new placement option for Non-Minor Dependents (NMDs). Changes to the Transitional Housing Placement Program (THPP) and the Transitional Housing Program-Plus (THP-Plus) are also discussed.

All County Letters (ACLs) - 2011

  1. ACL NO. 11-15 - The purpose is to provide counties with instructions about new provisions of the Kin-GAP Program.
     
  2. ACL NO. 11-15E - The purpose is to correct the aid code reporting instructions (see ACL 11-15) for Permanent Residence under the Color of Law (PRUCOL) and non-federally eligible Kin-GAP cases.
     
  3. ACL NO. 11-53 - The purpose is to provide counties with updated instructions concerning the Letter of Intent (LOI) and County Plan requirements for THPP, THP-Plus, and THP-Plus-FC, the new placement option for Non-Minor Dependents (NMDs).
     
  4. ACL NO. 11-61 - The purpose is to explain the parameters of the new law.
     
  5. ACL NO. 11-67 - The purpose is to clarify how California satisfies the federal case plan requirements for a child for whom the permanency plan is a kinship guardianship to meet criteria of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act.
     
  6. ACL NO. 11-69 - The purpose is to provide counties with instructions regarding the policies and procedures for Extended Foster Care.
     
  7. ACL NO. 11-77 - The purpose is to provide counties with instructions regarding the policies and procedures for the placement of Non-Minor Dependents (NMDs) in Extended Foster Care.
     
  8. ACL NO. 11-78 - The purpose is to inform County Welfare Departments (CWDs) of changes to the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program.
     
  9.  ACL NO. 11-85  - The purpose is to provide counties with information regarding probation youth access to Extended Foster Care. 

All County Information Notices (ACINs)

  1. ACIN I-40-11 - The purpose is to provide program information about AB 12 and the extension of foster care to age 20.

  2. ACIN I-78-11 - The purpose is to provide counties with information regarding training activities for the Extended Foster Care (EFC) Program.  It also provides a general description of the efforts underway to develop a statewide curriculum for AB 12-EFC, including brief descriptions of the following:

    1. Stakeholder Participants
    2. Youth Engagement, Training and Informing Team Process
    3. Training Curriculum Review and Approval Process
    4. Training Curriculum Content and Distribution
    5. Upcoming Event

  3. ACIN  I-29-13 - The purpose is to provide updates following the passage of AB 1712 and SB 1013. 

Community Care Licensing Policy

These documents include AB 12 licensing regulations for different types of placement options for non-minor dependents in foster care.  The categories are:

Educational Law and Policies

  • California Foster Care Education Law - Fact Sheets - These fact sheets provide summaries of pertinent laws related to the education of children in foster care.  
    • Fact Sheet Number One – AB 490
    • Fact Sheet Number Two – Educational Decision-Making Rights
    • Fact Sheet Number Three – AB 167/216
    • Fact Sheet Number Four – Early Care and Education
    • Fact Sheet Number Five – Education Services for Transition Age Youth
    • Fact Sheet Number Six – Special Education
    • Fact Sheet Number Seven – Nonpublic Schools
    • Fact Sheet Number Eight – Functional Behavioral Assessments
    • Fact Sheet Number Nine – School Discipline
    • Fact Sheet Number Ten – Special Education Discipline
    • Fact Sheet Number Eleven – Educationally Related Mental Health Services (Ermhs)
  • PARTIAL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURES - The partial credit model policy provides guidelines and calculations for educators and other service providers to award partial credit to foster youth who attend school but do not finish because they: 
    • Have moved foster care placements,
    • Must attend court, or
    • Are subject to other things beyond their control.

Policy Recommendations

The John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes created a policy brief that includes policy recommendations for improving higher education outcomes for foster youth.  Policy recommendations are in the areas of:

  1. Eligibility
  2. Supervised Independent Living Placement
    (Shared Living Agreement template)
  3. Transitional Independent Living Plans
  4. Collaboration
  5. Training
  6. Financial Aid

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) recommends the Inter-County Transfer (ICT) protocol for all counties when considering the transfer of a case to another county. This protocol is for "Court Cases" only.  For cases that are voluntary, counties should close the case and make a referral to the transferring county.  

Policy Samples - San Francisco County

These policies have been created by San Francisco County to give administrators, social workers, staff, providers, and others more information about extended foster care. Their hope is that everyone involved will make better-informed decisions as they work with transition age youth.

Policy Samples - Stanislaus County

These policies have been created by Stanislaus County to give administrators, social workers, staff, providers, and others more information about extended foster care. Their hope is that everyone involved will make better-informed decisions as they work with transition age youth.

Notes

Update ACL 11-69 link