Title WIC, California Welf. & Inst. Code

Any county that participates in the program pursuant to this section on or after the effective date of the act which amends this section in the 1991 calendar year shall provide services to children who have been adjudged wards of the court pursuant to Sections 601 and 602 only to…

(a) In addition to the three programs authorized under Section 16500.5, Contra Costa County may implement a family preservation and reunification program. The program shall be administered in accordance with Section 16500.5, and shall be subject to all of the provisions of that s…

(a) The department shall, in consultation with counties, seek additional federal revenues to finance the family preservation activities described in Section 16500.7. Those revenue sources shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following: (1) Title IV-A of the feder…

The department shall establish one full-time position, within the office of the director, to assist counties and the department in complying with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.) and related state laws, regulations, rules of court, and state guid…

(a) (1) As used in this chapter, “child welfare services” means public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of any or all of the following purposes: (A) Protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, including disabled, homeless, dependent, or neglec…

(a) A county may arrange for respite care for a child or nonminor dependent supervised by the county, which may be provided by any of the following: (1) Prior to January 1, 2021, a licensed foster family home or certified family home. (2) Prior to January 1, 2021, the approved ho…

(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Alternative care” means care and supervision of more than 24 consecutive hours, but no more than 72 consecutive hours unless the foster child’s social worker or probation officer provides prior approval…

(a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that the foundation and central unifying tool in child welfare services is the case plan. (2) The Legislature further finds and declares that a case plan ensures that the child receives protection and safe and proper care and case manage…

As used in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 16501.1, a home or setting that is “safe” means that the home or setting is free from abuse or neglect, as described in Section 11165.5 of the Penal Code. (Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 847, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2004.)

In addition to the assurances required to be included in a case plan pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (g) of Section 16501.1, a case plan shall include all of the following: (a) (1) The health and education summary as required under Section 16010, including the name and c…

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) Safety, stability, and the permanence of families in the child welfare system are of paramount importance. (2) Ongoing assessments that build on the strength of the child and family unit, and that identify desired o…

(a) For the purposes of this section, “teen parent” means a child who has been adjudged to be a dependent child or ward of the court on the grounds that he or she is a person described under Section 300 or 602, or a ward of a nonrelated legal guardian whose guardianship was estab…

(a) For the purposes of this section, “nonminor dependent parent” means a nonminor dependent as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, residing in a supervised independent living placement as defined in subdivision (w) of Section 11400, who is a parent. (b) When the child…

(a) For purposes of Section 16501.26, a person who wishes to become an identified responsible adult to a nonminor dependent parent shall comply with all of the following requirements: (1) Meet the minimum criteria established pursuant to Section 16501.28. (2) Be at least 21 years…

Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department shall convene a working group no later than February 1, 2015, that includes repres…

(a) The State Department of Social Services shall establish and maintain a program of public health nursing in the child welfare services program that meets the federal requirements for the provision of health care to minor and nonminor dependents in foster care consistent with S…

(a) County child welfare agencies and probation departments shall implement policies and procedures that require social workers and probation officers to do all of the following: (1) Identify children receiving child welfare services, including dependents or wards in foster care,…

In order to ensure the oversight of psychotropic medications that are prescribed for children pursuant to Section 369.5 or 739.5, all of the following shall occur: (a) The State Department of Health Care Services shall provide to the State Department of Social Services, pursuant …

(a) To ensure compliance with federal reporting requirements, including those of Public Law 113-183, the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act, the State Department of Social Services shall ensure that the statewide child welfare information system is capable …

(a) In order to protect children and effectively administer and evaluate California’s Child Welfare Services and Foster Care programs, the department shall implement a single statewide Child Welfare Services Case Management System no later than July 1, 1993. (b) It is the intent …

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature for the State Department of Social Services to enhance the statewide child welfare information system to include information concerning the level of care required, educational accomplishments, and health history of children placed in foster…

(a) On or before December 1, 2005, the State Department of Social Services shall develop, and provide to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, a Child Welfare Services/Case Management System system performance commitments plan. The plan shall be developed in …

Social workers shall make reasonable efforts to collect and update necessary data regarding a child’s incarcerated parent or parents. The Legislature encourages the Department of Justice, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, county welfare departments, and county she…

(a) (1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares the Child Welfare Services – California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES), also known as the Child Welfare Services-New System (CWS-NS), is the most important system in the state for child welfare services staff…

(a) The State Department of Social Services shall determine which entities meet the definition of a “child welfare contributing agency,” as defined in Section 1355.51 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) The department shall develop and issue written directives for…

The child welfare services authorized by this chapter shall be established in any county or combination of counties when a plan which includes financing of such services has been certified by the department. Such certified plan of child welfare services shall then be operated in …

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a county board of supervisors may receive and review any records in the custody of the juvenile court or any other involved county agencies relating to a child who has died and who had previously come to the attention of, or was und…

(a) Subsequent to completion of the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 366.26, the agency responsible for placement and care of a minor, or, on or after January 1, 2012, a nonminor dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, shall ensure that a child in foster c…

(a) A placing agency shall provide a caregiver placement agreement to the child’s or nonminor dependent’s caregiver at the time of the child’s placement with that caregiver. (b) (1) For purposes of this section, “caregiver placement agreement” means a written agreement between th…

(a) Any child reported to the county child welfare services department to be endangered by abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall be eligible for initial intake and evaluation of risk services. Each county child welfare services department shall maintain and operate a 24-hour resp…

(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code, a child welfare agency may secure from an appropriate governmental criminal justice agency the state summary criminal history information, as defined in subdivision (a) of Secti…

The State Department of Social Services shall evaluate a request from an Indian tribe to exempt a crime that is exemptible under Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, if needed, to allow placement into an Indian home that the tribe has designated for placement under Section…

(a) Upon request by a county child welfare agency, the department shall provide a list identifying each person who has received a criminal records exemption pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code related to a licensed or certified foster home so…

Family maintenance services shall be provided or arranged for by county welfare department staff in order to maintain the child in his or her own home. These services shall be limited to six months, and may be extended in periods of six-month increments if it can be shown that th…

(a) Effective July 1, 2025, county child welfare agencies shall convene child and family team meetings, as defined in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 16501, for children and youth receiving family maintenance services pursuant to Section 16506. Requirements for child …

(a) Family reunification services shall be provided or arranged for by county welfare department staff in order to reunite the child separated from his or her parent because of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. These services shall not exceed 12 months except as provided in subdiv…

Prior to entering into a voluntary placement agreement with a parent or guardian, the social worker shall make every attempt to keep the family together by offering appropriate child welfare services except in the case of a voluntary placement pending relinquishment as provided f…

(a) Beginning on October 1, 1982, child welfare services for children placed voluntarily after January 1, 1982, shall be limited to a period not to exceed 180 days. Subject to the availability of federal funding, voluntary placement services for federally eligible children may be…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, voluntary family reunification services shall be provided without fee to families who qualify, or would qualify if application had been made therefor, as recipients of public assistance under the Aid to Families with Depen…

(a) (1) When a minor is separated, or is in the process of being separated, from the minor’s family under the provisions of a voluntary placement agreement, the county welfare department or a licensed private or public adoption agency social worker shall make any and all reasonab…

If a minor has been voluntarily placed with the county welfare department subsequent to January 1, 1982, for out-of-home placement by his or her parents or guardians pursuant to this chapter and the minor has remained out of their physical custody for a consecutive period not to …

Each agency or entity, except for a community college, which offers a parenting course as part of a family maintenance or family reunification effort for a parent or parents of a child who has been adjudicated or is in the process of being adjudicated a dependent child of the cou…

Permanent placement services shall be provided or arranged for by county welfare department staff for children who cannot safely live with their parents and are not likely to return to their own homes, and to nonminor dependents in planned permanent living arrangements. Permanent…

(a) For every child who is in foster care, or who enters foster care, on or after January 1, 1999, and has been in foster care for 15 of the most recent 22 months, the social worker shall submit to the court a recommendation that the court set a hearing pursuant to Section 366.26…

It is the intent of the Legislature to establish additional alternatives to foster care placements. Therapeutic day services is an alternative which has been shown in other states to be effective in reunifying families, and in avoiding or shortening the time the children must sta…

Cultural and religious child-rearing practices and beliefs which differ from general community standards shall not in themselves create a need for child welfare services unless the practices present a specific danger to the physical or emotional safety of the child. (Added by ren…