SECTIONS 16525.10-16525.30 - California Statutes

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

SECTION 16525.10-16525.30

16525.10. (a) In order to promote the development of placements
that will allow children to move into more homelike environments, the
department shall establish "Options for Recovery" as a permanent
program. This program shall be available to any county that requests
participation pursuant to procedures established by the department to
the extent funds are made available through the Budget Act.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the "Options for
Recovery" services shall be funded with a 30-percent nonfederal
county share consistent with the normal sharing ratio for child
welfare services. This county share may be provided with county
general funds, or other sources of funds which are unrestricted and
are eligible for this use as provided by the funding source. The
source of the county share shall meet all applicable state and
federal requirements and provide counties with maximum flexibility.

16525.11. Each participating county shall recruit foster families
that shall be licensed as foster family homes and trained to care for
children who are alcohol- or drug-exposed or who test HIV positive.

16525.13. (a) A participating county shall provide special training
to recruited foster parents to care for eligible children and shall
certify that the training has been provided.
(b) Participating counties may provide the same special training
to relative caretakers of project-eligible children, if classroom
space permits and the cost of providing the training does not exceed
the county's allocation for project training.

16525.14. When a child is identified by a physician, medical team,
county social worker, or placement source as a child who may be
eligible for services under this chapter, the county shall determine
if the child is eligible for placement pursuant to this chapter.

16525.15. (a) A participating county shall select a specialized
foster family home for the child within the county in which the child'
s eligibility is established.
(b) If an eligible child's out-of-home placement changes from one
participating county to another participating county, the child shall
remain eligible for services.

16525.17. (a) Participating counties shall prepare a child welfare
services case plan pursuant to regulations adopted by the department
and arrange nonmedical support services, including respite care for
specially trained foster parents and relative caretakers.
(b) Each participating county shall monitor the foster home in
accordance with applicable regulations governing the foster care and
child welfare services programs authorized by Article 5 (commencing
with Section 11400) of Part 3 and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section
16500).

16525.20. (a) The Legislature encourages participating counties to
design and implement a range of respite options for specially trained
foster parents and relative caretakers, from foster parent to foster
parent cooperatives to more formal arrangements for services from
subcontractors.
(b) No one who resides in the home with the eligible child shall
receive payment for providing respite services for the eligible child
or for any other child living in the home.

16525.25. The department shall do both of the following:
(a) Develop necessary procedures and standardized programs for a
specialized foster home recruitment and training project that will
establish foster care placements to care for eligible children.
(b) Coordinate sources of funding and services available to
eligible children in order to maximize the social services provided
to these children and avoid duplication of programs and funding.

16525.26. A participating county may contract for the provision of
services under this chapter on a sole source basis.

16525.27. (a) Each participating county shall submit written
progress reports as required by the department.
(b) The progress report required by subdivision (a) shall include,
but need not be limited to, all of the following data:
(1) An estimate of the number of children adjudicated dependents
of the juvenile court under Article 6 (commencing with Section 300)
of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 who are eligible children.
(2) The number of eligible children who are in all of the
following:
(A) Foster family homes.
(B) Group homes.
(C) Homes of relative caretakers.
(D) Certified foster family homes.
(3) The number of eligible children who are in specialized foster
care placements during and at the termination of the demonstration
project.
(4) The cost of providing training to foster parents in the care
of eligible children.
(5) The cost of providing specialized care for eligible children.
(6) The cost of providing respite care services and the number of
respite care hours each family received.

16525.29. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent
children who are alcohol- or drug-exposed or HIV positive who have
adoption as a case plan goal from receiving services under this
chapter.

16525.30. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
including, but not limited to, Sections 1250, 1251, 1254, 1270, 1501,
1502, 1505, 1507, 1521, 1530.6, and 11002, subdivision (c) of
Section 1550, and subdivision (a) of Section 11154 of the Health and
Safety Code, and Sections 2052, 2725, 2732, and 2795 of the Business
and Professions Code, subdivisions (b) and (c) shall control the
placement of a child pursuant to this chapter.
(b) A county may place children who are alcohol- or drug-exposed
or HIV positive in foster family homes pursuant to Chapter 3
(commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety
Code.
(c) If a county makes a placement pursuant to subdivision (b), a
foster parent trained by health care professionals pursuant to the
discharge plan of the facility releasing the child may provide
specialized in-home health care to that foster child.