Foster care: resource families (Wiener, Lee, Low)
SB 407, as amended, Wiener. Foster care: resource families.
This bill would require a resource family to demonstrate the capacity to meet the needs of a child, regardless of the child’s sexual orientation or gender identity, as specified. To the extent this bill would create new duties for counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would require the department to require the above-described standardized documentation to include documents for assessing the ability to care for and supervise children and youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities and to ensure that county-approved resource families are upholding the rights of a child in foster care and meeting the resource family’s responsibility to safeguard those rights, including the right to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status. The bill would require the department to work with stakeholders, including counties, the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, and LGBTQ advocates, to develop standards and a caregiver handbook for caring for children and youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Status of Bill: Asm Appropriations Suspense File.
