The Tribal Foster Care Prevention Program.

Plain English Breakdown

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Tribal Foster Care Prevention Program

The Tribal Foster Care Prevention Program provides funding to federally recognized Indian tribes in California to help prevent children from entering foster care.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a program that gives money to Indian tribes to keep families together and stop kids from going into foster care.
• Requires Indian tribes to send an annual letter asking for funds if they want to join the program.
• Gives funding to each tribe that joins the program and sends their letter, based on how much money is available in the state budget.
• Needs tribes receiving funds to report back with information about how many kids and families were helped by the end of September.

Who It Names or Affects

• Federally recognized Indian tribes located in California or with lands that extend into California.
• Children and families who might enter foster care but are served by programs funded through this bill.

Terms To Know

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)

A federal law that sets rules for placing Native American children in foster care or adoption to protect their tribal connections and best interests.

Tribally Approved Homes Compensation Program

A program that gives money to Indian tribes to help find homes for kids who need foster care or adoption.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill only provides funding if there is enough money in the state budget.
• It does not say how much money each tribe will get, just that it depends on what the state decides to fund annually.

Official Summary Text

AB 1574, as introduced, Rogers.
The Tribal Foster Care Prevention Program.
Existing federal law, the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), governs the proceedings for determining the placement of an Indian child when that child is removed from the custody of the child’s parent or guardian. Existing law specifies that the state is committed to protecting the essential tribal relations and best interest of an Indian child by promoting practices in accordance with ICWA. Existing law also provides for the state and an Indian tribe to enter into an agreement regarding the care and custody of Indian children and jurisdiction over Indian child custody proceedings. Existing law establishes, in order to provide additional funds to eligible Indian tribes that have entered into an agreement with the state pursuant to those provisions, the Tribally Approved Homes Compensation Program to provide funds to recruit and approve homes for the purpose of foster or adoptive
placement of an Indian child and the Tribal Dependency Representation Program to provide funds to pay for legal counsel to represent the Indian tribe in a California Indian child custody proceeding.
This bill would establish the Tribal Foster Care Prevention Program to provide funding to assist any federally recognized Indian tribe located in California, or with lands that extend into California, in funding the costs associated with services aimed at preserving families and preventing the entry of children into foster care. The bill would require an Indian tribe that seeks funding for this purpose to submit an annual letter of interest to the department. The bill would require the department, subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, to provide each Indian tribe that enters into a specified agreement and submits a letter of interest an annual allocation. The bill would require an Indian tribe that receives funds to submit a progress
report regarding the number of Indian children and their families served to the department on or before September 30 following the close of the fiscal year in which funding was received.
This bill would authorize the department to issue written guidance to implement, interpret, or make specific these provisions without taking any regulatory action.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF