Child welfare services: prevention legal services.

Budget Children Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Weber Pierson
Last action: 2025-07-02
Official status: July 1 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact nature or extent of the training and technical assistance provided.

Child Welfare Services: Prevention Legal Services

This law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a three-year Family Advocacy Pilot Program that provides grants to organizations for prevention legal services and direct assistance by an interdisciplinary team.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Family Advocacy Pilot Program for three years.
Provides grants to qualified organizations to offer prevention legal services designed to prevent children from entering juvenile court custody or stabilize families at risk of receiving child welfare services.
Offers direct assistance by an interdisciplinary team to help families who are at risk of receiving child welfare services.
Gives training and technical assistance to other groups that provide similar services.

Who It Names or Affects

Families at risk of child welfare services
Organizations providing legal services to these families

Terms To Know

Family Advocacy Pilot Program: A program that provides grants to organizations for prevention legal services and direct assistance by an interdisciplinary team.
Interdisciplinary team: A group of professionals with different areas of expertise who work together to provide direct assistance to families in need.

Limits and Unknowns

The program will only run for three years unless extended.
It requires funding from the Legislature to start and continue.

Bill History

2025-07-02 California Legislative Information
July 1 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-06-10 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
2025-06-05 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD.
2025-05-29 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2025-05-29 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1326.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1201.) (May 23).
2025-05-16 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-25 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 5.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 835.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 682.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 22 in JUD. pending receipt.
2025-03-27 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2025-03-13 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 7.
2025-02-26 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and JUD.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 452, as amended, Weber Pierson.
Child welfare services: prevention legal services.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge children to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm, or a parent fails to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law also establishes a system of child welfare services provided to children alleged to be the victims of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and defines “child welfare services” for these purposes to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of various purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, and includes, among other services, emergency response services and family maintenance services.
This bill would,
subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, require the State Department of Social Services to establish and implement the Family Advocacy Pilot Program for 3 years to provide grants to qualified organizations, as defined, to provide (1) prevention legal services designed to prevent the filing of a petition in a juvenile court or stabilize a family who is at risk of receiving child welfare services, or in cases in which a report regarding a family has been made to the county child welfare department or a tribal agency, as specified, (2) direct assistance by an interdisciplinary team for families who are at risk of child welfare services or in cases in which a report regarding a family has been made to the county child welfare department or a tribal agency and (3) legal training or technical assistance to other qualified organizations providing prevention legal services or direct assistance by an interdisciplinary team. The bill would require the department to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating
the effectiveness of the program, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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