This year’s Caregiver Day at the Capitol, in partnership with California Alliance of Caregivers, was yet another incredible day of networking and advocacy with 80+ caregivers, providers, and advocates from across the state. Their voices carried our message throughout the Capitol and to our leaders within the administration.
It was such a privilege to have so many individuals who understand the true impact of these legislative changes stand up in support of these bills. The issues that our caregivers advocated for will be heard in committee in the coming weeks.
Current Legislative & Policy Priorities
Children are removed from their homes in a moment of crisis. The goal of the child welfare system is to connect them immediately to a loving and stable family placement. To make that connection, families need immediate and ongoing access to critical supports and services, including those that address the consequences of trauma and abuse. That is why this year, the Alliance is focused on a package of reforms to ensure placement and school stability for young people in foster care. Specifically, these reforms aim to:
- ensure cases involving allegations of abuse or neglect that are before the probate court get referred to the child welfare system for investigation and empower the juvenile court to accept jurisdiction of these cases to prevent families from being stranded between courts and support families through guardianship (download AB 2124 fact sheet). Please submit a support letter through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal (download sample support letter)
- provide funding to transport the child to their school of origin from the moment of placement to ensure children are provided every opportunity to stay in their school and community (download AB 1944 fact sheet). Please submit a support letter through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal (download sample support letter)
- expand the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program to support all families that need child care assistance to accept placement of children and sibling sets while still meeting work and education responsibilities (download Child Care Bridge Fact Sheet)
- enable relatives who have come forward to accept placement are considered in a timely manner and allow siblings to be placed together and are not denied that opportunity simply because of the size of the home (download AB 1954 fact sheet).Please submit a support letter through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal
