Juvenile Justice in California
Part II: Dependency System

Facts & Issues

This report is prepared by the

League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Juvenile Justice Study Committee
926 J Street, Suite 515, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 442-7215   FAX (916) 442-7362
Email address: lwvc@jps.net

This paper was prepared as factual background material for the League study process. During the process, all members have an opportunity to examine the facts and key pro and con points. Local Leagues submit Consensus Reports which, when compiled, represent the positions of all Leagues in the State of California on the policies and practices that would best serve the public interest. Positions are reached after study and consensus; the League takes a stand only within its positions. If the League has no position on an issue, it cannot take a stand on that issue. If you are not a member of the League but would like to participate in developing a League position on this important topic, you may do so by joining a local League in your area. Call 1-888-870-VOTE for the location and phone number of those Leagues or consult our online directory. Local Leagues will be having information meetings and discussions about the study in either September, October or November. The local Leagues have until November 30, 1998 to arrive at consensus. As a pilot project, League members can also participate in the study online by reading the material presented here and participating in online discussions through a listserve, available to League members only. This participation will be possible until November 30, 1998.

We would like to thank:

LWVCEF State Dependency Study Committee

Mez Benton	Paulene Goddard
Joan Berzins	Luanne Rogers
Peg Dyer	Maryann Simmen
Mary West
Los Angeles ILO Dependency Study Committee

Readers
Patsy White   Jean Cohen   Lois Feldhym

all those who:
work within the California Dependency System,
are advocates for the children and families involved,
or study the system and the issues,
who were always ready with information,

especially:

Jill Deurr Berrick & the U.C. Berkeley Child Welfare Research Center
Marjorie Kelly and her staff in the Child Welfare Division,
Peter Digre and his staff in the Los Angeles Child Welfare Department,
Marjorie Gould & the Los Angeles Commission on Children and Youth,
Carol Brown & the California Foster Children's Health Project Task Force,
Chris Wu of the California Judicial Council,
Philip J. Crawford, Juvenile Dependency Meditation Project Coordinator, Coordinator Trial Courts of Contra Costa County, and
Judge Leonard Edwards of the Santa Clara Juvenile Court

Pat Kuhi and Joanne Leavitt, Co-Chairs
Email addresses: KuhiPat@cs.com and ac997@lafn.org

July 1998

The publication is made possible by grants from

Charles E. Culpeper Foundation, Stamford, CT
Compton Foundation, Inc., Menlo Park, CA

This is the second and final part of a four year study of the California Juvenile Justice System. See Juvenile Justice in California: Facts & Issues (Part I).

Juvenile Justice in California
Part II: Dependency System: Facts & Issues

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I:   THE JUVENILE COURT

• HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
  
• THE JUVENILE COURT TODAY

CHAPTER II:   PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

• HOME VISITING
  
• SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT FOR PARENTS TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
  
• REDUCTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS A WAY TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND PRESERVE FAMILIES
  
  The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
  Need for Collaboration
  Model Program to Help Mothers who Suffered Domestic Abuse
  Need for Coordination between Health, Justice and Social Workers
  Domestic Violence Is Also a Barrier to Work: Programs for Perpetrators of Domestic Violence
  
• OTHER CHILD ABUSE AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS

CHAPTER III:   CALIFORNIA CHILD WELFARE SERVICES (CWS)

• INTRODUCTION
• CALIFORNIA CHILD WELFARE SERVICES (CWS) TODAY
• FOSTER PARENT PAYMENT ISSUES
• KINSHIP CARE
• GROUP HOMES
• WRAPAROUND SERVICES
  Present California Models

CHAPTER IV:   HEALTH CARE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN

The California Foster Children's Health Project Task Force
Administration of Drugs to Children in Foster Care
The Situation
Funding of Health Care for Foster Children

CHAPTER V:   CHILDREN IN THE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM WITH VARIOUS NEEDS

• CHILDREN WHO SUFFER NEGLECT
• VERY YOUNG CHILDREN
• RACE AND ETHNICITY AS THEY APPLY TO THE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM
• CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
• CHILDREN OF PARENTS IN PRISON
• CHILDREN WITH GRANDPARENTS AS THEIR CAREGIVERS
• IMMIGRATION STATUS OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN
• DEPENDENTS AT RISK OF BECOMING DELINQUENTS

CHAPTER VI:   LIFE AFTER FOSTER CARE

One Model Program for Emancipated Foster Youth

• OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE SUFFERED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT

CHAPTER VII:   COLLABORATION

Youth Pilot Program (AB 1741): Blended Funding Other Efforts at Restructuring Bringing Pilot Projects to Scale Barriers to Success

CHAPTER VIII:   ROLE OF THE STATE

Research
Reform of Services to Children and Families
Development of The Child Welfare Services Case Management System
(CWS/CMS)
Development of Tools for Caseworkers for Risk Assessment, Decision
Making and Case Management: Structured Decision Making (SDM)

CHAPTER IX:   FUNDING FOR CALIFORNIA'S DEPENDENCY SYSTEM

Managing and Financing Systems Reform in Child Welfare Services
Two Important Trends to Note in Funding for Child Welfare Services

• STATE FUNDING
  I. State Child Welfare Services (CWS)
  II. Aid to Families With Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC)
  III. Adoption Assistance Account
  IV. Office of Child Abuse Prevention
  V. Emergency Preparedness and Injury Control Program (EPIC)
  
• COUNTY FUNDING
  County Trial Court Funding
• FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS
• CALIFORNIA'S TITLE IV-E CHILD WELFARE WAIVER DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

APPENDIX A:   CALIFORNIA COURT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Judicial Council of California's Long-Range Plan
California Judicial Council's Statewide Conference on Community-focused Planning
Judge Leonard Edward's Recommendations for Court Improvement

APPENDIX B:   THE CALIFORNIA POLICY SUMMIT ON KINSHIP CARE

APPENDIX C:   RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA FOSTER CHILDREN'S HEALTH PROJECT TASK FORCE

APPENDIX D:   MORE ABOUT FUNDING FOR CALIFORNIA'S DEPENDENCY SYSTEM

APPENDIX E:   EFFECTS OF THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1996 (PRA)

APPENDIX F:   RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY INSTITUTE

APPENDIX G:   RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION REPORT

APPENDIX H:   UPDATE OF LITTLE HOOVER COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS OF 1992

APPENDIX I:   NATIONAL AND CALIFORNIA STATISTICS ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

Children in Out-of-Home Care (Foster Care)
Child Abuse Fatalities

APPENDIX J:   TRENDS AND STATISTICS FOR CALIFORNIA'S DEPENDENCY SYSTEM

APPENDIX K:   CALIFORNIA WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS (W& I) CODES

GLOSSARY

ACRONYMS