DIRECTIONS:

  • Letters due Monday, April 2
  • Copy the sample letter directly onto your organizational letterhead
  • Be sure to change the date, add your organization’s name to the first line and fill in the signatory information at the bottom
  • Send a copy of your signed letter to Irene Frausto, , cc Denise Barajas and Miranda Perry, and

<Association/Group Header>

DATE

Assemblymember Rubio

Chair -Assembly Human Services Committee

Capitol Office, Room 2117

P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0059

SUPPORT FOR AB 2323 (Rubio): Child abuse or neglect: foster children

Dear Assemblymember Rubio:

(Insert Organization)enthusiastically your bill, Assembly Bill 232, which is critical to better protect the health and safety of children in foster care. AB 2323 will ensure investigations of abuse and neglect for children in foster care are completed in a timely manner and are done so in a way that reduces the risk of the survivor and other children in the home from repeat maltreatment.

Following media reports of children who died while in foster care, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigated whether the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) ensured that allegations and referrals of abuse and neglect were recorded, investigated, and resolved as required by Federal law. The report, issued in 2017, discovered CCLD failed to record, investigate, and resolve complaints of abuse or neglect in out-of-home care. For example, it noted that in ten percent of the complaints examined “approximately 2-15 months passed in which no activities were noted to indicate that the complaints were being actively investigated.” The most serious allegations, Priority I and Priority II complaints involving sexual and physical abuse, took an average 172-180 days to be completed and were not properly cross-reported. The OIG emphasized that this failure to conduct timely investigations “potentially [places] children’s health and safety at risk.” This risk to children’s health and safety can be severe, even fatal.

The prompt initiation and completion of child abuse and neglect investigations is important for the collection of information and evidence, but more importantly, prevents repeat maltreatment of the child and helps to prevent the same person from victimizing other children.

Improvements to the investigation timeline and process are needed to guarantee proper response to abuse and neglect for children in foster care. This bill establishes standards for investigations of abuse or neglect in out-of-home care by requiring:

  • A timely completion of investigations of abuse and neglect within 30 days;
  • Coordination of investigations;
  • Notification to the foster care ombudsperson about reports of abuse or neglect, and;
  • Standardized elements for investigation of abuse and neglect for children in out-of-home care.

By taking children into their care, the State has a responsibility to ensure foster children are loved and cared for and protected from additional harms. For these reasons, we support AB 2323.

Sincerely,

Signature, Name, Title

cc: Members of theAssembly Human Services Committee