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AB-1148 Virtual Assistant Living and Education program.(2009-2010)

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2009–2010 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1148

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Davis

February 27, 2009

An act to add Section 16168 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster youth.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1148, as introduced, Davis. Virtual Assistant Living and Education program.
Existing law requires the Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson to be established in the State Department of Social Services with prescribed powers and duties relating to the management of foster children, including the dissemination of information on the rights of children and youth in foster care.
This bill would require the office to take all necessary steps to establish and implement the Virtual Assistant Living and Education (VALE) program, an interactive, secured Internet Web site that would maintain personal information relating to foster youth, as well as other specified contents, to provide the youth and their care providers with centralized access to this information. The bill would require the office to ensure the confidentiality of information on the VALE Web site, as specified.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 16168 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

16168.
 (a) The Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson shall take all necessary steps, including consulting with all appropriate state departments, to establish and implement the Virtual Assistant Living and Education (VALE) program, on a centralized, statewide basis, in accordance with this chapter.
(b) The VALE program established pursuant to this chapter shall consist of an interactive, secured, Internet Web site designed to give foster youth and their care providers access to a foster youth’s personal information, as described in subdivision (c).
(c) The information maintained on the VALE Web site shall include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Birth records.
(2) Social security numbers.
(3) Immunization and other medical records.
(4) School records.
(5) Official identification cards.
(6) Resumes.
(d) The VALE Web site shall allow a foster child to develop a personal database to store important telephone numbers and addresses.
(e) The VALE Web site shall also provide information and links to connect foster youth to appropriate resources to meet their educational needs, independent living skills requirements, and work needs.
(f) The office shall ensure that the VALE Web site maintains the confidentiality of medical and other records on the Web site, consistent with the requirements of this section and applicable state and federal law.