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AB-2880 Transitional Housing Placement program.(2019-2020)



Current Version: 02/21/20 - Introduced

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AB2880:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2880


Introduced by Assembly Member Ting

February 21, 2020


An act to amend Section 11403.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster care.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2880, as introduced, Ting. Transitional Housing Placement program.
Existing law establishes the Transitional Housing Placement program, which provides transitional housing for nonminor dependents. Existing law provides for the establishment of rates to be paid to providers of transitional housing.
This bill would require, subject to an appropriation in the annual budget act, and commencing January 1, 2021, that rate to be supplemented with a THP-NMD housing supplement. The bill would specify the method to be used by the State Department of Social Services to calculate that supplement and would require the department to notify counties by all-county letter of the amount of the supplement by November 1 of each year.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 11403.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

11403.3.
 (a) (1) Subject to subdivision (b), a transitional housing placement provider, as defined in subdivision (r) of Section 11400, that provides transitional housing services to an eligible foster youth in a facility licensed pursuant to Section 1559.110 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be paid as follows:
(A)  For a program serving foster children who are at least 16 years of age and not more than 18 years of age, a monthly rate that is 75 percent of the average foster care expenditures for foster youth 16 to 18 years of age, inclusive, in group home care in the county in which the program operates.
(B) For a program serving nonminor dependents, the rate structure established pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 11403.2.
(2) Subject to subdivision (c), a Transitional Housing Program-Plus, as defined in subdivision (s) of Section 11400, that provides transitional housing services to eligible former foster youth who have exited from the foster care system on or after their 18th birthday, shall be paid a monthly rate that is 70 percent of the average foster care expenditures for foster youth 16 to 18 years of age, inclusive, in group home care in the county in which the program operates.
(b) Payment to a transitional housing placement provider for transitional housing services provided to a person described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11403.2 shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) An amount equal to the base rate, as defined in subdivision (d), shall be paid for transitional housing services provided.
(2) Any additional amount payable pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be contingent on the election by the county placing the youth in the transitional housing placement program to participate in the costs of the additional amount, pursuant to subdivision (g).
(c) Payment to a Transitional Housing Program-Plus provider for transitional housing services provided pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11403.2 shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) Any Supportive Transitional Emancipation Program (STEP) payment payable pursuant to Section 11403.1 shall be paid for transitional housing services provided.
(2) Prior to fiscal year 2011–12, any amount payable pursuant to subdivision (a) to a Transitional Housing Program-Plus provider for services provided to a person described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11403.2 shall be paid contingent on the availability of moneys appropriated for this purpose in the annual Budget Act for the cost of the program.
(d) (1) As used in this section, “base rate” means the rate a transitional housing placement provider or Transitional Housing Program-Plus provider was approved to receive on June 30, 2001. If a program commences operation after this date, the base rate shall be the rate the program would have received if it had been operational on June 30, 2001.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), no transitional housing placement provider or Transitional Housing Program-Plus provider with an approved rate on July 1, 2001, shall receive a lower rate than its base rate.
(e) Any reductions in payments to a transitional housing placement provider pursuant to the implementation of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) or to a Transitional Housing Program-Plus provider pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) shall not preclude the program from acquiring from other sources, additional funding necessary to provide program services.
(f) The department shall develop, implement, and maintain a ratesetting system schedule for transitional housing placement providers, and Transitional Housing Program-Plus providers pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive.
(g) (1) Funding for the rates payable under this section for persons described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11403.2, prior to the 2011–12 fiscal year, shall be subject to a sharing ratio of 40 percent state and 60 percent county share of nonfederal funds.
(2) Funding for the rates payable under this section for persons described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11403.2, prior to the 2011–12 fiscal year, shall be subject to a sharing ratio of 100 percent state and 0 percent county funds.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) and subdivision (g), paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision, beginning in the 2011–12 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter, funding and expenditures for programs and activities under this section shall be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code.
(h) The department shall develop, implement, and maintain a ratesetting methodology and rate schedule for providers identified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of, and paragraph (2) of, subdivision (a) by December 31, 2019. Until a new rate schedule is implemented, the rates shall be based on the rates in existence on December 31, 2017, plus the annual adjustment described in subdivision (c) of Section 11403.2.
(i) (1) Subject to an appropriation in the annual budget act for this purpose, the rate paid for providing services to a nonminor dependent shall, commencing January 1, 2021, be supplemented with a THP-NMD housing supplement, which shall be calculated by the department as follows:
(A) For nonminor dependents who are custodial parents, the difference between the fair market rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the county in which the nonminor dependent resides and 21.45 percent of the rate established pursuant to subdivision (h).
(B) For nonminor dependents who are not custodial parents, the difference between one-half of the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the county in which the nonminor resides and 21.45 percent of the rate established pursuant to subdivision (h).
(2) The department shall annually calculate the THP-NMD housing supplement for each county and shall, notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 1340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) inform county welfare agencies by all-county letter of the amount of the supplement by November 1 of each year.
(3) A county shall not receive less than the rate established pursuant to subdivision (h).
(4) For purposes of this subdivision, “fair market rent” means the rent calculated for the fair market rent system developed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for use in determining the allowable rent level for individuals who participate in the Housing Choice Voucher program, and that includes the cost of housing and utilities, except for telephone, cable, and internet, and is calculated annually for each county and released at the start of each fiscal year by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

SEC. 2.

 To the extent that this act has an overall effect of increasing the costs already borne by a local agency for programs or levels of service mandated by the 2011 Realignment Legislation within the meaning of Section 36 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, it shall apply to local agencies only to the extent that the state provides annual funding for the cost increase. Any new program or higher level of service provided by a local agency pursuant to this act above the level for which funding has been provided shall not require a subvention of funds by the state or otherwise be subject to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.