(a) The State Department of Social Services, with the advice and assistance of the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the Chief Probation Officers of California, the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, research entities, foster youth and advocates for foster youth, foster care provider business entities organized and operated on a nonprofit basis, tribes, and other stakeholders, shall establish a working group to develop performance standards and outcome measures for providers of out-of-home care placements made under the AFDC-FC program, including, but not limited to, foster family agency, group home, short-term residential therapeutic program, and THP-Plus providers, and for the effective and efficient administration of the AFDC-FC program.

(b) (1) The performance standards and outcome measures shall employ the applicable performance standards and outcome measures as set forth in Sections 11469 to 11469.3, inclusive, designed to identify the degree to which foster care providers, including business entities organized and operated on a nonprofit basis, are providing out-of-home placement services that meet the needs of foster children, and the degree to which these services are supporting improved outcomes, including those identified by the California Child and Family Service Review System.

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(2) Providers shall maintain, for licensing, ratesetting, and placement purposes, program statements, as required pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, and all applicable written directives and regulations adopted by the department.

(c) In addition to the process described in subdivision (a), the working group may also develop the following:

(1) A means of identifying the child’s strengths and needs, and determining which out-of-home placement is the most appropriate for a child.

(2) A procedure for identifying children who have been in congregate care for one year or longer, determining the reasons each child remains in congregate care, and developing a plan for each child to transition to a less restrictive, more family-like setting.

(d) The department shall provide updates regarding its progress toward meeting the requirements of this section during the 2013 and 2014 budget hearings.

(e) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), until the enactment of applicable state law, or October 1, 2015, whichever is earlier, the department may implement the changes made pursuant to this section through all-county letters, or similar instructions from the director.

(f) The department, in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California, shall track the utilization, workload, and costs associated with implementing any specific tool developed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c).

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 27, Sec. 71. (SB 80) Effective June 27, 2019.)