Patrick Ahrens

Existing law, the California Fostering Connections to Success Act, revises and expands the scope of various programs relating to the provision of cash assistance and other services to and for the benefit of certain foster and adopted children, and other children who have been placed in out-of-home care, including children who receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) , Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) , California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) , and Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) benefits. Among other provisions, the act extends to nonminor dependents up to 21 years of age the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over a dependent, and specified foster care benefits if specified education or employment requirements are met, including that the nonminor is completing secondary education or a program leading to an equivalent credential or employed for at least 80 hours per month.

This bill would prohibit a nonminor dependent from being denied eligibility for, or have eligibility terminated from, the above-described extended foster care benefits for failure to meet education or employment participation requirements that exceed the previously described education or employment requirements.