California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities

Apr 24, 2024 - Given the potential to conflate poverty and possible neglect, some recent policy bills —namely , Chapter  770 of 2022 (A B  2085 , Holden) and Chapter  832 of 2022 (S B  1085 , Kamlager) —have focused on clarifying that experiencing poverty is distinct from child maltreatment, in particular general neglect.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4897

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Welfare

Mar 3, 2026 - Center for Excellence $750,000 ongoing beginning in 2022 ‑23. Emergency Response Augmentation $50 million one ‑time in 2021 ‑22 and again in 2022 ‑23, expendable for four years (through June 30, 2026 for the later allocation).
https://lao.ca.gov/publications/report/5147

The 2024-25 Budget: Preliminary May Revision Analysis for CalWORKs

May 29, 2024 - Some of the key information provided thus far includes: CalWORKs Home Visiting Program: As of January 2024, about $33  million (of $86  million total funds) in 2021-22 home visiting funding and about $41  million (of $100  million total funds) in 2022-23 home visiting funding was unspent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4911

The 2023-24 Budget: Overview of Information Security Proposals

Mar 23, 2023 - How these smaller en tities will separate their IS and privacy officers and programs without additional funding is unclear. Shared IS Needs Identified, but Centralized Shared Service Contracts Not Yet Available.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4748

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 22, 2021 - Quality Assurance and Program Integrity Home Visits. Until the end of the state of emergency in California, counties may perform home visits for purposes of quality assurance and program integrity remotely using telehealth, including video-conferencing and telephone.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4476/4

The 2022-23 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Feb 2, 2022 - In situations where there is less risk of COVID ‑19 infection, counties should conduct initial assessment via an in ‑person home visit. Counties may collect as much information as possible regarding the applicant over the phone before the home visit to reduce the amount of time spent in the applicant ’s home.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4512

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Oct 2, 2024 - Home Visiting Program (HVP). The CalWORKs HVP is a voluntary program that aims to improve the outcomes of CalWORKs participants who are pregnant or have children under 24 months of age through evidence-based home visiting models.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4933/2

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Oct 21, 2022 - Provides Permanent Electronic Visit Verification and IHSS Social Worker Training Resources. The spending plan provides $1.5  million General Fund on an ongoing basis to administer the Electronic Visit Verification system and IHSS social worker training.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4640/5

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Human Services

Oct 23, 2020 - Delays Intended Ramp Up of CalWORKs Home Visiting Program. The 2018 ‑19 spending plan created the home visiting program, under which some CalWORKs families with a child under two years old receive regular visits from a nurse, parent educator, or early childhood specialist who works with the family to improve maternal health, parenting skills, and child cognitive development.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4286/2

Implementing California’s Child Welfare Prevention Services Program

Jan 28, 2026 - Since 2022, all counties have been required to provide wraparound services to foster youth transitioning out of congregate care placements for at least six months. This state requirement aligns with federal requirements under FFPSA, as described more in the nearby box.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5106