California’s Child Welfare System: Addressing Disproportionalities and Disparities

Apr 24, 2024 - Until 2011 ‑12, the state General Fund and counties shared significant portions of the nonfederal costs of administering child welfare programs. In 2011, the state enacted legislation and the voters adopted constitutional amendments (in 2012) known as 2011 realignment, which gave counties fiscal responsibility for child welfare.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4897

The 2025-26 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 6, 2025 - Over the next eight years, growth rates fluctuated between 3  percent and 8  percent, until reaching a peak growth rate of 10.2  percent and 10.4  percent in 2001-02 and 2002-03, respectively. Caseload growth then hovered between 4.5  percent and 8  percent for the next six years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5009

The 2025-26 Budget: Child Welfare

Feb 13, 2025 - Other net changes a 916 — Net effect of all other changes across programs, including caseload changes and estimated increases in county and federal expenditures under 2011 realignment. Totals $1,075 $105 CWS ‑CARES = Child Welfare Services ‑California Automated Response and Engagement System; OTSI = Office of Technology and Solutions Integration; BH ‑CONNECT = Behavioral Health
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4962

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Federal CalWORKs Pilot

Feb 21, 2025 - What Can the Legislature Expect Next? As discussed, CDSS indicated it intends to begin the pilot planning process in the coming months. The Legislature could consider asking the following key questions of the administration: What next steps does the administration intend to take in pilot planning and implementation?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4978

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Federal CalWORKs Pilot [Publication Details]

Feb 21, 2025 - The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Federal CalWORKs Pilot [Publication Details] The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Federal CalWORKs Pilot Format: HTML Description: In this post, we provide background on the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program, information on the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pilot and California’s pilot application, and comments and
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4978

The 2025-26 Budget: Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program

Feb 13, 2025 - Statute required the Department of Finance to estimate what percentage grant increase could be supported by a half-year cost of $291  million in 2021-22 (estimated to be about $580  million in 2022-23), a half-year cost of $150  million in 2022-23 (estimated to be about $300  million in 2023-24), and a half-year of cost of $146  million in 2023-24 (estimated to be about $292  million in 2024-25).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4964

The 2025-26 Budget: CalWORKs

Feb 19, 2025 - What do families and counties view as the most notable results or effects of these services? What challenges have counties faced in implementing CalWORKs in recent years? What challenges have CalWORKs participants faced in achieving self-sufficiency and family well-being?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4969

The 2025-26 Budget: The California State Payroll System IT Project

Mar 7, 2025 - What criteria will SCO and CalHR use to determine which departments to include in each of the onboarding waves? What feedback will be solicited from departments, the primary vendor, and other project stakeholders to inform this determination?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5011

The 2024-25 Budget: Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program

Feb 8, 2024 - To further understand these potential drivers, we have reached out to the department to ask for data regarding the average number of applicants, average applicant processing time, most common reasons for applicant denials, and other factors.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4832

The 2023-24 Budget: Analysis of Child Welfare Proposals and Implementation Updates

Feb 22, 2023 - In addition, the Legislature could direct the department to report on: why developing guidance and launching new programs requires the amount of time it does, what challenges have arisen and required additional time to address, what any unanticipated obstacles have been, and what programs are achieving in terms of impacts on youth and families.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4698