AB 2441

Existing law establishes the Office of Child Abuse Prevention in the State Department of Social Services. Existing law requires the office to use certain funds to undertake specified activities, including, among other things, supporting coordination and sharing of best practices implemented by family resource centers with other agencies, when the best practices reflect strategies and outcomes that were achieved and supported by evidence-informed programs and data. This bill would require the Office of Child Abuse Prevention to establish the Community Supporting Innovation Pilot Program to assess and demonstrate the effectiveness of community-based organizations, including family resource centers, serving as resource and referral avenues and alternative support pathways for families with complex needs or multiple stressors, or who are navigating significant barriers, but whose children are not at substantial risk of suffering serious physical harm or illness. The bill would require organizations wishing to participate in the pilot program to submit an application that demonstrates that the organization meets certain criteria, including, among others things, that the organization has the commitment of at least one partnering school district, hospital, clinic, or law enforcement agency that will refer potentially eligible families to the organization. The bill would require the office to select 25 organizations to receive grants to operate community pathway teams and provide related training. The bill would require a community pathway pilot site to receive referrals of the families described above and provide assistance to referred families navigating services related to basic needs, childcare access, behavioral health coordination, financial stability, benefits continuity, and other supports that stabilize families and reduce unnecessary involvement in the child welfare system. The bill would require the an evaluation of the pilot program and require the office, based on that evaluation, to submit a report to the Legislature no later than July 1, 2030, that provides recommendations for statewide implementation. This bill would also require the office to establish an internal unit of least 3 staff positions to oversee the pilot and would authorize the office to contract with a nonprofit organization to undertake certain tasks related to the pilot program, such as developing and implementing outreach materials.