California Welfare and Institutions Code

§ 16519.5

WIC § 16519.5 Effective Jan 1, 2026Div. 9 · Part 4 · Ch. 5 · Art. 2

Statute text

(a)The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with county child welfare agencies, foster parent associations, and other interested community parties, shall implement a unified, family friendly, and child-centered resource family approval process to replace the existing multiple processes for licensing foster family homes, certifying foster homes by licensed foster family agencies, approving relatives and nonrelative extended family members as foster care providers, and approving guardians and adoptive families.

(b)(1) Counties shall be selected to participate on a voluntary basis as early implementation counties for the purpose of participating in the initial development of the approval process. Early implementation counties shall be selected according to criteria developed by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California. In selecting the five early implementation counties, the department shall promote diversity among the participating counties in terms of size and geographic location.

(2)Additional counties may participate in the early implementation of the program upon authorization by the department.

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 564, Sec. 5. (AB 896) Effective January 1, 2026.