Human services.

The California Senate Budget Committee proposes comprehensive changes to human services programs, establishing new funding mechanisms for juvenile justice, expanding adoption assistance options, and enhancing nutrition benefit delivery systems. The legislation allocates $208.8 million annually through 2029 for county-based juvenile rehabilitation services while implementing stricter facility oversight and detailed reporting requirements.

The bill modifies adoption assistance payments to allow placement in out-of-state residential treatment facilities when adoptive parents reside in the facility's state and treatment needs warrant the placement. Counties must verify facility licensing, accreditation and program quality before authorizing payments, with rates capped at California's short-term residential therapeutic program level or the host state's established rate, whichever is lower.

For CalFresh recipients, the measure codifies the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project through 2027, requiring evaluation of supplemental benefit delivery methods tested between 2023-2025. The Department of Social Services must assess retailer integration capabilities, client education needs, and potential expansion to online transactions. The bill also establishes continuous disaster response funding of up to $300,000 per declaration to support Disaster CalFresh implementation.

Additional provisions mandate child and family team meetings for youth receiving family maintenance services, adjust county cost-sharing requirements for federal participation losses, and require electronic options for benefit reporting. The Office of Youth and Community Restoration must review juvenile justice funding formulas by 2030 to assess their effectiveness in supporting positive youth development and reducing recidivism.