Child welfare services: prevention legal services.

Senator Weber Pierson's Family Advocacy Pilot Program legislation establishes a three-year initiative providing prevention legal services to families at risk of child welfare intervention. The program authorizes the State Department of Social Services to distribute grants to qualified organizations offering legal assistance and interdisciplinary support services aimed at stabilizing families before court involvement becomes necessary.

The legislation defines qualified organizations as legal aid or community-based nonprofits with at least three years of experience serving low-income Californians, or legal service organizations with seven years of dependency law training experience. These organizations must provide services at no cost to recipients, including assistance with restraining orders, custody arrangements, immigration matters, public benefits access, housing stability, and education barriers. An interdisciplinary team comprising social workers, case managers, parent partners, and peer advocates will help families navigate child welfare investigations and connect them to substance use, mental health, domestic violence, and other support services.

The Department must develop implementation parameters by July 1, 2026, in consultation with lived experience experts, advocates, dependency attorneys, tribes, and community organizations. The program allows for federal funding through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to supplement state appropriations. At the conclusion of the pilot, the Department will submit a program evaluation to the Legislature, excluding any personally identifying information about participating families.