“As someone who personally faced homelessness, hunger, and relied on state support growing up, I am living proof of the importance of these supports. I am so thankful to my colleagues for advancing these policy solutions to support California’s vulnerable foster kids. These solutions will help to minimize trauma and break the cycle of poverty so these young people can live up to their fullest potential.”
The Support California Foster Kids Bill Package was introduced to expand supports for foster youth and to help prevent homelessness and hunger. These six bills will also promote student success and improve outcomes for California’s 60,000 foster youth. Let’s commit to giving foster children the best chance for lifelong success.
The Support California Foster Kids Bill Package includes:
- AB 2764 creates uniform eligibility standards for EFC programs statewide, protecting foster youth and preventing homelessness.
- AB 2765 increases state-level food assistance to offset federal cuts. It directs the California Department of Social Services to seek federal waivers and maximize exemptions to protect foster youth and families from hunger.
- AB 2766 expands priority housing for foster youth and homeless students while aligning housing deposits and fee payment timelines with financial aid disbursements. This will address student homelessness, ensure priority registration for foster youth and support student success.
- AB 2767 creates a statewide standard to improve the Family Finding process and helps place children with relatives to improve life outcomes for foster kids.
- AB 2768 requires higher education institutions to defer unpaid enrollment fees and other costs for foster youth until financial aid is disbursed to prevent homelessness and improve student success and outcomes.
- AB 2769 expands California's Adoption Assistance Program support to families with foster kids in high school through their graduation, or up to the student turning 19 years old, to improve student success and outcomes.
In the News
Additional Resources
You can also read the bill language and check the status for each bill at LegInfo.
