California SB 1421: California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents.

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 03/26/26 - Amended Senate
 02/20/26 - Introduced

 SB-1421 California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents.(2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 03/26/2026 09:00 PM

SB1421:v98#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Amended
 IN 
 Senate
 March 26, 2026

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Senate Bill

No. 1421

Introduced by Senator McGuire

February 20, 2026

 An act to amend Section 16504 10601.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child welfare. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1421, as amended, McGuire.
 Child welfare services: initial intake and evaluation of risk services. California Child and Family Service Review System: nonminor dependents.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Child and Family Service Review System, in order to review all county child welfare systems, including child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living. Existing law requires the review system outcome indicators to be consistent with the federal child and family service review measures and standards for child and family outcomes and system factors, as specified.

This bill would require the review system to include data measures related to utilization of programs for nonminor dependents that are designed to reduce poverty and increase postsecondary education, and would require the department to conduct a
 comprehensive review of county performance on those measures, as specified.

Existing law establishes a system of child welfare services provided to children alleged to be the victims of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Under existing law, a child reported to the county child welfare services department to be endangered by abuse, neglect, or exploitation is eligible for initial intake and evaluation of risk services. Existing law requires each county child welfare services department to maintain and operate a 24-hour response system, and to make an immediate in-person response in emergency situations, as specified.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions and correct an erroneous cross-reference.

Digest Key

 Vote:
 MAJORITY 
 Appropriation:
 NO 
 Fiscal Committee:
 NOYES 
 Local Program:
 NO 

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 10601.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

10601.2.

 (a) The State Department of Social Services shall establish, by April 1, 2003, the California Child and Family Service Review System, in order to review all county child welfare systems. These reviews shall cover child protective services, foster care, adoption, family preservation, family support, and independent living.

(b) Child and family service reviews shall maximize compliance with the federal regulations for the receipt of money from Subtitle E (commencing with Section 470) of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.) and ensure compliance with state plan requirements set forth in Subtitle B (commencing with Section 421) of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 621 et seq.).

(c) (1) The California Health and Human Services Agency shall convene a workgroup comprised of representatives of the Judicial Council, the State Department of Social Services, the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Education, the Department of Justice, any other state departments or agencies that the California Health and Human Services Agency deems necessary, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the California State Association of Counties, the Chief Probation Officers of California, the California Youth Connection, and representatives of California tribes, interested child advocacy organizations, researchers, and foster parent organizations. The workgroup shall establish a work plan by which child and family service reviews shall be conducted pursuant to this section, including a process for qualitative peer reviews of case information.

(2) At a minimum, in establishing the work plan, the workgroup shall consider any existing federal program improvement plans entered into by the state pursua