2005 California Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 18250-18257 CHAPTER 4. COUNTY WRAP-AROUND SERVICES PILOT PROJECT

18250.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that  all counties
be authorized to provide children with service alternatives to group
home care through the development of expanded family-based services
programs.  These programs shall include individualized or
"wrap-around" services, where services are wrapped around a child
living with his or her birth parent, relative, adoptive parent,
licensed or certified foster parent, or guardian.  The wrap-around
services developed under this section shall build on the strengths of
each eligible child and family and be tailored to address their
unique and changing needs.
   (b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that the pilot
project include the following elements:
   (1) Making available to the county the state share of nonfederal
reimbursement for group home placement, minus the state share, if
any, of any concurrent out-of-home placement costs, for children
eligible under this chapter, for the purpose of allowing the county
to develop family-based service alternatives.
   (2) Enabling the county to access all possible sources of federal
funds for the purpose of developing family-based service
alternatives.
   (3) Encouraging collaboration among persons and entities
including, but not limited to, parents, county welfare departments,
county mental health departments, county probation departments,
county health departments, special education local planning agencies,
school districts, and private service providers for the purpose of
planning and providing individualized services for children and their
birth or substitute families.
   (4) Ensuring local community participation in the development and
implementation of wrap-around services by county placing agencies and
service providers.
   (5) Preserving and using the service resources and expertise of
nonprofit providers to develop family-based and community-based
service alternatives.
18251.  As used in this chapter:
   (a) "County" means each county participating in an individualized
or "wrap-around" pilot project.
   (b) "County placing agency" means a county welfare or probation
department, or a county mental health department with respect to
those children placed pursuant to Section 7572.5 of the Government
Code.
   (c) "Eligible child" means a child who is any of the following:
   (1) A child who has been adjudicated as either a dependent or ward
of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602 and who
would be placed in a group home licensed by the department at a rate
classification level of 10 or higher.
   (2) A child who would be voluntarily placed in out-of-home care
pursuant to Section 7572.5 of the Government Code.
   (3) A child who is currently, or who would be, placed in a group
home licensed by the department at a rate classification level of 10
or higher.
   (d) "Wrap-around services" means community-based intervention
services that emphasize the strengths of the child and family and
includes the delivery of coordinated, highly individualized
unconditional services to address needs and achieve positive outcomes
in their lives.
   (e) "Service allocation slot" means a specified amount of funds
available to the county to pay for an individualized intensive
wraparound services package for an eligible child.  A service
allocation slot may be used for more than one child on a successive
basis.
18252.  Each county shall, at the county's option, develop a county
plan for intensive wrap-around services and monitor the provision of
those services in accordance with the plan.  This plan shall be
submitted to the department for informational purposes.  Where a
county operates both systems of care under the Children's Mental
Health Services Act, Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of
Division 5, and wrap-around services, these plans shall be
coordinated.  Each county's plan shall include all the following
elements:
   (a) A process and protocol for reviewing the eligibility of
children and families for service and for monitoring accessibility
and availability of service to the targeted population.  Children
shall be determined as eligible for wrap-around services pursuant to
subdivision (c) of Section 18251, except that:
   (1) Once a child is determined to be eligible for wrap-around
services under this chapter, he or she shall remain eligible for the
time period specified in his or her individualized services plan.
   (2) A child and family participating in a family maintenance
services program as described in Section 16506 and the wrap-around
services program, shall not be subject to the time limitations
specified in Section 16506.
   (b) A process to accept, modify, or deny proposed individualized
service plans for eligible children and families.
   (c) A process for parent support, mentoring, and advocacy that
ensures parent understanding of, and participation in, wrap-around
services programs.
   (d) A planning and review process to support and facilitate the
following principles in delivering intensive wrap-around services to
eligible children and families:
   (1) Focusing on an individual child and family through the
creation of service plans designed specifically to address the unique
needs and strengths of each child and his or her family.
   (2) Providing services geared toward enabling children to remain
in the least restrictive, most family-like setting possible.
   (3) Developing a close collaborative relationship with each child'
s family in the planning and provision of wrap-around services.
   (4) Conducting a thorough, strengths-based assessment of each
child and family that will form the basis for the development of the
individualized intervention plan.
   (5) Designing and delivering services that incorporate the
religious customs, and regional, racial, and ethnic values and
beliefs of the children and families served.
   (6) Measuring consumer satisfaction to assess outcomes.
   (e) Written interagency agreements or memorandums of understanding
between the county departments of mental health, social services,
and probation that specify jointly provided or integrated services,
staff tasks and responsibilities, facility and supply commitments,
budget considerations, and linkage and referral services.
18253.  Each county shall ensure that an evaluation of the pilot
project is conducted to determine the cost and treatment
effectiveness of outcomes such as family functioning and social
performance, preventing placement in more restrictive environments,
improving emotional and behavioral adjustments, school attendance,
and academic performance for eligible children.  Systems of care
outcomes shall be included to the extent they are applicable to the
target population.
18253.5.  Each county shall ensure that staff participating in the
pilot projects have completed training provided or approved by the
department, on providing individualized wrap-around services.
18254.  (a) Reimbursement rates for wraparound services, under this
pilot project, shall be based on the following factors:
   (1) The average cost of rate classification 10 to 11 in each
county, minus the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement, for
children who are or would be placed in a rate level 10 or 11 group
home.
   (2) The average cost of rate classification 12 to 14 in each
county, minus the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement, for
children who are or would be placed in a rate level 12 to 14 group
home.
   (b) The annual maximum limit on funding available for the pilot
project authorized by this chapter shall be based on the average
cost, determined pursuant to subdivision (a), for the number of
service allocation slots assigned to each county.
   (c) The department shall reimburse each county, for the purpose of
providing intensive wraparound services, up to 100 percent of the
state share of nonfederal funds, to be matched by each county's share
of cost as established by law, and to the extent permitted by
federal law, up to 100 percent of the federal funds allocated for
group home placements of eligible children, at the rate authorized
pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (d) State and, to the extent permitted by federal law, federal
foster care funds shall remain with the administrative authority of
the county welfare department, which may enter into an interagency
agreement to transfer those funds, and shall be used to provide
intensive wraparound services.
   (e) General Fund costs for the provision of benefits to eligible
children pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 18251 at rates
authorized by subdivision (a) through the pilot project authorized by
this chapter shall not exceed the costs which would otherwise have
been incurred had the eligible children been placed in a group home.
18255.  This pilot project may be extended to any county that
applies to, and is granted approval, by the department.  The number
of service allocation slots assigned to each county shall be
determined by each county and approved by the department.
18256.  Each county shall evaluate its pilot project, prepare
interim and final evaluations, and submit them to the appropriate
committees of the Legislature and to the department.  The interim
report shall be submitted not later than six months following the
start of the third year of the pilot project.  The final report shall
be submitted not later than six months following the end of the
five-year pilot project.  These reports shall assess the
effectiveness of the pilot project authorized by this chapter.  The
reports shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the
following:
   (a) The effectiveness of the project in reducing the level of
out-of-home services required, and in reducing the average length of
stay in out-of-home care.
   (b) A comparison of the cost of placement and services for
children in the pilot project with the average cost of out-of-home
placement for the same number of children.
   (c) The effectiveness of the pilot project in assisting children
and families in attaining their service goals.
18256.5.  At the end of a county's pilot project, in order to
prevent disruption to the child, each child remaining in the pilot
project shall continue to receive all planned services specified in
the child's individualized services plan until his or her case is
closed.
18257.  (a) The State Department of Social Services shall seek
applicable federal approval to make the maximum number of children
being served through such programs eligible for federal financial
participation and amend any applicable state regulations to the
extent necessary to eliminate any limitations on the numbers of
children who can participate in these programs.
   (b) Funds from the Mental Health Services Fund shall be made
available to the State Department of Social Services for technical
assistance to counties in establishing and administering projects.
Funding shall include reasonable and necessary administrative costs
in establishing and administering a project pursuant to this chapter
and shall be sufficient to create an incentive for all counties to
seek to establish programs pursuant to this chapter.