(a) Up to five counties selected by the department, and at the discretion of the counties, may implement a countywide program for licensed family homes and relative caregivers receiving payments under this chapter under which they may receive reimbursement for the cost of licensed child care for each foster child under 13 years of age in the care of the licensed family home or the relative caregiver, during any period that any of the following apply:
(1) The foster parent or relative caregiver is working outside the home.
(2) The foster parent or relative caregiver is participating in foster care training.
(3) The foster parent or relative caregiver is fulfilling necessary foster care-related administrative duties, such as conferences and judicial reviews that are not ordinarily parental duties.
(b) A foster family home shall only receive a reimbursement for child care that is provided by a licensed provider and if an agreement has been documented in the child’s case plan.
(c) The cost for reimbursements authorized by this section shall be shared equally between the state and the county. Funds appropriated pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 17600) of Part 5 shall not be used to meet the county match requirement under this section.
(d) The department shall, in consultation with participating counties, establish rates of child care reimbursement under this section.
(e) Of the five counties to be selected, the department shall select, at minimum, one large county, one medium county, and one small county, based on population size if a county from each category submits a written expression of its desire to participate. In addition, the department shall give priority to any county that meets both of the following criteria:
(1) The county has experienced a net loss in the total number of licensed foster family homes.
(2) The county has demonstrated a deficit in the number of licensed foster family beds for the county’s population of foster children requiring out-of-home placement.
(f) Each participating county shall report to the department on an annual basis. The information to be reported to the department shall be determined by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Director’s Association. At a minimum, the annual report shall include the number of foster parents claiming a child care reimbursement, the number of children served under this section, and an analysis of the impact of the child care reimbursement on the recruitment and retention of licensed foster home providers. The department shall provide the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature with a report of the use of child care pursuant to this section on or before June 30, 2003.
(g) The department may issue emergency regulations for the purpose of implementing this section.
(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 108, Sec. 43. Effective July 10, 2000.)