CA Health & Safety Code Section 1529.2

(a)

It is the intent of the Legislature that all foster parents have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to support the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in foster care. Initial and ongoing preparation and training of foster parents should support the foster parent’s role in parenting vulnerable children, youth, and young adults, including supporting the children’s connection with their families. Their training should be ongoing in order to provide foster parents with information on new practices and requirements and other helpful topics within the child welfare and probation systems and may be offered in a classroom setting, online, or individually.

(b)

A licensed or certified foster parent shall complete a minimum of eight training hours annually, a portion of which shall be from one or more of the following topics, as prescribed by the department, pursuant to subdivision (a):

(1)

Age-appropriate child and adolescent development.

(2)

Health issues in foster care, including, but not limited to, the authorization, uses, risks, benefits, assistance with self-administration, oversight, and monitoring of psychotropic or other medications, and trauma, mental health, and substance use disorder treatments for children in foster care under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, including how to access those treatments. Health issues in foster care, including, but not limited to, the authorization, uses, risks, benefits, assistance with self-administration, oversight, and monitoring of psychotropic or other medications, and trauma, mental health, and substance use disorder treatments for children in foster care under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, including how to access those treatments, as the information is also described in subdivision (d) of Section 16501.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(3)

Positive discipline and the importance of self-esteem.

(4)

Preparation of children and youth for a successful transition to adulthood.

(5)

The right of a foster child to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.

(6)

Instruction on cultural competency and sensitivity and related best practices for providing adequate care for children across diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as children identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

(c)

In addition to any training required by this section, a foster parent may be required to receive specialized training, as relevant, for the purpose of preparing the foster parent to meet the needs of a particular child in care. This training may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1)

Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to commercially sexually exploited children.

(2)

Understanding cultural needs of children, including, but not limited to, cultural competency and sensitivity and related best practices for providing adequate care to children across diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as children identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

(3)

Understanding the requirements and best practices regarding psychotropic medications, including, but not limited to, court authorization, benefits, uses, side effects, interactions, assistance with self-administration, misuse, documentation, storage, and metabolic monitoring of children prescribed psychotropic medications.

(4)

Understanding the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.), its historical significance, the rights of children covered by the act, and the best interests of Indian children, including the role of the caregiver in supporting culturally appropriate, child-centered practices that respect Native American history, culture, retention of tribal membership and connection to the tribal community and traditions.

(5)

Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to nonminor dependents.

(6)

Understanding how to use best practices for providing care and supervision to children with special health care needs.

(d)

No child shall be placed with a foster parent unless each foster parent in the home meets the requirements of this section.

(e)

(1)Upon the request of the licensed or certified foster parent for a hardship waiver from the annual training requirement or a request for an extension of the deadline, the county may, at its option, on a case-by-case basis, waive the training requirement or extend any established deadline for a period not to exceed one year, if the training requirement presents a severe and unavoidable obstacle to continuing as a foster parent.

(2)

Obstacles for which a county may grant a hardship waiver or extension are:

(A)

Lack of access to training due to the cost or travel required or lack of child care to participate in the training, when online resources are not available.

(B)

Family emergency.

(3)

Before a waiver or extension may be granted, the licensed or certified foster parent should explore the opportunity of receiving training online or by video or written materials.

(f)

(1)Foster parent training may be obtained through sources that include, but are not necessarily limited to, community colleges, counties, hospitals, foster parent associations, the California State Foster Parent Association’s conference, online resources, adult schools, and certified foster parent instructors.

(2)

In addition to the foster parent training provided by community colleges, foster family agencies shall provide a program of training for their certified foster families.

(g)

(1)Training certificates shall be submitted to the appropriate licensing or foster family agency.

(2)

Upon completion, a licensed or certified parent shall submit a certificate of completion for the annual training requirements.

(h)

Nothing in this section shall preclude a county or a foster family agency from requiring foster parent training in excess of the requirements in this section.

(i)

This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017.

(j)

This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date.