(a)
(1)The department, with the advice, assistance, and cooperation of the counties and foster care providers, shall develop, implement, and maintain a ratesetting system for foster family agencies.
(2)
No county shall be reimbursed for any percentage increases in payments, made on behalf of AFDC-FC funded children who are placed with foster family agencies, that exceed the percentage cost-of-living increase provided in any fiscal year beginning on January 1, 1990, as specified in subdivision (c) of Section 11461.
(b)
The department shall develop regulations specifying the purposes, types, and
services of foster family agencies, including the use of those agencies for the provision of emergency shelter care. A distinction, for ratesetting purposes, shall be drawn between foster family agencies that provide treatment of children in foster families and those that provide nontreatment services.
(c)
The department shall develop and maintain regulations specifying the procedure for the appeal of department decisions about the setting of an agency’s rate.
(d)
On and after July 1, 1998, the schedule of rates, and the components used in the rate calculations specified in the department’s regulations, for foster family agencies shall be increased by 6 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies.
(e)
(1)On and after July 1, 1999, the schedule of rates and the components used in the rate calculations specified in the department’s regulations for foster family agencies shall be adjusted by an amount equal to the California Necessities Index computed pursuant to Section 11453, rounded to the nearest dollar, subject to the availability of funds. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies, subject to further adjustment pursuant to paragraph (2).
(2)
In addition to the adjustment specified in paragraph (1), commencing January 1, 2000, the schedule of rates and the components used in the rate calculations specified in the department’s regulations for foster family agencies shall be increased by 2.36 percent,
rounded to the nearest dollar. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies.
(f)
For the 1999–2000 fiscal year, foster family agency rates that are not determined by the schedule of rates set forth in the department’s regulations, shall be increased by the same percentage as provided in subdivision (e).
(g)
(1)For the 2000–01 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, the foster family agency rate shall be supplemented by one hundred dollars ($100) for clothing per year per child in care, subject to the availability of funds. The supplemental payment shall be used to supplement, and shall not be used to supplant, any clothing allowance paid in addition to the foster family agency rate.
(2)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), commencing with the 2012–13 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, no supplemental clothing allowance shall be provided, because the rate issued in accordance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (m) takes the cost of clothing into account.
(h)
In addition to the adjustment made pursuant to subdivision (e), the component for social work activities in the rate calculation specified in the department’s regulations for foster family agencies shall be increased by 10 percent, effective January 1, 2001. This additional funding shall be used by foster family agencies solely to supplement staffing, salaries, wages, and benefit levels of staff performing social work activities. The schedule of rates shall be recomputed using the adjusted amount for social
work activities. The resultant amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies. The department may require a foster family agency receiving this additional funding to certify that the funding was utilized in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(i)
The increased rate provided by subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 11461 shall not be used to compute the monthly amount that may be paid to licensed foster family agencies for the placement of children in certified foster homes.
(j)
The total foster family agency rate by age group in effect as of January 1, 2008, paid to licensed foster family agencies for the placement of children in certified foster family homes, shall be reduced by 10 percent, effective October
1, 2009. The foster family agency shall have flexibility in applying the reduction, however, nothing shall be deducted from the child base rate, as defined in departmental regulations. When the rate is restored to at least the rate in effect on September 1, 2009, the director shall issue the declaration described in Section 1506.3 of the Health and Safety Code.
(k)
Effective October 1, 2009, the total foster family agency rate by age group, in effect for those agency rates that are not determined by the schedule of rates set forth in the department’s regulations, shall be reduced by the same percentage and in the same manner as provided for in subdivision (j).
(l)
(1)The department shall determine, consistent with the requirements of this section and
other relevant requirements under law, the rate category for each foster family agency on a biennial basis. Submission of the biennial rate application shall be according to a schedule determined by the department.
(2)
The department shall adopt regulations to implement this subdivision. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or readoption of a regulation authorized by this subdivision is deemed to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement to describe specific facts showing the need for immediate action.
(m)
(1)On and after July 1, 2012, the basic rate payment that shall be made
to the certified parent pursuant to this section for care and supervision of a child who is living in a certified home of a foster family agency, as defined in Section 11400, shall equal the basic rate for children based in a licensed or approved home, as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 11461.
(2)
The basic rate payment to the certified parent made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be adjusted annually on July 1, by the annual percentage change in the California Necessities Index, in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 11461. The adjustment in this paragraph shall be in lieu of any adjustment pursuant to subdivision (e).
(n)
Notwithstanding any other law, the changes to the basic rate payment specified in subdivision (m) shall not change
the remaining components of the foster family agency rate. The new foster family agency rate shall be increased only by the amounts specified pursuant to subdivision (m). The resulting amounts shall constitute the new schedule of rates for foster family agencies, which shall be issued by all-county letters or similar instructions from the department.
(o)
Beginning in the 2011–12 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter, funding and expenditures for programs and activities under this section shall be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code.
(p)
(1)Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1
of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement, interpret, or make specific the changes to this section made by the act that added this section, and amend and repeal regulations and orders subject to this section and adopted by the department by means of all-county letters or similar instructions from the department until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt emergency regulations no later than July 1, 2014. The department may readopt any emergency regulation authorized by this section that is the same as, or substantially equivalent to, an emergency regulation previously adopted under this section.
(2)
The initial adoption of emergency regulations pursuant to this section and one readoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the
public peace, health, safety, or general welfare. Initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The initial emergency regulations and the one readoption of emergency regulations authorized by this section shall be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law for filing with the Secretary of State and each shall remain in effect for no more than 180 days, by which time final regulations may be adopted.
(q)
This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends that date.