Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services (department), jointly with the State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), to establish the Children’s Crisis Continuum Pilot Program. Existing law requires the department, jointly with DHCS, to award grants under the pilot program and requires participating entities to develop a highly integrated continuum of care for the foster youth served in the pilot program. Under existing law, that continuum of care is required to include certain components, including, among others, a crisis residential program that is operated in accordance with all statutes and regulations governing its licensure category.

This bill would authorize a participating entity that does not have a crisis residential program as a part of its continuum of care, but that has included in its continuum of care a comparable type of treatment component designed to serve children and youth experiencing the highest level of acute behavioral health needs in a residential setting, to utilize all awarded grant funds, including any funds specifically designated to fund a crisis residential program, to fund any other component of the continuum of care.

Existing law requires the pilot program to be implemented for 5 years from the date grant recipients are selected.

This bill would, notwithstanding that provision, authorize the department, in consultation with DHCS, and upon written request of a participating entity, to extend the term of a grant agreement if a participating entity demonstrates that it has unexpended and available grants funds and that the extension is necessary to complete implementation or closeout activities. The bill would limit the extension to the minimum amount of time necessary to complete authorized activities and expend grant funds, and to not later than July 1, 2030.