AB 1196

This bill adds a respite care provider home to the entities that may provide housing or services to a child runaway, which, under current law, include a licensed foster home, group home, and shelter. Under the bill, a “respite care provider home” is the home of a person who has been approved in accordance with rules promulgated by the Department of Children and Families to provide respite services or emergency care to a foster child during a foster parent’s absence by DCF, a county department of human services or social services, or a licensed child welfare agency.

Under current law, a licensed foster home, group home, or shelter may provide housing or services to a child runaway if both the child and his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian consent to the provision of housing or services. If the parent, guardian, or legal custodian does not consent, the foster home, group home, or shelter must notify the agency responsible for providing child welfare services of the child’s presence in the home or shelter within 12 hours of the child’s arrival at the home or shelter. After such notification, the agency must notify the parent, guardian, and legal custodian as soon as possible of the child’s presence in that home. Under current law, a hearing is then held to determine whether the child must be returned to the parent, guardian, or legal custodian or is permitted to stay at the foster home, group home, or shelter for up to 20 days. Under the bill, these provisions also apply to a respite care provider home.