Foster Care & Extended Foster Care

Jennifer Rodriguez Testifies at Senate Budget Subcommittee

YLC staff attorney Jennifer Rodriguez testified on a panel at the April 22, 2010, California Senate Budget Subcommittee hearing on Child Welfare Services. YLC’s testimony focused on the need to restore the $133 million veto to Child Welfare Services in order to ensure that vulnerable children in foster care are not further abused and neglected by the very system that should protect them. YLC testimony also covered concern that the new Community Care Licensing proposal for more frequent shorter visits must allow adequate time to interview youth group home residents in order to identify personal rights violations. More than 60 supporters, including foster youth, social workers, biological parents who have successfully reuinfied, and caregivers attended the hearing and shared their support for restoring child welfare funding.