Cal. WIC § 16529 — California Code / Code wic / Division 9 / Part 4 / Chapter 5.4 / Section 16529
Section 16529
Status: in_force

(a) County child welfare, probation, and behavioral health agencies, in each county or region of counties as specified in subdivision (f), shall establish a joint county-based mobile response system that includes a mobile response and stabilization team for the purpose of providing supportive services to address situations of instability, preserve the relationship of the caregiver and the child or youth, develop healthy conflict resolution and relationship skills, promote healing as a family, and stabilize the situation.

(b) In each county or region of counties, the county child welfare, probation, and behavioral health agencies, in consultation with other relevant county agencies, tribal representatives, caregivers, and current or former foster children or youth, shall submit a single, coordinated plan to the department that describes how the county-based mobile response system shall meet the requirements described in subdivision (c). This plan shall be updated and submitted on a biennial basis. The plan shall also describe and include all of the following:

(1) How the county, or region of counties, will track and monitor calls.

(2) Data collection efforts, consistent with guidance provided by the department, including, at a minimum, collection of data necessary for the report required pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 16527.

(3) Transitions from mobile response and stabilization services to ongoing services.

(4) A process for identifying if the child or youth has an existing child and family team for coordinating with the child and family team to address the instability, and a plan for ongoing care to support that relationship in a trusting and healing environment.

(5) A process and criteria for determining response.

(6) The composition of the responders, including efforts to include peer partners and those with lived experience in the response team, whenever possible.

(7) Both existing and new services that will be used to support the mobile response and stabilization services. County behavioral health departments that operate mobile crisis units may share resources between mobile crisis units and the mobile response system required pursuant to this chapter, at their discretion.

(8) Response protocols for the child or youth in family-based and congregate care settings based on guidelines developed by the department, in consultation with stakeholders, pursuant to Section 16528. The response protocols shall ensure protections for children and youth to prevent placements into congregate care settings, psychiatric institutions, and hospital settings.

(9) A process for identifying whether the child or youth has an existing behavioral health treatment plan and a placement preservation strategy, as described in Section 16010.7, and for coordinating response and services consistent with the plan and strategy.

(10) A plan for the mobile response and stabilization team to provide supportive services in the least intrusive and most child, youth, and family friendly manner, such that mobile response and stabilization teams do not trigger further trauma to the child or youth.

(11) Date of plan submission.

(12) Point-of-contact information for the plan, including name, telephone number, and email address.

(c) A county-based mobile response system shall include all of the following:

(1) Phone response at the county level that facilitates entry of the caregivers and current or former foster children or youth into mobile response services.

(2) A process for determining when a mobile response and stabilization team will be sent, or when other services will be used, based on the urgent and critical needs of the caregiver, child, or youth.

(3) A mobile response and stabilization team available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

(4) Ability to provide immediate, in-person, face-to-face response preferably within 1 hour, but not to exceed 3 hours in extenuating circumstances for urgent needs, or same-day response within 24 hours for nonurgent situations.

(5) Utilization of individuals with specialized training in trauma of children or youth and the foster care system on the mobile response and stabilization team. Efforts should be made to include peer partners and those with lived experience in the response team, whenever possible.

(6) Provision of in-home deescalation, stabilization, and support services and supports, including all of the following:

(A) Establishing in-person, face-to-face contact with the child or youth and caregiver.

(B) Identifying the underlying causes of, and precursors to, the situation that led to the instability.

(C) Identifying the caregiver interventions attempted.

(D) Observing the child and caregiver interaction.

(E) Diffusing the immediate situation.

(F) Coaching and working with the caregiver and the child or youth in order to preserve the family unit and maintain the current living situation or create a healthy transition plan, if necessary.

(G) Establishing connections to other county- or community-based supports and services to ensure continuity of care, including, but not limited to, linkage to additional trauma-informed and culturally and linguistically responsive family supportive services and youth and family wellness resources.

(H) Following up after the initial face-to-face response, for up to 72 hours, to determine if additional supports or services are needed.

(I) Identifying any additional support or ongoing stabilization needs for the family and making a plan for, or referral to, appropriate youth and family supportive services within the county.

(7) A process for communicating with the county of jurisdiction and the county behavioral health agency, as applicable, regarding the service needs of the child or youth and caregiver provided that the child or youth is currently under the jurisdiction of either the county child welfare or the probation system.

(d) County-based mobile response systems may be temporarily adapted to address circumstances associated with COVID-19, consistent with the Governor’s Proclamation of a State of Emergency, issued on March 4, 2020.

(e) (1) A county-based mobile response system that is not otherwise responding to calls placed through the statewide hotline may utilize mobile response team staff based on local needs, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(A) Engaging in in-person education and outreach.

(B) Responding to local child, youth, or caregiver requests for support.

(C) Providing ongoing support to a child, youth, or caregiver who has received mobile response services.

(D) Responding to calls from children and families during a hotline investigation or who are receiving family preservation or voluntary or court-ordered family maintenance services.

(2) If a county-based mobile response system that is not otherwise responding to calls placed through the statewide hotline chooses to utilize mobile response team staff pursuant to paragraph (1), the county-based mobile response system shall prioritize calls placed through the statewide hotline for urgent responses and shall continue to maintain sufficient staffing to ensure county-based mobile response teams maintain compliance with all requirements set forth in subdivision (c).

(f) (1) Each county shall establish a mobile response system no sooner than January 1, 2021, and on the same date as the statewide hotline created under this chapter.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a county may establish a mobile response system, or an alternative method to accept and respond to referrals from the statewide hotline, pending the establishment of the county mobile response system, prior to January 1, 2021, in order to facilitate the early operation of the statewide hotline.

(3) The county agencies described in subdivisions (a) and (b) may implement this section on a per-county basis or by collaborating with other counties to establish regional, cross-county mobile response systems. For counties implementing this section pursuant to a regional approach, a single plan, as described in subdivision (b), signed by all agency representatives, shall be submitted to the department and a lead county shall be identified.

(4) Funds expended pursuant to this act shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other existing funding for mobile response services described in this chapter.

(5) A county or region of counties may receive an extension, not to exceed six months, to implement a mobile response system after January 1, 2021, upon submission of a written request, in a manner to be prescribed by the department, that includes a demonstration of actions to implement, progress towards implementation, and the county’s alternative method to accept and respond to referrals from the statewide hotline pending the establishment of the county mobile response system.

(g) The creation and implementation of the Family Urgent Response System shall not infringe on entitlements or services provided pursuant to Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.) or as defined in the federal Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment services (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396d(r)).

(h) The department, in collaboration with the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California, and the Chief Probation Officers of California, on an annual basis beginning on January 1, 2022, shall assess utilization and workload associated with implementation of the statewide hotline and mobile response and provide an update to the Legislature during budget hearings.