Landmark Legislation Benefitting Foster Youth Sent to Governor

In the waning hours of the day on August 31st, both houses of the state legislature passed AB 12 and sent this landmark legislation to the Governor for his signature. Now is the time for everyone concerned with the plight of foster youth to write the Governor and urge his signature on AB 12

AB 12 is California’s response to the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (Federal Public Law 110-351), passed in 2008. PL 110-351 provided California the opportunity to access federal funding to serve foster youth up to age 21, which will substantially improve the lives of our state’s most vulnerable youth. AB 12 represents both fiscally and socially responsible improvements to California’s foster care system. As a result, California will drawn down federal funds to meet costs currently borne by the state and counties, and can realize proven savings from declines in unemployment, homelessness, teen pregnancy, public assistance, and the other costly outcomes for young adults who “age out” of foster care. AB 12 is “cost neutral” to the state, allowing the expansion of services to foster youth 18-21, offset by increased federal support.

Please join the crusade to make this California law. Contact the Governor’s office as soon as possible and urge him to quickly sign AB 12!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

State Capitol Building

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-2841

Fax: (916) 558-3160

Email through the Governor's website: http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

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