Assembly Bill 12 (AB12), the Fostering Connections to Success Act became effective January 1, 2012. This bill was designed to provide extended foster care benefits to youth ages 18-21, who are aging out of the foster care system. Youth who had a placement order at the age of 18 and who have successfully met their rehabilitative goals can have their Delinquency Jurisdiction modified to Transition Jurisdiction, pursuant to W&I 450. This modification allows youth to access extended foster care benefits including case management and support services from probation without having the stigma of continuing juvenile probation as an adult. Once a youth is discharged from probation he or she must agree to voluntarily remain under the Juvenile Court’s Transition Jurisdiction and must agree to meet one of five participation conditions, signs a Mutual Agreement for extended foster care, remain under the jurisdiction of the court and remain in a supervised placement. There are many benefits of extended foster some of which include housing, financial, employment and education assistance which are provided in order to encourage a successful transition to adulthood and independent living.
The goals of the AB12 program is to assist youth too transition toward independent living successfully. Although support services are consistently offered, youth are expected to increase their self-sufficiency but are encouraged to build permanent connections with caring and committed adults who can assist them in supportive roles. Program participants are in transition to adulthood and reach their transitional independent living goals in diverse ways. The majority of the youth are placed with Transitional Housing Plus Foster Care providers, in apartment settings. Other living arrangements can be room rentals, dorms, or shared apartments.
For AB 12 information, contact the AB 12 coordinator:
POII Jeff Walnofer
(909) 383-2970 Desk
(760) 646-3836 Cell
SPO Kyle Borg
(909)383-2722 Desk
(909) 806-5424 Cell