Bill Text: CA AB2701 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2701 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Victims of violent crimes: trauma recovery centers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-25 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2701 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB2701-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2701

Introduced by Assembly Member Rubio

February 15, 2018

An act to amend Section 13964 of, and to add Section 13963.3 to, the Government Code, relating to crime victims.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2701, as introduced, Rubio. Victims of violent crimes: trauma recovery centers.

Existing law requires the California Victim Compensation Board to administer a program to evaluate applications and award grants to trauma recovery centers funded by moneys in the Restitution Fund. Existing law provides that these funds for the support of trauma recovery center grants are not continuously appropriated and the administrative costs of the board are subject to annual review and appropriation as part of the state budget process.

Existing law recognizes the Trauma Recovery Center at San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, as the State Pilot Trauma Recovery Center (State Pilot TRC). Existing law requires the board to use the evidence-informed Integrated Trauma Recovery Services model developed by the State Pilot TRC when it provides grants to trauma recovery centers.

This bill would require the board to administer a program to evaluate applications and award grants to school-based trauma recovery centers, upon appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes. The bill would require the board to award a grant only to a school-based trauma recovery center that meets specified criteria, including, among other things, providing a whole-school, systematic approach to trauma and that uses certain core elements. The bill would permit the board to award a grant providing for funding for up to 3 years, and would require the board, when considering grant applications, to give preference to school-based trauma recovery centers that meet outlined criteria. The bill would require school-based trauma recovery centers that are awarded grants to report to the board annually on how grant funds were spent, as well as other specified information.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) Children and youth who are low-income, minority, and immigrant youth are disproportionately more likely to be exposed to community violence or other traumatic events or traumatic circumstances.

(2) Trauma creates a negative neurobiological response in a child or youth’s brain. Children and youth who face chronic toxic stress and exposure to traumatic events and circumstances are constantly placed in fight, flight, or freeze mode.

(3) Trauma in a child or youth has a consequential relationship on a student’s educational maturation and the overall educational environment. Trauma can reduce the ability to focus, organize, and process information. It also can cause lower academic achievement, decreased reading ability, and increased school absences.

(4) Children and youth in high-poverty neighborhoods are overwhelmingly concentrated in schools that fail to meet the educational and mental health needs of trauma-impacted students and has a direct impact on the goal of closing the academic achievement gap.

(5) Trauma is a public health issue that should not be criminalized through removal, suspension, or expulsion; rather, it should be effectively addressed at the earliest possible stage in a student’s life in order to ensure a greater likelihood of educational success.

(6) Unaddressed trauma can place the most at-risk children and youth on a pathway to becoming involved in criminal activity in their adult years.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact a program, to be administered by the California Victim Compensation Board, to evaluate applications and award grants to school-based trauma recovery centers.

SEC. 2.

Section 13963.3 is added to the Government Code, to read:

13963.3.

(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of this section, the California Victim Compensation Board shall administer a program to evaluate applications and award grants to school-based trauma recovery centers.

(b) The board shall award a grant only to a school-based trauma recovery center that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) The school-based trauma recovery center provides a whole-school, systemic approach to trauma to students directly or indirectly impacted by trauma.

(2) The school-based trauma recovery center uses the core elements established in subdivision (g).

(3) Any other related criteria required by the board.

(c) Subject to funding pursuant to subdivision (a), the board may award a grant providing funding for up to a maximum period of three years. Any portion of a grant that a school-based trauma recovery center does not use within the specified grant period shall revert to the Restitution Fund. The board may award consecutive grants to a school-based trauma recovery center to prevent a lapse in funding.

(d) The board, when considering grant applications, shall give preference to school-based trauma recovery centers, that meet all of the following criteria:

(1) Serve under-resourced, chronically traumatized neighborhoods where community violence is prevalent.

(2) Have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with schools to create trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive school environments.

(3) Have a demonstrated track record of serving children and youth who are involved with child protective services.

(e) The school-based trauma recovery center sites shall be selected by the board through a well-defined selection process.

(f) A school-based trauma recovery center that is awarded a grant shall do both of the following:

(1) Report to the board annually on how grant funds were spent, how many clients were served (counting an individual client who receives multiple services only once), units of service, staff productivity, treatment outcomes, and patient flow throughout both the clinical and evaluation components of service.

(2) In compliance with federal statutes and rules governing federal matching funds for victims’ services, each center shall submit any forms and data requested by the board to allow the board to receive the 60 percent federal matching funds for eligible victim services and allowable expenses.

(g) A school-based trauma recovery center funded by the board pursuant to this section shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide outreach and services to students who typically are unable to access traditional services, including, but not limited to, students who are low income or homeless, display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or severe-trauma related symptoms, members of immigrant and refugee groups, students with disabilities, disabled students, and students who interact with child protective systems or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system.

(2) Provide school-based intervention and prevention work to all students, whether directly or indirectly affected by trauma through a three-tiered intervention model of: (A) primary prevention, which fosters the emotional well-being of all students through school-wide safe and supportive environments; (B) secondary prevention, which includes supports and services that are preventative and enable schools to intervene early to minimize escalation of identified behavioral health symptoms and other barriers to school success; and (C) tertiary intervention, which includes intensive services for the small number of students demonstrating significant needs.

(3) Offer training and support for adult members of the caregiving system. Examples include, but are not limited to, psychoeducation and skill-building workshops for parents and caregivers, training and consultation in complex trauma and trauma-sensitive practices for teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and school mental health staff.

(4) Collaborate with school-level and district-level personnel to help improve trauma-informed policies and procedures.

(5) Ensure that no person is excluded from services solely on the basis of emotional or behavioral issues resulting from trauma, including, but not limited to, substance abuse problems, low initial motivation, or high levels of anxiety.

(6) Utilize established, evidence-based and evidence-informed practices in treatment.

(7) Ensure that no person is excluded from services based on immigration status.

(h) For purposes of this section, a school-based trauma recovery center provides services to students who have not attained 21 years of age, parents of students who receive services, and caregivers of students who receive services.

SEC. 3.

Section 13964 of the Government Code is amended to read:

13964.

(a) Claims under this chapter shall be paid from the Restitution Fund.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 13340, except for funds to support trauma recovery center grants pursuant to ~~Section 13963.1,~~ Sections 13963.1 and 13963.3, the proceeds in the Restitution Fund are hereby continuously appropriated to the board, without regard to fiscal years, for the purposes of this chapter. However, the funds appropriated pursuant to this section for administrative costs of the board shall be subject to annual review through the State Budget process.

(c) A sum not to exceed 15 percent of the amount appropriated annually to pay claims pursuant to this chapter may be withdrawn from the Restitution Fund, to be used as a revolving fund by the board for the payment of emergency awards pursuant to Section 13961.