COUNTY OF FRESNO – Statement on Child Welfare concerns

The County of Fresno is concerned about the amount of time some of our youth with high-level
needs spend in offices prior to their placement in a home or other facility. There are contributing
factors impacting Counties all over California. The Continuum of Care Reform from AB403,
implemented in 2017, as well as the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), signed into
law in 2018, revised standards and added significant new requirements for residential care
facilities, thereby significantly reducing the number of placement opportunities for our youth with
the most complex needs. All California counties, Child Welfare and Probation departments are
significantly impacted.

Additionally, in December 2020, the State decertified all out-of-state facilities for high needs youth,
which increased demand for the already limited placement resources. Further adding to the
challenges, other state reforms have limited the number of youth eligible to stay in Juvenile Justice
programs and requiring alternative placement support. These regulatory changes have resulted
in considerable difficulty for the County to secure appropriate placement for a small number of
our youth who experience particularly complex mental health issues or have suicidal or violent
behaviors. California counties have yet to receive additional funding for these new challenges.

Fresno County is proactively responding to this situation both through our facilities and legislative
advocacy.

• The County’s Child Welfare division will be moving to a new facility that is near completion
and by next spring, will offer more amenities for both staff and youth clients in those
situations for which a delay in securing placement occurs.

• Chief Probation Officers of California and County Welfare Directors Association of

California have reached out to Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health and
Human Services Agency, as well as our local assembly representatives, to help assist on
this pressing issue that affects our most severely impacted youth and staff.

Below are two graphs that may be helpful in portraying the crisis faced not only by Fresno
County, but the entire State of California. In short, capacity throughout California has been
reduced by almost fifty percent.

2017 (3.26.17)
950 Licensed Group Homes in California with a capacity for 9,518 youth
52 in Fresno with a capacity for 328 Youth
72 Placed by Fresno County Child Welfare
22 (31%) Placed Outside of Fresno County

194 Youth currently placed in Group Homes in Fresno County

127 65% Placements from a County other than Fresno County
67 35% Placed by Fresno County
2021 (10.2.21)
Licensed STRTP (Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs) in California
524 with a capacity for 5,097 youth
39 in Fresno with a capacity for 251 Youth
111 Placed by Fresno County Child Welfare
41 (37%) Placed Outside of Fresno County

147 Youth currently placed in STRTPs in Fresno County

82 56% Placements from a County other than Fresno County
65 44% Placed by Fresno County