AB 1967 Helps Vulnerable Youth Access Foster Care Services and Removes Barriers to Extended Foster Care
SACRAMENTO, CA – Democratic Caucus Chair and Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur's (D-Hollywood) AB 1967, legislation to help youth in foster care experiencing instability access critical services and housing support, has passed the California State Assembly with bipartisan support and zero "no" votes and now heads to the Senate. Sponsored by the Alliance for Children's Rights and California Coalition for Youth, this bill strengthens protections for vulnerable youth by requiring more timely and responsive investigations when young people independently seek help from the child welfare system. AB 1967 also removes barriers preventing former foster youth from reentering extended foster care when their adoptive parent or legal guardian is no longer providing financial support, even if that adult continues collecting benefits on the youth's behalf.
"For many youth in foster care, extended foster care can be the difference between stability and homelessness," said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. "These young people are often navigating homelessness, unsafe living situations, unemployment, mental health challenges, and disruptions to education or healthcare all at once. California has a responsibility to make sure that youth in foster care can access the support systems designed to help them transition safely into adulthood."
California extended foster care services to youth ages 18 to 21 in 2010, allowing young adults to continue receiving housing assistance, case management, and transitional support as they move into adulthood. However, youth who have exited foster care through adoption or guardianship often face significant challenges reentering the system when those placements become unsafe or unstable. Current law can prevent young adults from accessing extended foster care services if an adoptive parent or guardian continues receiving Adoption Assistance Program or Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment benefits — even when that youth is no longer receiving financial support and may be experiencing homelessness.
AB 1967 addresses those gaps by:
- Requiring timely and responsive action when vulnerable youth independently request assistance from child welfare agencies;
- Removing barriers to extended foster care reentry for youth whose guardians or adoptive parents are no longer supporting them; and
- Updating relevant sections of state law to replace binary language with gender-neutral language.
"We are grateful to Assemblymember Zbur's for championing our transition age youth who are struggling to access critical supports and services addressing their day-to-day needs including housing instability, food insecurity, and accessing healthcare, including mental healthcare," said Kristin Power, Vice President, Policy and Advocacy, Alliance for Children's Rights. "AB 1967 addresses the vulnerability youth can experience by connecting them to the support they need to thrive."
"Our safety net, designed to protect youth, is fraying, leaving young people at risk of temporary homelessness becoming a lifetime of homelessness," said Jevon Wilkes, Executive Director, California Coalition for Youth. "Assemblymember Zbur's AB 1967 strengthens the safety net by providing youth with greater agency when they appeal for help and removing barriers when the safety net fails to protect them."
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.
CONTACT: Vienna Montague, (916) 319-2051, Vienna.Montague@asm.ca.gov