Section 1526.8.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department develop modified staffing levels and requirements for crisis nurseries, provided that the health, safety, and well-being of the children in care are protected and maintained.

(b) The department shall allow the use of fully trained and qualified volunteers as caregivers in a crisis nursery, subject to the following conditions:

(1) Volunteers shall be fingerprinted for the purpose of conducting a criminal record review as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 1522.

(2) Volunteers shall complete a child abuse central index check as specified in Section 1522.1.

(3) Volunteers shall be in good physical health and be tested for tuberculosis not more than one year prior to, or seven days after, initial presence in the facility.

(4) Prior to assuming the duties and responsibilities of a crisis caregiver or being counted in the staff-to-child ratio, volunteers shall complete at least eight hours of initial training divided as follows:

(A) Four hours of crisis nursery job shadowing.

(B) Two hours of review of community care licensing regulations.

(C) Two hours of review of the crisis nursery program, including the facility mission statement, goals and objectives, and special needs of the client population they serve.

(5) Within 90 days, volunteers who are included in the staff-to-child ratios shall complete at least 20 hours of training divided as follows:

(A) Twelve hours of pediatric first aid and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(B) Eight hours of child care health and safety issues.

(6) Volunteers who meet the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), but who have not completed the training specified in paragraph (4) or (5) may assist a fully trained and qualified staff person in performing child care duties. However, these volunteers shall not be left alone with children, shall always be under the direct supervision and observation of a fully trained and qualified staff person, and shall not be counted in meeting the minimum staff-to-child ratio requirements.

(c) The department shall allow the use of fully trained and qualified volunteers to be counted in the staff-to-child ratio in a crisis nursery subject to the following conditions:

(1) The volunteers have fulfilled the requirements in paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (b).

(2) There shall be at least one fully qualified and employed staff person on site at all times.

(3) (A) There shall be at least one employed staff or volunteer caregiver for each group of three children, or fraction thereof, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

(B) There shall be at least one paid caregiver or volunteer caregiver for each group of four children, or fraction thereof, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

(C) There shall be at least one employed staff person present for every volunteer caregiver used by the crisis nursery for the purpose of meeting the minimum caregiver staffing requirements.

(d) There shall be at least one staff person or volunteer caregiver awake at all times from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 663, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2013.)