Section 1530.8.

(a)  (1)  The department shall adopt regulations for community care facilities licensed as group homes, and for temporary shelter care facilities as defined in subdivision (c), that care for dependent children, children placed by a regional center, or voluntary placements, who are younger than six years of age. The department shall adopt these regulations after assessing the needs of this population and developing standards pursuant to Section 11467.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(2)  The department shall adopt regulations under this section that apply to mother and infant programs serving children younger than six years of age who reside in a group home with a minor parent who is the primary caregiver of the child that shall be subject to the requirements of subdivision (d).

(3) To the extent that the department determines they are necessary, the department shall adopt regulations under this section that apply to group homes that care for dependent children who are 6 to 12 years of age, inclusive. In order to determine whether such regulations are necessary, and what any resulting standards should include, the department shall consult with interested parties that include, but are not limited to, representatives of current and former foster youth, advocates for children in foster care, county welfare and mental health directors, chief probation officers, representatives of care providers, experts in child development, and representatives of the Legislature. The standards may provide normative guidelines differentiated by the needs specific to children in varying age ranges that fall between 6 and 12 years of age, inclusive. Prior to adopting regulations, the department shall submit for public comment, by July 1, 2016, any proposed regulations.

(b)  The regulations shall include physical environment standards, including staffing and health and safety requirements, that meet or exceed state child care standards under Title 5 and Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(c)  For purposes of this section, a "temporary shelter care facility" means any residential facility that meets all of the following requirements:

(1)  It is owned and operated by the county.

(2)  It is a 24-hour facility that provides short-term residential care and supervision for dependent children under 18 years of age who have been removed from their homes as a result of abuse or neglect, as defined in Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or both.

(d)  (1)  By September 1, 1999, the department shall submit for public comment regulations specific to mother and infant programs serving children younger than six years of age who are dependents of the court and reside in a group home with a minor child who is the primary caregiver of the child.

(2)  The regulations shall include provisions that when the minor parent is absent and the facility is providing direct care to children younger than six years of age who are dependents of the court, there shall be one child care staff person for every four children of minor parents.

(3)  In developing these proposed regulations, the department shall issue the proposed regulations for public comment, and shall refer to existing national standards for mother and infant programs as a guideline, where applicable.

(4)  Prior to preparing the proposed regulations, the department shall consult with interested parties by convening a meeting by February 28, 1999, that shall include, but not be limited to, representatives from a public interest law firm specializing in children's issues and provider organizations.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 21, Sec. 4. Effective June 27, 2013.)