Section 17552 Of Article 2. Collections And Enforcement From California Family Law Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 2.
17552
. (a) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation
with the Department of Child Support Services, shall promulgate
regulations by which the county child welfare department, in any case
of separation or desertion of a parent or parents from a child that
results in foster care assistance payments under Section 11400 of, or
a voluntary placement under Section 11401.1 of, or the payments for
a minor child placed in the same home as a minor or nonminor
dependent parent under Section 11401.4 of, the Welfare and
Institution Code, or CalWORKs payments to a caretaker relative of a
child who comes within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under
Section 300, 601, or 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, who
has been removed from the parental home and placed with the caretaker
relative by court order, and who is under the supervision of the
county child welfare agency or probation department under Section
11250 of, or Kin-GAP payments under Article 4.5 (commencing with
Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) of, or
aid under subdivision (c) of Section 10101 of, the Welfare and
Institutions Code, shall determine whether it is in the best
interests of the child or nonminor to have the case referred to the
local child support agency for child support services. If
reunification services are not offered or are terminated, the case
may be referred to the local child support agency, unless the child's
permanent plan is legal guardianship with a relative who is
receiving Kin-GAP and the payment of support by the parent may
compromise the stability of the current placement with the related
guardian, or the permanent plan is transitional foster care for the
nonminor under Section 11403 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. In
making the determination, the department regulations shall provide
the factors the county child welfare department shall consider,
including:
(1) Whether the payment of support by the parent will pose a
barrier to the proposed reunification, in that the payment of support
will compromise the parent's ability to meet the requirements of the
parent's reunification plan.
(2) Whether the payment of support by the parent will pose a
barrier to the proposed reunification in that the payment of support
will compromise the parent's current or future ability to meet the
financial needs of the child.
(b) The department regulations shall provide that, where the
county child welfare department determines that it is not in the best
interests of the child to seek a support order against the parent,
the county child welfare department shall refrain from referring the
case to the local child support agency. The regulations shall define
those circumstances in which it is not in the best interest of the
child to refer the case to the local child support agency.
(c) The department regulations shall provide, where the county
child welfare department determines that it is not in the child's
best interest to have his or her case referred to the local child
support agency, the county child welfare department shall review that
determination periodically to coincide with the redetermination of
AFDC-FC eligibility under Section 11401.5 of, or the CalWORKs
eligibility under Section 11265 of, or Kin-GAP eligibility under
Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7
(commencing with Section 11385) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9
of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, and shall refer the child's
case to the local child support agency upon a determination that, due
to a change in the child's circumstances, it is no longer contrary
to the child's best interests to have his or her case referred to the
local child support agency.
(d) The State Department of Social Services shall promulgate all
necessary regulations pursuant to this section on or before October
1, 2002.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a nonminor
dependent, as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code, who is over 19 years of age, is not a
child for purposes of referral to the local child support agency for
collection or enforcement of child support.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, a minor or a nonminor
dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code, who has a minor child placed in the
same licensed or approved facility pursuant to Section 11401.4 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code is not a parent for purposes of
referral to the local child support agency for collection or
enforcement of child support.