CHAPTER 4. County Wraparound Services Program [18250. - 18258.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 4.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18250. Section 18250.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all counties be authorized to provide children with service alternatives to out-of-home care through the development of expanded family-based services programs. These programs shall include individualized or “wraparound” services, where services are wrapped around a child living with his or her birth parent, relative, nonrelative extended family member as defined in Section 362.7, adoptive parent, licensed or certified foster parent, resource family, or guardian. The wraparound services developed under this section shall build on the strengths of each eligible child and family and be tailored to address their unique and changing needs. (b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that the county wraparound services program include the following elements: (1) Enabling the county to access all possible sources of federal funds for the purpose of developing family-based service alternatives. (2) Encouraging collaboration among persons and entities including, but not limited to, parents, county welfare departments, county mental health departments, county probation departments, county health departments, special education local planning agencies, school districts, and private service providers for the purpose of planning and providing individualized services for children and their birth or substitute families. (3) Ensuring local community participation in the development and implementation of wraparound services by county placing or referring agencies and service providers. (4) Preserving and using the service resources and expertise of nonprofit providers to develop family-based and community-based service alternatives. (c) Beginning in the 2011–12 fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter, funding and expenditures for programs and activities under this section shall be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18251. Section 18251.

As used in this chapter: (a) “County” means each county participating in an individualized or wraparound services program. (b) “County placing or referring agency” means a county welfare or probation department, or a county mental health department. (c) “Eligible child” means a child or nonminor dependent, as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who is any of the following: (1) A child or nonminor dependent who has been adjudicated as either a dependent, transition dependent, or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 450, 601, or 602. (2) A child who is the subject of a petition filed pursuant to Section 602 and who is participating in a program described in Section 654.2, 725, or 790, and is at risk of placement in out-of-home care. (3) A child or nonminor dependent who is currently, or who would be, placed in out-of-home care. (4) A child who is eligible for adoption assistance program benefits when the responsible public agency has approved the provision of wraparound services in lieu of out-of-home care. (d) “Wraparound services” means community-based intervention services that emphasize the strengths of the child and family and includes the delivery of coordinated, highly individualized unconditional services to address needs and achieve positive outcomes in their lives. (e) “Service allocation slot” means a specified amount of funds available to the county to pay for an individualized intensive wraparound services package for an eligible child. A service allocation slot may be used for more than one child on a successive basis.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18252. Section 18252.

Each county shall, at the county’s option, develop a county plan for intensive wrap-around services and monitor the provision of those services in accordance with the plan. This plan shall be submitted to the department for informational purposes. Where a county operates both systems of care under the Children’s Mental Health Services Act, Part 4 (commencing with Section 5850) of Division 5, and wrap-around services, these plans shall be coordinated. Each county’s plan shall include all the following elements: (a) A process and protocol for reviewing the eligibility of children and families for service and for monitoring accessibility and availability of service to the targeted population. Children shall be determined as eligible for wrap-around services pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 18251, except that: (1) Once a child is determined to be eligible for wrap-around services under this chapter, he or she shall remain eligible for the time period specified in his or her individualized services plan. (2) A child and family participating in a family maintenance services program as described in Section 16506 and the wrap-around services program, shall not be subject to the time limitations specified in Section 16506. (b) A process to accept, modify, or deny proposed individualized service plans for eligible children and families. (c) A process for parent support, mentoring, and advocacy that ensures parent understanding of, and participation in, wrap-around services programs. (d) A planning and review process to support and facilitate the following principles in delivering intensive wrap-around services to eligible children and families: (1) Focusing on an individual child and family through the creation of service plans designed specifically to address the unique needs and strengths of each child and his or her family. (2) Providing services geared toward enabling children to remain in the least restrictive, most family-like setting possible. (3) Developing a close collaborative relationship with each child’s family in the planning and provision of wrap-around services. (4) Conducting a thorough, strengths-based assessment of each child and family that will form the basis for the development of the individualized intervention plan. (5) Designing and delivering services that incorporate the religious customs, and regional, racial, and ethnic values and beliefs of the children and families served. (6) Measuring consumer satisfaction to assess outcomes. (e) Written interagency agreements or memorandums of understanding between the county departments of mental health, social services, and probation that specify jointly provided or integrated services, staff tasks and responsibilities, facility and supply commitments, budget considerations, and linkage and referral services.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18253. Section 18253.

Each county shall ensure that an evaluation of the wraparound services program is conducted to determine the cost and treatment effectiveness of outcomes such as family functioning and social performance, preventing placement in more restrictive environments, improving emotional and behavioral adjustments, school attendance, and stability in the least restrictive school placement for eligible children. Systems of care outcomes shall be included to the extent they are applicable to the target population.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18253.5. Section 18253.5.

Each county shall ensure that staff participating in the wraparound services program have completed training provided or approved by the department, on providing individualized wraparound services.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18254. Section 18254.

(a) Retroactive to January 1, 2017, the rate for wraparound services, under the county optional wraparound services program, shall be equal to the rate for short-term residential therapeutic programs established pursuant to Section 11462, less the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement. (b) For each fiscal year, funding and expenditures for programs and activities under this section shall be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code. (c) County and federal foster care funds, to the extent permitted by federal law, shall remain with the administrative authority of the county, which may enter into an interagency agreement to transfer those funds, and shall be used to provide intensive wraparound services. (d) Costs for the provision of benefits to eligible children, at rates authorized by subdivision (a), through the wraparound services program authorized by this chapter, shall not exceed the costs that otherwise would have been incurred had the eligible children been placed in a short-term residential therapeutic program. (e) Commencing July 1, 2017, and each July 1 thereafter, an annual cost-of-living increase shall be applied to the wraparound rate, subject to the availability of county funds, equal to the California Necessities Index used in the preparation of the May Revision for the current fiscal year. (f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2017. (g) Effective on July 1, 2027, or the date required by paragraph (9) of subdivision (h) of Section 11461, whichever is later, the rate for wraparound services, under the county optional wraparound services program, shall be equal to the sum of the Tier 3+ Care and Supervision rate established under paragraph (3) of subdivision (h) of Section 11461 and the Tier 3+ administrative rate established under paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 11462. All other provisions of this section shall continue to apply.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18256. Section 18256.

The department shall work with the County Welfare Directors Association of California to identify periodic data elements to be collected in order to track the impact of the counties’ wraparound services programs on applicable California Child and Family Services Review System outcome indicators, such as safety, permanency, and the well-being of the child.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18256.5. Section 18256.5.

In order to prevent disruption to a child participating in a wraparound services program, any county that terminates its wraparound services program shall ensure the participating child’s service needs are met without disruption until his or her case is closed.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18257. Section 18257.

The State Department of Social Services shall seek applicable federal approval to make the maximum number of children being served through such programs eligible for federal financial participation and amend any applicable state regulations to the extent necessary to eliminate any limitations on the numbers of children who can participate in these programs.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18257.5. Section 18257.5.

The State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services, in consultation with county representatives and other stakeholders, shall develop recommendations for implementing and expanding high-fidelity wraparound services statewide. The departments shall complete these activities no later than one year from the enactment of this section.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18258. Section 18258.

(a) A child who is categorically eligible for Medi-Cal benefits pursuant to Section 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(I) of Title 42 of the United States Code shall remain eligible for Medi-Cal benefits so long as foster care maintenance payments under Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act are made on the child’s behalf. Placement at home without a change in the child’s status as an adjudicated dependent or ward of the juvenile court shall not be cause for a redetermination unless necessary to obtain federal financial participation for Medi-Cal. (b) A child who is eligible for Medi-Cal benefits, but is not described in subdivision (a), shall remain eligible for benefits subject to annual Medi-Cal redetermination pursuant to Section 14012. Placement at home without a change in the child’s status as an adjudicated dependent or ward of the juvenile court shall not be cause for a redetermination unless necessary to obtain federal financial participation for Medi-Cal. (c) Medi-Cal eligibility for a child receiving wraparound services pursuant to this chapter shall be determined in accordance with the standards, methodologies, and procedures outlined in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9. (d) This section is declaratory of existing law.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026