Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1252.
There is in the Health and Welfare Agency a State Department of Social Services.
Article 1 - Organization
California Welfare and Institutions Code — §§ 10550-10560
Sections (19)
Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1252.
The department consists of the director, the State Social Services Advisory Board, and such divisions or other administrative units as the director may find necessary.
Amended by Stats. 1978, Ch. 432.
With the consent of the Senate, the Governor shall appoint, to serve at his pleasure, an executive officer who shall be director of the department. The director shall be appointed wholly on the basis of training, demonstrated ability, experience, and leadership in organized social welfare administration. He shall receive the salary provided for by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 11550), Part 1, Division 3, Title 2 of the Government Code.
The Governor also may appoint, to serve at his pleasure, not to exceed two chief deputy directors of the department, and one deputy director of the department who shall be the deputy director for
the social services division. The salaries of the chief deputy directors and the deputy director shall be fixed in accordance with law.
Amended by Stats. 1978, Ch. 429.
The director shall:
(a)Be responsible for the management of the department.
(b)Administer the laws pertaining to the administration of public social services, except health care services and medical assistance.
(c)Observe and report to the Governor on the conditions of public social services, except health care services and medical assistance, throughout the state.
(d)Perform the disability determination function
pursuant to Titles II and XVI of the federal Social Security Act.
(e)Formulate, adopt, amend or repeal regulations and general policies affecting the purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the department and which are consistent with law and necessary for the administration of public social services, except health care services and medical assistance, and the disability determination function pursuant to Titles II and XVI of the federal Social Security Act.
All regulations relating to public social services, except health care services and medical assistance, or relating to the disability determination function pursuant to Titles II and XVI of the federal Social Security Act, the licensing of community care facilities, or any other function vested in the department, heretofore adopted by the State Department of Health, the State Department of Benefit Payments, or any predecessor department,
and in effect immediately preceding the operative date of amendments to this section enacted by the Legislature during the 1977–78 Regular Session, shall remain in effect and shall be fully enforceable unless and until readopted, amended or repealed by the director.
(f)Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law, and such other administrative and executive duties as have by other provisions of law been previously imposed.
Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 573, Sec. 14. (AB 207) Effective September 27, 2022.
(a)Notwithstanding any other law, the department shall, upon an Indian tribe’s request, enter into an agreement, in accordance with Section 16000.6, and not inconsistent with Section 1919 of Title 25 of the United States Code, with any Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium located in California or with lands that extend into this state regarding the care and custody of Indian children and jurisdiction over Indian child custody proceedings, including, but not limited to, agreements that provide for orderly adjudication of, and transfer of jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis for, cases subject to exclusive tribal or state jurisdiction, or for concurrent jurisdiction between the state and tribes.
(b)(1) There shall be no
tribal share of costs for
any agreement under subdivision (a).
(2)An agreement under subdivision (a) concerning the provision of child welfare services shall ensure that a tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium meets current service delivery standards provided for under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 16500) of Part 4.
(3)An agreement under subdivision (a) concerning assistance payments under the AFDC-FC program shall ensure that a tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium meets current foster care standards provided for under Article 5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Chapter 2 of Part 3.
(4)An agreement under subdivision (a) concerning adoption assistance shall ensure that a tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium meets the current service delivery standards
provided for under Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4.
(5)An agreement under subdivision (a) shall ensure that a tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium claims and uses all eligible federal funding available under Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act.
(6)Notwithstanding any other law, the nonfederal costs pursuant to an agreement under this section shall be borne by the state. However, in the event that an Indian child is transferred from the jurisdiction of the tribe to the jurisdiction of the county, the nonfederal costs for the child shall be borne by the county as for any other child under the county’s jurisdiction.
(c)Upon the effective date of an agreement authorized by subdivision (a), the tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium shall comply with fiscal
reporting requirements specified by the department for federal and state reimbursement of child welfare services funds or AFDC-FC services for programs operated under the agreement.
(d)An Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium, that is a party to an agreement under subdivision (a), shall, in accordance with the agreement, be eligible to receive allocations of child welfare services funds.
(e)An Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium, that is a party to an agreement under subdivision (a), may, in accordance with the agreement, be eligible to receive an allocation of child welfare services funds to assist in funding the startup costs associated with establishing a comprehensive child welfare services program. The allocation shall be available for expenditure by the Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium for three years of the
agreement under subdivision (a). The department may extend the time for expenditure of the allocation upon a showing of good cause by the party seeking an extension. This subdivision shall be implemented only to the extent that funding is expressly provided in the annual Budget Act for these purposes.
(f)Implementation of an agreement under subdivision (a) does not impose liability upon, or to require indemnification by, the participating county or the State of California for any act or omission performed by an officer, agent, or employee of the participating tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium, pursuant to this section.
Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 656, Sec. 25. (AB 81) Effective September 27, 2024.
(a)Notwithstanding any other law, a federally recognized tribe is authorized, but not required, to license or approve a home for the purpose of foster or adoptive placement of an Indian child.
(b)An Indian child, as defined in Section 224.1, who has been removed pursuant to Section 361, from the custody of their parents or Indian custodian may be placed in a tribally approved home, as defined in subdivision (r) of Section 224.1.
(c)To facilitate the availability of tribally approved homes that have been fully approved in accord with federal law, including completion of required background checks
pursuant to Section 8712 of the Family Code, a tribe or tribal organization may request from the Department of Justice federal and state summary criminal history information and Child Abuse Central Index Information pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (b) of Section 11170 of the Penal Code regarding a prospective foster parent or adoptive
parent, an adult who resides or is employed in the home of an applicant, a person who has a familial or intimate relationship with a person living in the home of an applicant, or an employee of the child welfare agency who may have contact with children.
(d)As used in this section, a “tribal organization” means an entity designated by a federally recognized tribe as authorized to approve homes consistent with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act for the purpose of placing an Indian child into foster or adoptive care, including the authority to conduct criminal record and child abuse background checks of, and grant exemptions to, individuals who are prospective foster parents or adoptive parents, an adult who resides or is employed in the home of an applicant for approval, a person who has a familial or intimate relationship with
a person living in the home of an applicant, or an employee of the tribal organization who may have contact with children.
(e)A county social worker may place an Indian child in a tribally approved home without having to conduct a separate background check, upon certification by the tribe or tribal organization of the following:
(1)The tribe or tribal organization has completed a criminal record background check in accord with the standards set forth in Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, and a Child Abuse Central Index Check pursuant to Section 1522.1 of the Health and Safety Code, with respect to each of the individuals described in subdivision (c).
(2)The tribe or tribal organization has agreed to report to a county
child welfare agency responsible for a child placed in the tribally approved home, within 24 hours of notification to the tribe or tribal organization by the Department of Justice, of any subsequent state or federal arrest or disposition notification provided pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code involving an individual associated with the tribally approved home where an Indian child is placed.
(3)If the tribe or tribal organization in its certification states that the individual was granted a criminal record exemption, the certification shall specify that the exemption was evaluated in accord with the standards and limitations set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code and was not granted to an individual ineligible for an exemption under that provision.
(f)Tribal home approvals conducted in compliance with this section are not subject to resource family approval requirements.
Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 656, Sec. 26. (AB 81) Effective September 27, 2024.
(a)(1) The Tribally Approved Homes Compensation Program is hereby established to provide funding, as described in this section, to eligible Indian tribes to assist in funding the costs associated with recruiting and approving homes for the purpose of foster or adoptive placement of an Indian child as described in Section 10553.12. Funding is limited to eligible Indian tribes as described in subdivision (b).
(2)Subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act for the express purpose described in paragraph (1), the department shall provide each eligible Indian tribe, as described in subdivision (b), an annual allocation of seventy-five thousand dollars
($75,000) for the purpose described in paragraph (1). If the annual Budget Act provides for an allocation of more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) per eligible Indian tribe, then each eligible Indian tribe shall receive an adjusted allocation within and for that same fiscal year. The adjusted allocation shall be based on a methodology considering the number of Indian children in foster care or prospective adoptive placements through the juvenile court. The allocation methodology and the implementation plan shall be established by the department in government-to-government consultation with tribes no later than June 30, 2023. The department shall provide an update to legislative staff and
stakeholders on the progress of implementation of this section, preferably by January 1, 2023, but no later than February 1, 2023.
(3)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(A)“Department” means the State Department of Social Services.
(B)“Indian tribe” means any federally recognized Indian tribe located in California or with lands that extend into California.
(b)To be eligible for an allocation of funds under this section, an Indian tribe shall enter into an agreement with the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10553.1 or in accordance with Section
109 of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1919). An Indian tribe may designate another entity to administer the allocation of funds on the Indian tribe’s behalf upon designation by the Indian tribe for this purpose. An Indian tribe that seeks funding pursuant to this section shall submit a letter of interest to the department each year by a deadline established by the department through government-to-government consultation with Indian tribes. The agreement shall contain, but not be limited
to, the following terms:
(1)A timeline for the distribution of funds by the department.
(2)A description of how the Indian tribe will administer the funds.
(3)A description of the Indian tribe’s staffing needs to administer the program, including recruitment, retention, and training.
(4)The estimated number of homes the Indian tribe will assess and potentially approve for foster or adoptive placement per year.
(5)The number of existing foster or prospective adoptive homes approved by the Indian tribe, if applicable.
(6)A description
of the existing or planned recruitment activities and processes that will be developed, including meeting criminal background check requirements.
(7)If the Indian tribe plans to designate another entity to administer the funds, the name of that entity.
(c)An Indian tribe that receives funding pursuant to this section shall submit a progress report to the department. The progress report shall be submitted to the department on or before September 1 following the close of the fiscal year in which the Indian tribe received an allocation. The progress report shall include all of the following information for the fiscal year that was funded:
(1)A description of how the Indian tribe administered the funds.
(2)A description of how the funds were used to meet the Indian tribe’s staffing needs to administer the program, including recruitment, retention, and training.
(3)The number of homes the Indian tribe assessed and approved for foster or adoptive placement for the fiscal year the funds were allocated.
(4)The number of existing foster or prospective adoptive homes approved by the
Indian
tribe, if applicable.
(5)A description of the existing or planned recruitment activities and processes that were developed, including meeting the criminal background check requirements.
(d)The department shall annually provide to the budget committees of the Legislature a report summarizing the information and data provided by the Indian tribes in their progress reports to the department. The annual report shall be submitted to the budget committees no later than January 31 following the close of the fiscal year covered by the tribe’s progress reports. The report shall include, but be not be limited to, all of the following:
(1)The total amount of funds allocated by the department for the
program.
(2)The number of Indian tribes that received an allocation of funds during the fiscal year and the amount of funds allocated to each Indian tribe.
(3)A summary of the data submitted to the department by the Indian tribes pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (c).
(e)The department shall seek federal approvals or waivers necessary to claim federal reimbursement under Title IV-E of the federal Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.) in order to maximize funding for the purpose described in this section.
(f)An agreement entered into pursuant to this section may be revoked by either party upon a 180-day written notice to the other party.
(g)Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may issue written guidance to implement, interpret, or make specific this section without taking any regulatory action.
Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 43, Sec. 33. (AB 120) Effective July 10, 2023.
(a)The Tribal Dependency Representation Program is hereby established to provide funding to assist any federally recognized Indian tribe located in California, or with lands that extend into California, in funding legal counsel to represent the Indian tribe in a California Indian child custody proceeding, as defined by subdivision (d) of Section 224.1, that is initiated or ongoing in the juvenile court. An Indian tribe may designate another entity to administer the allocation of funds on a tribe’s behalf upon designation by the tribe for this purpose. There shall be no tribal share of cost for any agreement executed under this section.
(b)To be eligible for an allocation of funds under this allocation, an Indian tribe shall enter into an agreement with the
department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10553.1 or in accordance with Section 1919 of Title 25 of the United States Code.
(c)An Indian tribe that seeks funding pursuant to this section shall submit an annual letter of interest to the State Department of Social Services. The letter shall include all of the following:
(1)The approximate number of Indian child custody proceedings, as defined by subdivision (d) of Section 224.1, involving an Indian child who is a member of the tribe or eligible for membership in the tribe that were initiated or ongoing in the juvenile court in the preceding 12 months.
(2)The approximate number of cases in an appellate court or the California Supreme Court involving an Indian child in which the tribe was an active participant in the preceding 12 months.
(3)The approximate number of Indian child custody cases for which the tribe will be served by the legal counsel funded through the allocation provided by this section in the upcoming year.
(4)If the tribe plans to designate another entity for representation, the name of that entity.
(d)Subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act for the express purpose described in this section, the State Department of Social Services shall provide each eligible Indian tribe, as described in subdivision (a), that enters into an agreement pursuant to subdivision (b) and submits a letter of interest pursuant to subdivision (c), an annual base allocation of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for the purpose described in subdivision (a). If the annual Budget Act provides for an allocation of funds of more than fifteen thousand
dollars ($15,000) per eligible tribe, then each eligible tribe shall receive an adjusted allocation within and for that same fiscal year. The allocation methodology and the implementation plan shall be established by the department in government-to-government consultation with tribes. The department shall provide an update to legislative staff and stakeholders on the progress of implementation of this section, preferably by January 1, 2023, but no later than February 1, 2023.
(e)An Indian tribe that receives funds pursuant to this section shall submit a progress report to the department. The progress report shall be submitted on or before September 30 following the close of the fiscal year in which funding was received. The report shall include all of the following information:
(1)The total number of Indian child custody proceeding hearings and the number of hearings attended by the Indian tribe with legal representation paid for with this allocation.
(2)The counties in which the hearings were held.
(3)The total number of appellate proceedings and the number of appellate proceedings in which counsel paid for with this allocation appeared on behalf of the tribe.
(f)The department shall seek federal approvals or waivers necessary to claim federal reimbursement under Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.) in order to maximize funding for the purpose described in this section.
(g)Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section without taking any regulatory
action.
(h)This section shall be implemented only to the extent that funding is expressly provided in the annual Budget Act for this purpose.
(i)It is the intent of the Legislature that the state provide the adequate level of funding for legal representation for tribes in child welfare proceedings pursuant to this section, and that the state consider how well the objectives of this policy are being met with the funding appropriated in the annual Budget Act.
Repealed and added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 663, Sec. 2. (AB 2795) Effective January 1, 2025.
(a)The CalWORKs Indian Health Clinic Program is established to provide funding to Indian health clinics to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment services, and other related services authorized under the CalWORKs program, to CalWORKs applicants and recipients and tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) applicants and recipients living in California.
(b)For purposes of this section, “applicants and recipients” includes individuals who self-attest to an Indian health clinic as either having applied for, or currently receiving, CalWORKs or tribal TANF assistance. An Indian health clinic may also provide services under this section to an
individual the clinic verifies is enrolled in the Medi-Cal program, or who self-attests to their enrollment in the Medi-Cal program. An Indian health clinic may accept self-attestation, as described in this subdivision, as conclusive proof of eligibility for services under this section, and is not required to further verify eligibility.
(c)(1) At the beginning of each state fiscal year, an Indian health clinic may
choose to request an advance payment in an amount equal to not more than 50 percent of the total allocated amount, contingent upon both of the following:
(A) A written request for an advance payment from the Indian health clinic.
(B) The
grantee’s timely and accurate submission within 45 days of the beginning of the fiscal year, and the department’s approval within 90 days of the completed submission, of the data reports required under the agreement, budget expenditure reports, and an annual reconciliation report, from the prior year.
(2)The department shall remit the advance payment requested pursuant to paragraph (1) if funds have been
appropriated through the annual Budget Act.
(3)The department shall remit the remainder of the total allocated amount as a reimbursement when in receipt of a written request and supporting documents from the Indian health clinic.
Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 725, Sec. 13. (AB 1612) Effective October 19, 2010.
Child welfare services allocation methodologies for agreements entered into pursuant to Section 10553.1 shall be developed in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, the affected counties, and the affected Indian tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization.
Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 75, Sec. 28. Effective July 12, 2006.
(a)The department shall make an annual allocation of funds appropriated for the purpose of this subdivision to all eligible federally recognized American Indian tribes with reservation lands or rancherias located in this state that administer a program pursuant to the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193).
(b)The department shall collect and maintain specific available data for each tribe in this state for federal
fiscal year 1994 for the purpose of the implementation and administration of the federal program.
(c)The department shall submit requests on behalf of tribes, for all applicable federal waivers and exemptions for all eligible federally recognized American Indian tribes located on reservations and rancherias, or for consortia of tribes, for the administration of the CalWORKs program, whether or not tribes administer an approved Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) plan, independent of any county participation, demographics, or circumstances.
(d)Each county, in the administration of the CalWORKs program, shall consult with all eligible federally recognized tribes within any portion of the county, for the purpose of providing American Indian recipients with equitable access to assistance under the state program or an approved tribal TANF program if implemented in the
county, and for the consideration of transfers of administration responsibilities to those entities.
(e)Beginning July 1, 2006, state funding for tribal TANF programs provided pursuant to this section shall be based on the caseload used to develop the Tribal Family Assistance Grant negotiated with the Administration for Children and Families and the state. Tribal TANF programs shall do both of the following:
(1)Report to the department, on a quarterly basis, the aggregated data, as reported by tribal TANF programs to the federal Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Part 286.255 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and any additional federal data required to meet the state maintenance of effort (MOE) reporting requirements.
(2)Provide the department, on
an annual basis, corresponding with the program’s fiscal year, a certified audit in accordance with the requirements of the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-133.
(f)In no case shall the state match under subdivision (e) exceed the original state share designated for the tribal TANF program in the original negotiation of 1994 caseload counts.
(g)The department shall amend the state TANF plan to reflect that the state adopts by reference the federally approved financial eligibility criteria established by each tribal TANF program as the state’s financial eligibility criteria when determining eligibility for state funded services provided by tribal TANF programs.
(h)Beginning July 1, 2005, the department shall not reduce county single allocations to offset funding provided for tribal TANF
programs. The department may adjust county single allocations to reflect the actual caseload declines associated with the number of Native American cases transferring from the counties to the tribal TANF programs.
Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 887, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2000.
The department shall adopt regulations, orders, or standards of general application to implement, interpret, or make specific the law enforced by the department, and those regulations, orders, and standards shall be adopted, amended, or repealed by the department only in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340), Part 1, Division 3, Title 2 of the Government Code, provided that the regulations need not be printed in the California Code of Regulations or California Administrative Register if they are included in the publications
of the department.
In adopting regulations the department shall strive for clarity of language that may be readily understood by those administering public social services or subject to the regulations.
The rules of the department need not specify or include the detail of forms, reports or records, but shall include the essential authority by which any person, agency, organization, association or institution subject to the supervision or investigation of the department is required to use, submit or maintain the forms, reports or records.
Amended by Stats. 1971, Ch. 1593.
Subject to the State Civil Service Act, the director shall appoint such assistants and other employees as are necessary for the administration of the affairs of the department and shall prescribe their duties and, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, fix their salaries.
Added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 997, Sec. 23. (AB 179) Effective September 30, 2024.
(a)The criminal history check required by this section is limited to a State Department of Social Services employee, prospective employee, contractor, subcontractor, and volunteer whose duties include, or would include, access to any of the following:
(1)Criminal offender record information, as defined in Section 11075 of the Penal Code.
(2)Federal tax information, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 1044 of the Government Code.
(3)Individuals who reside in, receive care from, or are sheltered in a facility licensed or otherwise administered by the department; individuals who receive child
welfare services overseen by the department; and other individuals served by the department, as defined by law.
(b)Pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code, the State Department of Social Services shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of Justice for all employees, prospective employees, contractors, subcontractors, and volunteers specified in subdivision (a). The Department of Justice shall provide a state- or federal-level response pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.
Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 415, Sec. 1. Effective July 17, 1986.
The chief administrative law judge of the department shall be an attorney, and shall otherwise meet such qualifications as may be prescribed by the State Personnel Board. The director shall appoint the chief administrative law judge. The office of the chief administrative law judge shall not be made a part of any other division, office, or subdivision of the department. The chief administrative law judge shall be directly responsible to the director.
Repealed and added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1093, Sec. 15.7.
No person while holding the office of director shall be a trustee, manager, director, or other officer or employee of any agency performing any function supervised by the department or any institution which is subject to examination, inspection, or supervision by the department. No member of the State Social Services Advisory Board shall hold any office or employment in the department.
Added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1784.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, the provisions of Part 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as the same may be added to or amended from time to time, shall apply to the conduct of the department.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 561, Sec. 278. (AB 1516) Effective January 1, 2018.
(a)There are in the department a division or office devoted to carrying out the provisions of this division pertaining to the services to the blind and another division or office devoted to carrying out the public social services to deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. The divisions or offices shall each be headed by a chief, one who is a trained social worker experienced in work for the blind, the other a trained social worker or counselor experienced in work for the deaf and hard of hearing or a person experienced in administering a deaf or hard-of-hearing services program. The duties of the division for the blind and its chief shall be confined to carrying out the provisions of this division pertaining to services to the blind. The duties of the division or office for the deaf and hard of hearing shall be confined to carrying
out the provision of public social services to the deaf and hard of hearing. Blindness, deafness, or being hard of hearing shall not be grounds to disqualify a person from holding the position of chief of the office or division. The divisions or offices shall not be made a part of any other division, office, or subdivision of the department. The chiefs of the divisions or offices shall be directly responsible to the director.
(b)The director through the divisions or offices may provide consultative services to county personnel administering services to the blind, deaf, or hard of hearing which shall include, but not be limited to, information concerning the various aspects of blindness, deafness, and being hard of hearing and its problems and implications, the rehabilitative potential of the blind, deaf, and hard of hearing, public and private services available, employment opportunities for blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing persons, and
concepts in counseling blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing persons.
Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1252.
The department and each county department shall, to the extent feasible, train recipients of public assistance and potential recipients for private employment or for government service. Employment by the state or counties shall be subject to applicable civil service and merit system requirements.
The provisions of this section may be accomplished in conjunction with the provisions of a contract between the department and the State Department of Education, or Employment Development Department, or Department of Rehabilitation.