Title IV-E California Well-Being Project
The California Well-Being Project provides participating counties with the flexibility to invest existing resources more effectively in proven and innovative approaches that better ensure the safety of children and the success of families. This flexibility enables the opportunity to reinvest resources into more cost efficient approaches that achieve better outcomes.
California’s Project began on July 1, 2007, with Alameda and Los Angeles counties and has continued under three-short term bridge extensions through September 30, 2014. On September 29, 2014, the federal government approved a five-year extension and expansion of the Project for Butte, Lake, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties through September 30, 2019.
Two counties have elected to opt out of the Project; Butte County, effective July 1, 2017, and Lake County, effective October 1, 2017.
The target population includes children and youth ages zero to 17, inclusive, who currently are in out-of-home placement or who are at risk of entering or re-entering foster care.
Project Goals
- Improve the array of services and supports available to children and families involved in the child welfare and juvenile probation systems.
- Engage families through a more individualized casework approach that emphasized family involvement.
- Increase the child safety without an over-reliance on out-of-home care.
- Improve permanency outcomes and timelines.
- Improve child and family well-being.
- Decrease recidivism and delinquency for youth on probation.