New bill would broaden child welfare database

Los Angeles County child-welfare officials won an important victory in Sacramento this week in the quest to help social workers better investigate allegations of child abuse.

Passed unanimously in the Assembly and Senate, Assembly Bill 2322 expands information available to county social workers in a computer database called the Family and Children’s Index (FCI), which provides child welfare workers with key medical, law enforcement and social services data as they launch child welfare investigations.

The new legislation would allow Los Angeles County to include in FCI convictions for crimes against children by family members and others living with a child who has come to the attention of child welfare authorities.

“This will provide key information for social workers who often have to make split second decisions about how best to protect a child,” said Dawyn Harrison, a principal deputy county counsel working on FCI issues.

Under the old system, social workers had to wait days or weeks to obtain information about convictions of family members and could learn nothing about convictions of non-family members. Speed is crucial when Department of Children and Family Services emergency workers use FCI as they launch investigations into reports of alleged abuse or neglect.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Feuer and former speaker Karen Bass, is awaiting the signature of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“We have indications that he is going to sign it,” said Ryan Alsop, the county’s assistant Chief Executive Officer for intergovernmental and external affairs.

The new law would take effect immediately.

Posted 8/26/10