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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Sacramento County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
Invisible Foster Teens: Where Are They?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 6 findings
F1
CPS has failed to establish a licensed County-operated TSCF, leaving unplaced foster teens without a safe, healthy, and comfortable home, as is required by the Foster Youth Bill of Rights. (R1)
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
CPS should present a viable strategic plan to the BOS, no later than November 30, 2024, to recruit licensed and experienced agencies to operate the Welcome Homes as TSCFs, replacing the county-operated model. (F1)
F2
CPS lacks practical experience, human resources, and commitment to operate TSCFs, and as a result have been unable to operate them successfully. (R2, R3)
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
CPS should continue to collaborate with outside operators, such as Progress Ranch and the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento, to establish one or more licensed TSCFs operated on behalf of the County as soon as possible but no later than December 31, 2024. (F2)
R3
So long as CPS continues to operate the Welcome Homes, they should be staffed with personnel with practical experience in congregate living environments as soon as possible but no later than December 31, 2024. (F2)
F3
CPS has failed to eliminate exposure to drug and alcohol use, possession of weapons, sex trafficking, and other threats around the County-operated Welcome Homes, leaving teenagers vulnerable and unsafe. (R4, R5)
Related Recommendations (2)
R4
While the Welcome Homes are still in use, CPS should immediately implement stronger measures to eliminate drug and alcohol use, possession of weapons, sex trafficking, and other threats, but no later than September 30, 2024. (F3)
R5
CPS reports should publicize statistics that state the number and type of incidents related to temporarily-sheltered foster children, the average daily census of all temporary shelters, and the number of AWOL foster children, and report these measures to the BOS in a public meeting on a quarterly basis starting no later than October 31, 2024. (F3, F4)
F4
CPS does not focus adequate effort on Family Finding, and as a result, falls behind most counties in placing foster children with relatives/NREFM. (R5, R6)
Related Recommendations (2)
R5
CPS reports should publicize statistics that state the number and type of incidents related to temporarily-sheltered foster children, the average daily census of all temporary shelters, and the number of AWOL foster children, and report these measures to the BOS in a public meeting on a quarterly basis starting no later than October 31, 2024. (F3, F4)
R6
BOS should require that CPS rigorously follow the policy on Family Finding to increase the number of teenagers placed with relatives/NREFM no later than December 31, 2024. (F4)
F5
The Coalition does not require foster care conditions to be included in the Oversight Committee’s Annual Report to the BOS, potentially leaving the BOS uninformed. (R7)
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
The Coalition should amend Section 1.04 of its Bylaws to require a review of Foster Care equal in standing to Critical Incidents and to report annually to the BOS, no later than December 31, 2024. (F5)
F6
The Oversight Committee’s failure to recognize and respond to CPS’s inadequate efforts to shelter unplaced foster teens allowed the many years of unsafe, unhealthy, and unlicensed living conditions to continue. (R8)
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
The Oversight Committee should establish a monthly review of Foster Care, and include a report on CPS’s progress in opening TSCFs, no later than December 31, 2024. (F6)
Conclusions 1
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CL1 Page 8This Grand Jury investigation and report focused solely on foster teenagers that are awaiting placement in a home. For them, the foster system in Sacramento County is woefully broken. DCFAS fails to lead and CPS fails to serve. The BOS and their advisory group, the Coalition’s Oversight Committee, do not recognize these failures. The appalling conditions under which these teenagers have suffered have been widely publicized by media for years. Still the conditions continue. Now that these teenagers are no longer invisible, the County must act.
Agency Responses 2
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
County of Sacramento
Agency