SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bipartisan measure designed to guarantee that Native American children and families receive culturally appropriate support services to help prevent foster care placements was recently passed by the California Legislature.

If approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Bill 1378 would modify state law to allow tribes and tribal organizations to collaborate with the California Department of Social Services in providing services aimed at keeping children safely at home, thereby avoiding foster care.

Currently, tribal groups can access foster care, adoption, and guardianship services, but most preventive services, including legal assistance and family counseling, are primarily available through nontribal organizations. These organizations frequently lack the cultural understanding needed to respect the unique practices and sovereignty of each tribe.

AB 1378 would give tribes and tribal organizations the ability to receive direct services and funding without going through an intermediary.

The bill comes as tribal children enter foster care at disproportionate rates, said Assemblymember Chris Rogers, D-Santa Rosa, who introduced it.

Per the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office, Native American children in California are placed in foster care at a rate nearly four times higher than that of other children.

The overrepresentation of Native American children in the foster care system is attributed to factors such as poverty, substance use disorders, historical trauma, systemic bias, and bureaucratic obstacles that hinder tribes’ access to preventive services, which led to the proposal of AB 1378.

Rogers stated, “When we invest in culturally appropriate services, we strengthen families and avoid the trauma of separation. AB 1378 will allow tribes to directly access the same prevention program funding that is available to counties and other service providers. This is a critical step towards achieving equity and better outcomes for tribal youth.”

The bill was co-authored by several legislators, including Bay Area Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters and Patrick Ahrens, D-Sunnyvale, and Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park.

Services AB 1378 would give tribes better access to mental health care, substance abuse treatment and parenting education.

The bill would also provide funding for legal representation for families and children, ensuring appropriate counsel in court.

In addition, tribes could access capacity-building support to establish preventive programs, train social workers and receive technical assistance for data collection and reporting.

Newsom has until Oct. 13 to sign AB 1378 into law.

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This story was originally published by The Mendocino Voice and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.