Parents and youth: helpline and online support.

Existing law provides for various programs and services to support parents, children, and families, including the Home Visiting Program under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, which provides case management and evidence-based home visiting for the purpose of family support, and family preservation services, which are services for children and families designed to help families at risk or in crisis. This bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, require the State Department of Social Services to contract with a nonprofit organization to operate and maintain the California Parent Youth Helpline to provide emotional support through calls, live chats, and texts 7 days a week and weekly online groups for parents, children, and youth to strengthen their families. The bill would require the nonprofit organization to meet specified qualifications and would specify the responsibilities of the nonprofit organization to also include, among other things, providing statewide marketing and outreach to parents, children, and youth and distributing parenting, child development, and resiliency program materials. The bill would make findings and declarations related to these provisions.