(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article to ensure that recipients of aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor program, and former recipients who have left aid for employment, are connected as soon as possible to local childcare resources, make stable childcare arrangements, and continue to receive subsidized childcare services after they no longer receive aid as long as they require those services and meet the eligibility requirements set forth in Sections 8263 and 8263.1.

(b) This article establishes three stages of childcare services through which a recipient of aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor program, will pass. Further, as families’ childcare needs are met by county welfare departments and later by other local childcare and development contractors, it is the intent of the Legislature that families experience no break in their childcare services due to a transition between the three stages of childcare services.

(c) In order to ensure that there is no disruption in childcare services due to the planned transitions between the stages of CalWORKs childcare, the first stage or the second stage of childcare services shall not be discontinued until confirmation is received from the administrator of the subsequent stage of childcare that the family has been enrolled in the subsequent stage of childcare, or that the family is ineligible for services in the subsequent stage of childcare.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 27, Sec. 1. (SB 80) Effective June 27, 2019.)