(a) The State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments shall, in coordination with the California State University and the California Community Colleges, do both of the following:

(1) Communicate with foster youth at two grade levels designated jointly by the California State University and the California Community Colleges in order to facilitate the outreach and technical assistance efforts for those prospective students.

(2) Coordinate with staff of the California State University Educational Opportunity Program, the California Community Colleges Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, or Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support, as appropriate, to verify eligibility of foster youth for participation in programs and other benefits.

(b) (1) Each campus of the California Community Colleges shall do all of the following upon admission of a foster youth, and each campus of the California State University shall do all of the following upon determination, through receipt of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or through another means, that a student enrolled at, or applying to, that campus is a current or former foster youth and is eligible for financial aid:

(A) Notify that student about appropriate campus support programs that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the California State University Educational Opportunity Program, the California Community Colleges Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, and Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support.

(B) Notify that student of his or her eligibility for financial aid.

(C) Provide that student with instructions for accessing the benefits for which he or she has qualified.

(2) Notification of students pursuant to this subdivision may be accomplished by methods that shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, inclusion of information in the letters of acceptance sent to foster youth who have been admitted to those campuses.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 7. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.)