SACRAMENTO, Calif --- Today, Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) praised the on-time passage of the 2018-19 state budget that responsibly allocates funds to serve over 39 million residents of California. Included in this budget are three important programs championed by Asm. Gipson that seek to bolster opportunity for at-promise youth in the 64th District.
$4 million—Ending the Criminalization of Youth in Group Homes
“Too many vulnerable foster youth are criminalized for minor incidents, such as throwing a hot dog bun at a provider, at our group care facilities,” said Asm. Gipson. “This year, we secured a major reform to ensure these facilities follow protocols for behavioral interventions and only call law enforcement as a last resort. The budget provides $4 million to bolster community-based nonprofits that provide trauma-informed services to these youth and to train law enforcement.”
$1 million—Student Authors Program
“This investment in a Student Authors Program will allow 1000 at-promise children in low-income communities to write and publish a short narrative to develop their literacy and entrepreneurial skills. We hope to inspire these children to further their education and earn a successful future.”
$5.2 million—Cal Grant Expansion for Foster Youth
Asm. Gipson stated: “Education and opportunity are important for youth to become independent and productive members of our society. By age 26, only 4% of former foster youth have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. For that reason, we fought for and achieved $5.2 million ongoing Cal Grant funding for foster youth and expanded their eligibility to age 26.”
“As a longtime advocate for youth, I’m pleased to see these critical investments in our future generations included in the state budget. I want to thank the many advocates who fought alongside me and our partners in the Legislature, including Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Assembly Budget Committee Chair Phil Ting, as well as Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins and Senate Budget Committee Chair Holly Mitchell, for their important role in this effort to improve the lives of children across California.”
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