CA AB1611

Requires the workgroup establishing child welfare service reviews to examine outcome indicators separately for each racial and ethnic population served within a county to identify and address service disparities.

Mandates counties include in their self-assessment and system improvement plans strategies to eliminate disparities in services and outcomes for children of color and provide culturally appropriate services, particularly for Latino, Black, and Native American populations.

Directs the State Department of Social Services to identify and promote best practices for increasing cultural competency and eliminating inequities in service delivery to racial and ethnic communities.

Authorizes the department director to take remedial actions, including enhanced technical assistance or requiring additional self-assessments, if a county substantially fails to comply with requirements to address disproportionality in its child welfare system.

Requires the department to contract for research evaluating disproportionate representation of Latino children and families in the child welfare system and report findings and recommendations to the Legislature by January 1, 2015.