California Welfare And Institutions Code Section 13757

(a) (1) Subject to paragraph (2), every youth who is in foster care and nearing emancipation shall be screened by the county for potential eligibility for the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program utilizing the best practice guidelines developed pursuant to Section 13752. (2) The screening required in paragraph (1) shall only occur when the foster youth is at least 16 years and six months of age and not older than 17 years and six months of age. An application shall be submitted to the federal Social Security Administration on behalf of a youth who is screened as being likely to be eligible for federal Supplemental Security Income benefits. To the extent possible, the application shall be timed to allow for a determination of eligibility by the Social Security Administration prior to the youth` s emancipation from care including, if appropriate, the suspension of Supplemental Security Income benefits for no more than 12 months. (b) In carrying out the requirements of subdivision (a) for a youth receiving federally funded AFDC-FC benefits, the county shall, if necessary, forego federally funded AFDC-FC and instead use state AFDC-FC resources to fund the placement in the month of application or in the month after making an application, and to subsequently reclaim federally funded AFDC-FC, in order to ensure that the youth meets all of the SSI eligibility requirements in a single month while the application is pending, as provided by federal law and regulation. Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 11402, this section shall apply to a foster youth regardless of his or her federal AFDC-FC eligibility. (c) Prior to the implementation of subdivision (b), the State Department of Social Services shall obtain clarification from the Social Security Administration and the United States Department of Health and Human Services by January 1, 2008, that the funding mechanism described in subdivision (b) is consistent with federal law and regulation.