10000-10002
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
SECTION 10000-10002
10000. The purpose of this division is to provide for protection, care, and assistance to the people of the state in need thereof, and to promote the welfare and happiness of all of the people of the state by providing appropriate aid and services to all of its needy and distressed. It is the legislative intent that aid shall be administered and services provided promptly and humanely, with due regard for the preservation of family life, and without discrimination on account of ancestry, marital status, political affiliation, or any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code. That aid shall be so administered and services so provided, to the extent not in conflict with federal law, as to encourage self-respect, self-reliance, and the desire to be a good citizen, useful to society. 10001. The purposes of the public social services for which state grants-in-aid are made to counties are: (a) To provide on behalf of the general public, and within the limits of public resources, reasonable support and maintenance for needy and dependent families and persons. (b) To provide timely and appropriate services to assist individuals develop or use whatever capacity they can maintain or achieve for self-care or self-support. (c) To provide protective services to handicapped or deprived persons subject to social or legal disability, and to children and others subject to exploitation jeopardizing their present or future health, opportunity for normal development, or capacity for independence. 10001.5. (a) In order to carry out the intention of the People of California that only citizens of the United States and aliens lawfully admitted to the United States may receive the benefits of public social services and to ensure that all persons employed in the providing of those services shall diligently protect public funds from misuse, the provisions of this section are adopted. (b) A person shall not receive any public social services to which he or she may be otherwise entitled until the legal status of that person has been verified as one of the following: (1) A citizen of the United States. (2) An alien lawfully admitted as a permanent resident. (3) An alien lawfully admitted for a temporary period of time. (c) If any public entity in this state to whom a person has applied for public social services determines or reasonably suspects, based upon the information provided to it, that the person is an alien in the United States in violation of federal law, the following procedures shall be followed by the public entity: (1) The entity shall not provide the person with benefits or services. (2) The entity shall, in writing, notify the person of his or her apparent illegal immigration status, and that the person must either obtain legal status or leave the United States. (3) The entity shall also notify the State Director of Social Services, the Attorney General of California, and the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service of the apparent illegal status, and shall provide any additional information that may be requested by any other public entity. 10002. When an applicant for or recipient of public social services is incapable of managing his own resources and planning or carrying out arrangements for his own care and maintenance, and the applicant or recipient cannot secure the services of a private attorney, if authorized by the board of supervisors, the county counsel at the request of the county department, or the district attorney, if a county counsel does not exist, may initiate and carry out proceedings for the appointment of a public or private guardian or public or private conservator, or for changing the form of legal protection when this is indicated. Costs incurred in such proceedings for the protection of applicants or recipients, when not available from the person's own resources, shall be a proper welfare administrative or service cost, except where a relative engages a private attorney to accomplish this purpose.