(a)  The department shall notify resource and referral agencies funded pursuant to § 10217 of the Welfare and Institutions Code of any priority one violation or any allegation of a priority one violation affecting the health and safety of children that is within the geographic area served by the agency. Resource and referral agencies shall use this information when deciding whether to make a referral to the licensee and shall maintain the confidentiality of information provided to them pursuant to this section.

(b)  The Child Care Regulation Section shall notify these resource and referral agencies of the department’s actions regarding these allegations of priority one violations within 30 days. The Child Care Regulation Section shall notify these resource and referral agencies of the department’s actions regarding these allegations of priority one violations within 10 days after the allegations have been substantiated by the department.

(c)  “Priority one violation” is defined to include sexual assault, physical abuse, ritualistic abuse, or suspicious deaths, if any of the following apply:

(1)  The victim is a child in care and the suspect is the facility operator, the licensee, an employee of the facility, or is yet to be identified as any of the individuals specified in this paragraph.

(2)  The facility is operating and the suspect has access to the victim or potential victim.

(3)  The complaint is against an unlicensed facility and either a temporary suspension order is in effect or the license has been revoked.

(d)  “Allegation of a priority one violation” is defined to include any complaints of priority one violations pursuant to subdivision (c).

(e)  The department shall implement this section only to the extent funds are available in accordance with § 18285.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 116, Sec. 256. (AB 131) Effective July 23, 2021.)