(a) In addition to the services described in Section 10219, a child care resource and referral program, established to serve a defined geographic area, may provide short-term respite child care. “Short-term respite care,” for purposes of this chapter, means temporary child care services to do any of the following:

(1) Provide services to families identified and referred by child protective agencies.

(2) Relieve the stress caused by child abuse, neglect, or exploitation, or the risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

(3) Assist parents who, because of serious illness or injury, homelessness, or family crisis, including temporary absence from the home because of illness or injury, would be unable without assistance to provide the normal care and nurture expected of parents.

(4) Provide temporary relief to parents from the care of children with exceptional needs.

(b) Pursuant to the delivery of short-term respite child care services, priority shall be given for the provision of services to families identified and referred by child protective agencies, to relieve the stress caused by child abuse, neglect, or exploitation, or the risks thereof, as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a). Priority shall be given to assist parents and to provide temporary relief to parents, as described in paragraphs (3) and (4) of subdivision (a) to the extent that resources are available.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 116, Sec. 260. (AB 131) Effective July 23, 2021.)