General Assembly Raised Bill No. 292
February Session, 2010 LCO No. 1481
*01481_______KID*
Referred to Committee on Select Committee on Children
Introduced by:
(KID)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 292
February Session, 2010
LCO No. 1481
*01481_______KID*
Referred to Committee on Select Committee on Children
Introduced by:
(KID)
AN ACT CONCERNING HOMELESS YOUTH.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2010) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Homeless youth" means a person under twenty-one years of age who is without shelter where appropriate care and supervision are available and who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including youth under the age of eighteen whose parent or legal guardian is unable or unwilling to provide shelter and appropriate care;
(2) "Fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence" means a dwelling at which a person resides on a regular basis that adequately provides safe shelter, including (A) a publicly or privately operated institutional shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; (B) transitional housing; or (C) a temporary placement with a peer, friend or family member who has not offered a permanent residence, residential lease or temporary lodging for more than thirty days; and
(3) "Aftercare services" means continued counseling, guidance or support for not more than six months following the provision of services.
(b) The Department of Children and Families, within available appropriations, shall establish a program that provides public outreach, shelter and transitional living services for homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness. The department may enter into a contract with nonprofit organizations or municipalities to implement this section. Such program shall have the following components:
(1) A public outreach and drop-in component that provides youth drop-in centers with walk-in access to crisis intervention and ongoing supportive services, including one-to-one case management services on a self-referral basis and public outreach that locates, contacts and provides information, referrals and services to homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness. Such component shall include, but not be limited to, information, referrals and services for (A) family reunification services, conflict resolution or mediation counseling; (B) temporary emergency shelter, case management aimed at obtaining food, clothing, medical care or mental health counseling, counseling regarding violence, prostitution, substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and pregnancy, and referrals to agencies that provide support services to homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness; (C) education, employment and independent living skills; (D) aftercare services; and (E) specialized services for highly vulnerable homeless youth, including teen parents, sexually-exploited youth and youth with mental illness or developmental disabilities;
(2) An emergency shelter component that provides homeless youth with referrals and walk-in access to short-term residential care on an emergency basis that includes voluntary housing, with private shower facilities, beds and at least one meal each day, and assistance with reunification with family or a legal guardian when required or appropriate. Services provided at emergency shelters may include, but need not be limited to, (A) family reunification services or referral to safe housing; (B) individual, family and group counseling; (C) assistance in obtaining clothing; (D) access to medical and dental care and mental health counseling; (E) education and employment services; (F) recreational activities; (G) case management, advocacy and referral services; (H) independent living skills training; and (I) aftercare services and transportation; and
(3) A transitional living component that (A) assists homeless youth in finding and maintaining safe housing, and (B) includes rental assistance and related supportive services. Such component shall include, but not be limited to, (i) educational assessment and referral to educational programs; (ii) career planning, employment, job skills training and independent living skills training; (iii) job placement; (iv) budgeting and money management; (v) assistance in securing housing appropriate to needs and income; (vi) counseling regarding violence, prostitution, substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, referral for medical services or chemical dependency treatment; and (vii) parenting skills, self-sufficiency support services or life skills training and aftercare services.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2010) On or before February 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children. The report shall evaluate the program established under section 1 of this act and shall make recommendations for any changes to the program to ensure that the best available services are being delivered to homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2010 New section
Sec. 2 October 1, 2010 New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2010
New section
Sec. 2
October 1, 2010
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To authorize the Commissioner of Children and Families to administer, within available appropriations, a program of outreach, shelter and transitional living services for homeless youth.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]