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An Act To Establish Emergency Shelter Family Homes To Host Youth Referred by the Department of Corrections
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §4099-H  is enacted to read:
§ 4099-H. Emergency shelter family homes for youth
This section applies to emergency shelter family homes for youths in order to provide the youths with voluntary, safe, emergency housing with individuals or families in locations as close as reasonably possible to the home communities of the youths.
 
1.  Definitions.     As used in this section, unless this context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
 
A.  "Emergency shelter family home" means a home that provides community-based emergency shelter with an individual or a family that is operated 24 hours a day under the auspices of an emergency shelter licensed by the department in accordance with rules adopted by the department under sections 7801 and 8102.
 
B.  "Youth" means a child 12 to 20 years of age.
 
2.  Placement.     A licensed emergency shelter may place in an emergency shelter family home operated by the shelter a youth who was referred to the shelter by the Department of Corrections if the shelter has obtained the agreement of the parent or legal guardian of the youth.
 
3.  Requirements.     A licensed emergency shelter that operates an emergency shelter family home must be licensed as a child placing agency by the department under rules adopted pursuant to sections 7801 and 8202 and must operate the home under a contract with the Department of Corrections and in accordance with an agreement between the department and the Department of Corrections. An emergency shelter family home may be, but is not required to be, licensed as a children's home by the department under rules adopted pursuant to sections 7801 and 8202.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 125th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.