An Act To Expand Access to Head Start To Assist Opioid-affected and Other At-risk Families

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3736, sub-§4  is enacted to read:

Sec. 2. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute funds to Head Start programs based upon new eligibility standards for at-risk children and family poverty level. The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services shall use funds received in section 3 to supplement funds currently available for Head Start program service providers. The department shall proportionately distribute the funds received in section 3 to nontribal Head Start program service providers in an amount based upon the percentage of children up to 5 years of age who live at or below the federal poverty level in each provider's service area compared to the percentage of children up to 5 years of age who live at or below the federal poverty level statewide. A Head Start program service provider that receives funds pursuant to this Act shall use the funds to provide Head Start program services to applicants who meet the eligibility standards under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3736, subsection 4, with preference given to children who are at risk or whose families are at risk. If a Head Start program service provider that receives funds pursuant to this Act has a vacancy, the service provider shall seek referrals from the Office of Child and Family Services. For purposes of this section, "at risk" means affected by substance use disorder, sexual or physical abuse, homelessness, a mental health disorder or another condition that affects the emotional, mental or physical health of a child.

Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Office of Child and Family Services - Central 0307

Initiative: Provides ongoing funds to supplement funding to nontribal Head Start program service providers.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$7,500,000	$15,000,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$7,500,000	$15,000,000

summary

This bill establishes eligibility standards for the Head Start program that allow participation for a child up to 5 years of age who is or whose family is affected by substance use disorder or whose family's income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. This bill also provides appropriations to be distributed to nontribal Head Start program service providers proportionately in an amount based upon the percentage of children up to 5 years of age who live at or below the federal poverty level in each provider's service area compared to the percentage of children up to 5 years of age who live at or below the federal poverty level statewide, with preference given to children who are at risk or whose families are at risk.