‘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 nonschool age children who live at or below the federal poverty level in each provider's service area compared to the percentage of nonschool age children 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 nonschool age 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. For the purposes of this section, "nonschool age child" means a child who has not met the minimum age requirement to enroll in a school administrative unit in accordance with Title 20-A, section 5201, subsection 2.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Head Start 0545
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 |