H.P. 1528 - L.D. 2181
Resolve, to Help Homeless Young People Returning to Home or Safe Living Situations
Sec. 1. Homeless Youth Demonstration Project created. Resolved: That the Homeless Youth Demonstration Project, referred to in this resolve as the "project," is created. The project is administered jointly by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. The Department of Human Services is the lead agency for the project. The project operates 2 sites in the State to explore services for unaccompanied youths and at-risk youths that are innovative, collaborative, creative and youth-driven and that create a nontraditional approach to providing youth services; and be it further
Sec. 2. Stakeholders' groups. Resolved: That the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services shall convene a northern stakeholders' group and a southern stakeholders' group to assist in the planning, development, operation and evaluation of the project. "Stakeholders' group" means a group composed of governmental agencies, regional children's cabinets, nonprofit organizations and Legislators and other governmental officials and education officials and other organizations and individuals who have an interest in unaccompanied youths and at-risk youths; and be it further
Sec. 3. Location of project sites. Resolved: That the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services with the assistance of the 2 stakeholders' groups shall select 2 project sites in which to conduct the project. The northern stakeholders' group shall assist in selecting a northern project site located in Bangor and the southern stakeholders' group shall assist in selecting a southern project site located in Portland; and be it further
Sec. 4. Purpose. Resolved: That the project shall plan, develop and deliver services at the project sites that address the issues and needs of unaccompanied youths and at-risk youths. These services must be innovative, creative, collaborative and youth-driven and take a nontraditional approach to providing youth services. The project shall develop services that:
1. Expand and strengthen traditional approaches that provide low-barrier access for homeless and runaway youths to basic services such as meals, clothes, health care and emergency night shelter;
2. Provide casework on site where the youths are located to ensure that the youths have ready access to the full range of services available that allow them to achieve stability in their lives;
3. Increase housing for youths who are 14 years of age to 17 years of age by providing a low-barrier transitional home that offers a broad array of services that are needed by the youths;
4. Expand educational programs for homeless youths, with particular attention to youths in middle school, and increase educational services that are coupled with vocational training; and
5. Develop and implement an evaluation mechanism that ensures the potential to replicate the project in other sites.
The project shall also review whether the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services should each have a bureau for adolescents that delivers services to youths who are 14 years of age to 21 years of age; and be it further
Sec. 5. Evaluation and report. Resolved: That, after review by the regional children's cabinets and consideration of the recommendations made by those bodies, the Department of Human Services shall submit an interim report to the Legislature by December 31, 1999 detailing the progress that the project has made. By December 31, 2000, after review by the regional children's cabinets and the Governor's children's cabinet and consideration of the recommendations made by those bodies, each stakeholders' group, with the assistance of the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and SubstanceAbuse Services, shall draft an evaluation of the activities at each project site, including what services or approaches have worked or have not worked. The evaluation must discuss areas in the development and delivery of youth services that need improvement along with any recommendations concerning the development or delivery of youth services by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. The project must collect and maintain information on the ages of the youth served, including as separate categories youth under 12 years of age and youth 12 to 14 years of age. The evaluation must provide information on the situations and needs of youths in different age groups. The evaluation must describe the development of a comprehensive community plan for providing residential, educational, health, career development and social services to homeless youth. The evaluation must also describe the measurable outcomes of the project at the site, including the services provided, the number of youths served and other statistics that the stakeholders' group determines are significant. The Department of Human Services shall report the evaluation and recommendations of each stakeholders' group to the Legislature by February 1, 2001. Following approval of the community plan by the Commissioner of Human Services and the Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, the Department of Human Services shall proceed to implement the community plan; and be it further
Sec. 6. Funding. Resolved: That funding for the project must be spent equally between the 2 project sites.
Effective September 18, 1999, unless otherwise indicated.
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