HF 3377

1st Division Engrossment - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/16/2022 12:07pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; creating a pilot program for providers serving homeless
youth in Minnesota; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin PILOT PROGRAM FOR CHOSEN FAMILY HOSTING TO PREVENT
YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services must establish a
pilot program for providers seeking to establish or expand services for homeless youth that
formalize situations where a caring adult who a youth considers chosen family allows a
youth to stay at the adult's residence to avoid being homeless.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given them.
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new text begin (b) "Chosen family" means any individual, related by blood or affinity, whose close
association fulfills the need of a familial relationship.
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new text begin (c) "Set of participants" means a youth aged 18 to 24 and (1) an adult host who is the
youth's chosen family and with whom the youth is living in an intergenerational hosting
arrangement to avoid being homeless, or (2) a relative with whom the youth is living to
avoid being homeless.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services, as authorized by
Minnesota Statutes, section 256.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (6), shall contract
with a technical assistance provider to:
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new text begin (1) provide technical assistance to funding recipients;
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new text begin (2) facilitate a monthly learning cohort for funding recipients;
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new text begin (3) evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the pilot program; and
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new text begin (4) submit annual updates and a final report to the commissioner.
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new text begin (b) When developing the criteria for awarding funds, the commissioner must include a
requirement that all funding recipients:
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new text begin (1) partner with sets of participants, with a case manager caseload consistent with existing
norms for homeless youth;
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new text begin (2) mediate agreements within each set of participants about shared expectations regarding
the living arrangement;
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new text begin (3) provide monthly stipends to sets of participants to offset the costs created by the
living arrangement;
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new text begin (4) connect sets of participants to community resources;
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new text begin (5) if the adult host is a renter, help facilitate ongoing communication between the
property owner and adult host;
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new text begin (6) offer strategies to address barriers faced by adult hosts who are renters;
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new text begin (7) assist the youth in identifying and strengthening their circle of support, giving focused
attention to adults who can serve as permanent connections and provide ongoing support
throughout the youth's life; and
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new text begin (8) actively participate in monthly cohort meetings.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Technical assistance provider. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must select a technical
assistance provider to provide assistance to funding recipients. In order to be selected, the
technical assistance provider must:
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new text begin (1) have in-depth experience with research on and evaluation of youth homelessness
from a holistic perspective that addresses the four core outcomes developed by the United
States Interagency Council on Homelessness to prevent and end youth homelessness;
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new text begin (2) offer education and have previous experience providing technical assistance on
supporting chosen family hosting arrangements to organizations that serve homeless youth;
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new text begin (3) have expertise on how to address barriers faced by chosen family hosts who are
renters; and
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new text begin (4) be located in Minnesota.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Eligible applicants. new text end

new text begin To be eligible for funding under this section, an applicant
must be a provider serving homeless youth in Minnesota. The money must be awarded to
funding recipients beginning no later than March 31, 2023.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Applications. new text end

new text begin Providers seeking funding under this section shall apply to the
commissioner. The applicant must include a description of the project that the applicant is
proposing, the amount of money that the applicant is seeking, and a proposed budget
describing how the applicant will spend the money.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin The technical assistance provider must submit annual updates and
a final report to the commissioner in a manner specified by the commissioner on the technical
assistance provider's findings regarding the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the pilot
program.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $8,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for the pilot program giving funds to providers serving homeless youth
in section 1. Of this amount, $....... is for a contract with the technical assistance provider
for the activities listed in section 1, subdivision 3. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2027.
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