1st Engrossment - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act;
establishing a pilot project for youth during out-of-school time; requiring a
report from the commissioner of education on out-of-school time opportunities
for youth ages ten to 18; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256K.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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There are hundreds of homeless youth in
Minnesota every night and many come from homes of abuse and neglect or have been
abandoned. Homeless and runaway youth are largely an invisible population. Many
homeless and runaway youth have no families or primary caregivers. Many are exploited
by adults or are forced to compromise their values to survive on the streets. Homeless
and runaway youth are in need of outreach, crisis intervention, adult mentorship, family
reunification, safe drop-in spaces, shelter, housing, case management services, and life
skills training. It is necessary to offer a continuum of care and services directed at
homeless and runaway youth.
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(a) The definitions of this subdivision apply to this section.
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(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services.
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(c) "Homeless youth" means a person 21 years or younger who is unaccompanied
by a parent or guardian and is without shelter where appropriate care and supervision are
available, whose parent or legal guardian is unable or unwilling to provide shelter and
care, or who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The following are
not fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residences:
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(1) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary
living accommodations;
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(2) an institution publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide
temporary living accommodations;
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(3) transitional housing;
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(4) a temporary placement with a peer, friend, or family member that has not offered
permanent residence, a residential lease, or temporary lodging for more than 30 days; or
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(5) a public or private place not designed for, nor ordinarily used as, a regular
sleeping accommodation for human beings.
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Homeless youth does not include persons incarcerated or otherwise detained under
federal or state law.
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(d) "Youth at risk of homelessness" means a person 21 years or younger whose status
or circumstances indicate a significant danger of experiencing homelessness in the near
future. Status or circumstances that indicate a significant danger may include youth exiting
out-of-home placements, youth who previously were homeless, youth whose parents or
primary caregivers are or were previously homeless, youth who are exposed to abuse and
neglect in their homes, youth who experience conflict with parents due to chemical or
alcohol dependency, mental health disabilities, or other disabilities, and runaways.
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(e) "Runaway" means an unmarried child under the age of 18 years who is absent
from the home of a parent or guardian or other lawful placement without the consent of
the parent, guardian, or lawful custodian.
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(a) The commissioner shall
develop a comprehensive initiative for homeless youth, youth at risk of homelessness,
and runaways. The commissioner shall provide funding to counties to contract with
organizations and public and private agencies, including faith-based organizations, to
provide street outreach, emergency shelter services, drop-in services, family mediation
counseling and conflict resolution, transitional living services, case management services,
life skills training, and family reunification services to youth, to the extent that funds
exist or become available. The programs must be culturally competent to serve specific
populations and must provide voluntary services to homeless youth, youth at risk of
homelessness, and runaways in an appropriate and responsible manner.
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(b) The commissioner shall plan for and coordinate services for homeless, runaway,
and at-risk youth. The commissioner may provide support services required to achieve
the objectives and goals of the initiative.
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(c) Nothing in this section relieves counties from existing responsibilities to provide
services for homeless youth, youth at risk of being homeless, or runaways under section
626.556, chapter 256E, or other applicable laws.
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(d) Nothing in this section is intended to preclude homeless youth ages 18 to 21 from
utilizing other services or programs available to homeless adults.
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Youth drop-in
centers must provide walk-in access to crisis intervention and ongoing supportive services
including one-to-one case management services on a self-referral basis. Street and
community outreach programs must locate, contact, and provide information, referrals,
and services to homeless youth, youth at risk of homelessness, and runaways. Information,
referrals, and services provided may include, but are not limited to:
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(1) family reunification services;
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(2) conflict resolution or mediation counseling;
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(3) assistance in obtaining temporary emergency shelter;
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(4) assistance in obtaining food, clothing, medical care, or mental health counseling;
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(5) counseling regarding violence, prostitution, substance abuse, sexually transmitted
diseases, and pregnancy;
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(6) referrals to other agencies that provide support to services to homeless youth,
youth at risk of homelessness, and runaways;
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(7) assistance with education, employment, and independent living skills;
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(8) after-care services;
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(9) specialized services for highly vulnerable runaways and homeless youth,
including teen parents, emotionally disturbed and mentally ill youth, and sexually
exploited youth; and
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(10) homelessness prevention.
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(a) Emergency shelter programs must
provide homeless youth and runaways with referral and walk-in access to emergency,
short-term residential care. The program shall provide homeless youth and runaways with
safe, dignified shelter, including private shower facilities, beds, and at least one meal each
day, and shall assist a runaway with reunification with the family or legal guardian when
required or appropriate.
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(b) The services provided at emergency shelters may include, but are not limited to:
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(1) family reunification services;
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(2) individual, family, and group counseling;
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(3) assistance obtaining clothing;
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(4) access to medical and dental care and mental health counseling;
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(5) education and employment services;
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(6) recreational activities;
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(7) advocacy and referral services;
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(8) independent living skills training;
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(9) after-care and follow-up services;
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(10) transportation; and
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(11) homelessness prevention.
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Supportive
housing and transitional living programs must help homeless youth and youth at risk of
homelessness to find and maintain safe, dignified housing. The program may also provide
rental assistance and related supportive services, or refer youth to other organizations or
agencies that provide such services. Services provided may include, but are not limited to:
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(1) educational assessment and referrals to educational programs;
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(2) career planning, employment, work skill training, and independent living skills
training;
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(3) job placement;
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(4) budgeting and money management;
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(5) assistance in securing housing appropriate to needs and income;
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(6) counseling regarding violence, prostitution, substance abuse, sexually transmitted
diseases, and pregnancy;
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(7) referral for medical services or chemical dependency treatment;
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(8) parenting skills;
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(9) self-sufficiency support services or life skill training;
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(10) after-care and follow-up services; and
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(11) homelessness prevention.
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The commissioner of education, in consultation with the commissioners of human
services and public safety, shall provide a report to the legislature by January 20, 2007,
which surveys and analyzes out-of-school time opportunities for children ages ten to 18.
The commissioner must gather representative information from urban, suburban, and
rural areas regarding where children go after their school day is over and during school
breaks. Further, the commissioner shall communicate with members of the community,
parents of children ages ten to 18, child care providers, middle school personnel, and other
interested individuals to gather information and develop positive, supervised out-of-school
alternatives for children ages ten to 18, in order to reduce the incidence of sexual activity,
underage drinking and smoking, use of illegal substances, and other criminal activity.
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A competitive statewide after-school enrichment
grant program is established to provide implementation grants to community or nonprofit
organizations, to political subdivisions, or to school-based programs. The commissioner
of education shall develop criteria for after-school enrichment programs.
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The expected outcomes of the after-school
enrichment programs are to:
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(1) increase the number of children participating in adult-supervised programs
in nonschool hours;
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(2) increase the number of youth engaged in community services and other activities
designed to support character improvement, strengthen families, and instill community
values;
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(3) increase skills in technology, the arts, sports, and other activities;
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(4) reduce the amount of juvenile crime;
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(5) increase and support the academic achievement and character development of
adolescent parents;
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(6) increase school attendance and reduce the number of school suspensions; and
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(7) support academic achievement, including the areas of reading and math.
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An applicant shall develop a plan for an after-school enrichment
program for youth. The plan must include:
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(1) collaboration with and leverage of existing community resources that have
demonstrated effectiveness;
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(2) outreach to children and youth;
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(3) involvement of local governments, including park and recreation boards or
schools, unless no government agency is appropriate; and
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(4) community control over the design of the enrichment program and identification
of the sources of nonpublic funding.
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An applicant shall submit a plan developed under
subdivision 3 to the commissioner for approval. The commissioner shall award a grant for
the implementation of an approved plan.
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$....... is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2007, from the general
fund to the commissioner of human services for purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section
256K.50.
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$....... is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund
to the commissioner of education for the purposes of section 3.
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