S4670

An Act concerning homeless youth and amending and supplementing P.L.1999, c.224.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 5 of P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-6) is amended to read as follows:

5. A street outreach program for homeless youth shall enhance the accessibility of resources to a homeless youth by locating, contacting and providing services to the youth through mobile outreach.

The services provided by the street outreach program, as determined by the department's contract, shall consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of homeless youth, be culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, and may include, but [are] not be limited to:

a. Assistance in finding temporary or short-term shelter;

b. Assistance in obtaining food;

c. A clothing allowance;

d. Individual and group counseling in the area of violence prevention;

e. Information and referral services regarding organizations and agencies that provide support services to homeless youth; [and]

f. Assistance in obtaining medical care;

g. Assistance in completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or other financial aid form to determine the level of need and eligibility for State and federal financial aid programs, if appropriate; and

h. Assistance in obtaining trauma informed services specific to youth who are survivors of human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.224, s.5)

2. Section 6 of P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-7) is amended to read as follows:

6. a. A basic center shelter program shall provide a homeless youth with 24-hour, seven-day a week, walk-in access to emergency, short-term residential care. The services offered by the program shall provide a homeless youth with a stable out-of-home placement and help reunite the youth with his parent or legal guardian, except in the case where family reunification is not in the youth's best interest.

The services provided at the basic center shelter, as determined by the department's contract, shall consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of the homeless youth, be culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, and may include, but [are] not be limited to, the following core services:

(1) Family reunification services;

(2) Individual, family and group counseling;

(3) Food;

(4) A clothing allowance;

(5) Medical care;

(6) Educational services, including assistance in completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or other financial aid form to determine the level of need and eligibility for State and federal financial aid programs;

(7) Recreational activities; [and]

(8) Advocacy and referral services; and

(9) Trauma-informed services specific to youth who are survivors of human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

b. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is admitted to a basic center shelter, the shelter shall attempt to notify the youth's parent or legal guardian of the youth's admission within 24 hours after the admission. The notification shall include a description of the youth's physical and emotional condition and the circumstances surrounding the youth's admission to the basic center shelter, unless there are compelling reasons not to provide the parent or legal guardian with this information. Compelling reasons include, but are not limited to, circumstances in which the youth is or has been a victim of child abuse or neglect.

c. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is admitted to a basic center shelter, the shelter shall notify the division of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter within 24 hours after the admission to determine if the youth is in the legal care or custody of the division. If the homeless youth is in the legal care or custody of the division, the division, in consultation with the basic center shelter, shall determine what services shall be provided to the youth. The services may include, but are not limited to: crisis intervention services, continued temporary placement in the basic center shelter for up to 30 days, placement in an alternative living arrangement or referral to a transitional living program established pursuant to section 7 of [this act] P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-8) or to other appropriate organizations and agencies.

d. When the basic center shelter has reason to believe that the youth is an abused or neglected child as defined in P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21 et seq.), the basic center shelter shall report the allegation to the division pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.10). A homeless youth may remain at a basic center shelter for up to 30 days pending the division's disposition of any case originated pursuant to this subsection.

e. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is not in the legal care or custody of the division as provided in subsection c. of this section, and a basic center shelter has not made a report to the division pursuant to subsection d. of this section, the basic center shelter shall notify a juvenile-family crisis intervention unit, established pursuant to P.L.1982, c.80 (C.2A:4A-76 et seq.), in the county of residence of the homeless youth, within 24 hours of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter, that a juvenile-family crisis exists as defined in section 3 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-22).

f. In the event that a basic center shelter notifies a juvenile-family crisis intervention unit pursuant to subsection e. of this section, the homeless youth may remain at the basic center shelter for up to 10 days without the consent of the youth's parent or legal guardian. During this time, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit and the basic center shelter shall help to reunite the youth with his parent or legal guardian. If reunification with the parent or legal guardian is not in the youth's best interest or not possible because the youth's parent or legal guardian cannot be located, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit, in consultation with the basic center shelter, shall determine what services shall be provided to the youth. The services may include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention services and continued temporary placement in the basic center shelter for up to an additional 30 days.

g. In the case of a homeless youth from another state who is under the age of 18, a basic center shelter shall notify the Compact Administrator of the Interstate Compact on Juveniles, as soon as practicable, but within 24 hours of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter. The Compact Administrator shall facilitate the youth's return home to his parent or legal guardian or make other suitable care arrangements for the youth.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.224, s.6)

3. Section 7 of P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-8) is amended to read as follows:

7. a. A transitional living program shall provide residential care and treatment services for up to 18 months to a homeless [youth] person 16 to [21] 25 years of age who demonstrates the maturity to function with minimal adult supervision.

b. The program shall assist in the maintenance of a homeless [youth] person in a living arrangement that will prepare the [youth] person for independence and self-sufficiency through the direct provision of, or through referrals to, other organizations and agencies for services, that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of the homeless person, be culturally and linguistically appropriate, to the extent practicable, and as determined by the department's contract, [which] may include:

(1) Educational assessment and attachment to an educational program;

(2) Career planning, employment and life skills training;

(3) Job placement;

(4) Budgeting and money management;

(5) Assistance in securing housing appropriate to a homeless youth's needs and income; [and]

(6) Assistance in accessing other social services as may be appropriate;

(7) Assistance in completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or other financial aid form to determine the level of need and eligibility for State and federal financial aid programs; and

(8) Trauma-informed services specific to youth who are survivors of human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

c. If a homeless person is between the ages of 22 and 25, the program shall decide what additional services shall be provided to the person in addition to the services provided by the program, as determined by the department's contract. The services may include, but not be limited to, crisis intervention services, referrals to organizations and agencies for homelessness assistance services, and assistance in accessing other age appropriate support services as may be necessary to move the youth towards the goal of permanent affordable housing and self-sufficiency.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.224, s.7)

4. (New section) a. The department shall require every staff member employed by a street outreach, basic center shelter, or transitional living program established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-5) to complete a training program developed by the department, in consultation with the Commission on Human Trafficking, on the relationship between human trafficking, childhood trauma, and sexual exploitation and the prevalence of youth homelessness.

b. (1) The training shall be part of any staff training required by the department and shall be completed no later than one year after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) or, in the case of a newly employed staff member, within one year from the staff member’s date of hire, whichever occurs later.

(2) The department, in consultation with the commission, shall conduct a periodic review of the prescribed subject matter of the training program to insure that the training includes information on relevant changes to State or federal law and other information deemed pertinent to the delivery of those services a staff member is required to provide to homeless youth.

5. (New section) The Department of Children and Families, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this act).

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill expands services provided to homeless youth by street outreach, basic center shelter, and transitional living programs.

Specifically, the bill amends P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-2 et seq.), which establishes street outreach, basic center shelter, and transitional living programs, to require such programs to: (1) provide services that consider the age, gender, and social and developmental needs of homeless youth, and that are culturally and linguistically appropriate; (2) include services that provide assistance in completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or other financial aid form; and (3) offer trauma-informed services specific to youth who are survivors of human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

The bill amends section 7 of P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-8) to require transitional living programs to provide residential care and treatment services to homeless youth between the ages of 16 to 25. Current law requires these programs to provide services to youth between the ages of 16 and 21.

The bill also amends section 7 of P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-8) to mandate that the programs are to decide what additional services to provide homeless youth between 22 and 25 years of age, which may include crisis intervention services, referrals to organizations and agencies for homelessness assistance services, and assistance in accessing other age appropriate support services as may be necessary to move the youth towards the goal of permanent affordable housing and self-sufficiency. Under current law, transitional programs are only required to provide services as determined by contract and are not required to provide additional services to homeless youth between 22 and 25 years of age.

The provisions of the bill require that every staff member employed by a street outreach, basic center shelter, or transitional living program complete, within the time frame established in the bill, a training program developed by the DCF, in consultation with the Commission of Human Trafficking, on the relationship between human trafficking, childhood trauma, and sexual exploitation and the prevalence of youth homelessness.

The DCF is to conduct a periodic review of the training program to insure that the training includes information on relevant changes to State or federal law and other information pertinent to the delivery of services a staff member is required to provide to homeless youth.