HB 209: "An Act directing the Department of Health and Social Services to establish a foster care transition program; relating to that program; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 209 01 "An Act directing the Department of Health and Social Services to establish a foster 02 care transition program; relating to that program; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 36.30.850(b) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 05 (42) contracts with qualified entities for services under AS 47.18.330 06 for the foster care transition program. 07 * Sec. 2. AS 47.18 is amended by adding new sections to read: 08 Article 4A. Foster Care Transition Program. 09 Sec. 47.18.300. Program authorized. (a) The department shall design, 10 develop, and implement a foster care transition program to provide support and 11 services to young adults who 12 (1) are 18, 19, 20, or 21 years of age; 13 (2) reach or have reached the age of 18 while in state foster care; and 14 (3) meet other eligibility criteria established by the department under
01 (b) of this section. 02 (b) The department may adopt regulations to carry out the purposes of 03 AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390, including regulations establishing eligibility thresholds, 04 standards, and limits for the program. The department shall develop the regulations in 05 consultation with public, private, and Alaska Native organizations. 06 Sec. 47.18.310. Program design. The department shall design the program as 07 a continuation of the training efforts related to independent living skills that were 08 initiated when the state foster care recipients were identified as being likely to remain 09 in state foster care until reaching the age of 18. The program design must require that 10 program participants are directly involved in identifying the program activities that 11 will prepare them for independent living. 12 Sec. 47.18.320. Program development. (a) Subject to the availability of an 13 appropriation made for the purposes of AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390, the program may 14 provide 15 (1) education and vocational training; 16 (2) assistance in obtaining basic education and training; 17 (3) career and employment services; 18 (4) training in basic life skills; 19 (5) housing and utility assistance; 20 (6) mentoring and counseling; and 21 (7) other appropriate services to complement the efforts of former state 22 foster care recipients to achieve self-sufficiency. 23 (b) In developing the program, the department shall cooperate with and 24 coordinate the use of the resources available from other state and federal agencies 25 designed to provide support and services consistent with the purposes of the program. 26 Sec. 47.18.330. Program implementation. (a) The department may 27 implement the program through the award of contracts or grants to qualified entities to 28 provide services under the program. The department may award contracts and grants 29 if the contracts and grants further the purposes of and meet the requirements of 30 AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390 and applicable regulations adopted under those sections. 31 (b) Contracts awarded under this section shall be administered in accordance
01 with AS 47.05.015 and regulations adopted under that section. Grants awarded under 02 this section shall be awarded using requirements established in regulations adopted 03 under AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390 that are substantially similar to those set out in 04 AS 47.05.015 for contracts. 05 Sec. 47.18.390. Definitions. In AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390, 06 (1) "program" means the foster care transition program authorized 07 under AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390; 08 (2) "qualified entities" means municipalities, other political 09 subdivisions of the state, nonprofit corporations formed under AS 10.20, churches and 10 religious organizations, and incorporated and unincorporated entities operating within 11 the state that meet the requirements established by the department in regulation; 12 (3) "state foster care" means foster care, as defined in AS 47.10.990, 13 that is provided to a person who is in the custody of the department under AS 47.10 14 and AS 47.12. 15 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 16 read: 17 TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. Notwithstanding sec. 5 of this Act, the 18 Department of Health and Social Services may immediately proceed to adopt regulations 19 necessary to implement the changes made by this Act. The regulations take effect under 20 AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not before July 1, 2001. 21 * Sec. 4. Section 3 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 22 * Sec. 5. Except as provided in sec. 4 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2001.