2014 -- H 8313

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LC005872

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

HUMAN SERVICES - YOUTH PREGNANCY AND AT-RISK PREVENTION SERVICES

PROGRAM

     

     Introduced By: Representatives DeSimone, Palangio, Ajello, Lombardi, and Canario

     Date Introduced: June 12, 2014

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 40 of the General Laws entitled "HUMAN SERVICES" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 5.3

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YOUTH PREGNANCY AND AT-RISK PREVENTION SERVICES PROGRAM

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     40-5.3-1. Short title. -- This chapter is hereby entitled "Youth Pregnancy and At-Risk

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Prevention Services Program".

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     40-5.3-2. Youth pregnancy and at-risk prevention services program. – Findings. –

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Legislative intent. - Goals. -- The legislature hereby finds and declares the following:

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     (a) Young people, especially at-risk youth, are more vulnerable to teen pregnancy, child

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abuse, gang and drug-related activity, juvenile crime, school failure, neglect and other illicit

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activities during the potentially unsupervised summer months as well as the hours between the

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end of school and the time their parents or guardians return home from work.

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     (b) Without community-based prevention and mentoring programs, the threats to the

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well-being and safety of our youth continue.

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     (c) In order to minimize the risk to young people, it is the intent of the general assembly

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to expand after school and summer community based prevention, mentoring and development

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programs and to implement those programs in accordance with the federal Temporary Assistance

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for Needy Families Program (“TANF” program) described in Title IV Part A of the federal Social

 

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Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 601 et. seq.

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     (d) The goal of the program shall be to focus on the particular TANF goal of preventing

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youth pregnancies as well as reducing other at-risk behavior described in this section.

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     40-5.3-3. Youth pregnancy and at-risk prevention services program. –

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Establishment. – (a) There is hereby established an after-school and summer youth prevention

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and development program to be administered by the department of human services. The

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establishment of the program pursuant to this chapter shall be contingent upon the availability and

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receipt of federal funding for the purpose set forth in §40-5.3-2. The department shall ensure that

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the goals of this chapter are met and that the state meets the federal requirements. The director of

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the department, to the extent that federal TANF funds are made available, shall allocate to the

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program no less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) annually.

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     (b) In the event that there are changes in the federal TANF program, the department shall

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seek support through the general assembly to make all necessary changes and shall take all

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necessary steps to comply with the federal law.

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     (c) Except as otherwise provided for herein, the director is responsible for

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implementation of this chapter.

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     40-5.3-4. Youth pregnancy and at-risk prevention services program. – Eligibility

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requirements. – (a) The Rhode Island Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs is hereby authorized, on

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behalf of its member organizations, to make an application to the department for funding under

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this chapter.

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     (b) The following requirements and conditions shall be necessary to establish eligibility

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for funding:

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     (1) The organization must demonstrate that its members are affiliated and in good

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standing with a nationally chartered organization as described in Title 36, Subtitle II, Part B of the

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Patriotic and National Organizations, 36 U.S.C. 311 et. seq.;

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     (2) The organization must provide tested and proven programs;

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     (3) The organization must demonstrate that its members provide programs that are

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facility-based;

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     (4) The organization must demonstrate that its members’ programs are offered for a

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minimum of ten (10) hours weekly during the school year and twenty (20) hours weekly during

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the summer;

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     (5) The organization must demonstrate that its members’ programs exist in a minimum of

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seven (7) towns and cities within the state;

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     (6) The organization must demonstrate that its members’ programs are administered in

 

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accordance with this chapter, is designed to meet or exceed the minimum federal TANF

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guidelines;

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     (7) The organization must demonstrate that it is eligible to receive federal TANF funding;

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and

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     (8) The organization must be able to raise four dollars ($4) for every one dollar received

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from the state through federal funding.

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     40-5.3-5. Annual report to general assembly. – No later than March 1st of each year,

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the director shall submit a report to the general assembly showing how, within available

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resources, the department expects to operate the programs authorized under this chapter in the

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succeeding fiscal year. The director will provide an annual report of program impact on youth and

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indicators of success.

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     40-5.3-6. Report to federal government. – The department shall make reports to the

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federal government or any agency or department thereof, in the form and nature required by it,

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and shall in all respects comply with any request or direction of the federal government or any

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agency or department thereof which may be necessary to assure the correctness and verification

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of the reports.

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     40-5.3-7. Rules and regulations. – The director of the department shall promulgate

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rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Any reference to the

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department's rule making process is pursuant to this section.

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     40-5.3-8. Severability. – If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any

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person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or

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applications of the chapter, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application,

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and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

HUMAN SERVICES - YOUTH PREGNANCY AND AT-RISK PREVENTION SERVICES

PROGRAM

***

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     This act would create a youth pregnancy and at-risk prevention services program to be

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administered by the department of human services. The director of the department, shall obtain

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funding through the federal TANF program and shall annually allocate $250,000 from those

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funds to the program.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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