Notwithstanding any general or special law or any rule or regulation to the contrary Chapter 23B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 30 a new section

Section 31 (a)

Definitions:

Youth Serving Organization: An organization that provides recreational, cultural, charitable, social, or other activities or services for persons under 18 years of age, and is exempt from federal income tax

Out of School Time Program: An established licensed or non-licensed daily week day program for persons under 18 years of age offered by a youth serving organization, school system, or municipality, offered before and after school and during school vacation.

Summer Programs: An established licensed or non-licensed daily week day program for persons under 18 years of age offered by a youth serving organization, school system, or municipality, offered during the months of summer vacation

Section 31 (b)

Subject to appropriation the Department shall create a program to address the needs of children, ages five through fourteen, residing in motels and hotels through the Emergency Assistance program. The program shall from herein be known as the Home Works Program. The Home Works Program shall allow out of school time and summer programs to apply for a certain amount of slots funded by the Department.  The Home Works Program shall be funded at an adequate amount not less than 75% of local market for out of school time and summer services in order for licensed and non-licensed out of school time and summer programs to provide out of school time and summer programs for eligible participants as well as cover transportation costs associated with transporting participants to and from the program.

The Department shall keep a waitlist of eligible program participants from which the out of school time and camp programs may draw from to fill their slots.

Section 31 (c)

Licensed and non-licensed out of school time and summer programs may apply for program slots through the Department. Said slots shall be allotted proportionally by the areas in the Commonwealth that have the highest number of children residing in motels through the Emergency Assistance Program and through the out of school time or summer program’s capacity. However a program shall not be limited in the amount of allowable slots it accepts. Said out of school time and summer programs shall be able to meet the transportation requirements set out by the Department before applying for slots. These include but are not limited to the capacity to transport participants from their current place of residence and back to said place within the time frame set out by the Department of Early Education and Care in 606 CMR 7.13. 

If the participant is no longer eligible to remain in the Home Works program, the out of school time or summer program may draw another eligible participant from the Home Works waitlist to fill the slot.

If said program is unable to meet the transportation requirements set out by the Department said program may work with the motel to provide out of school time and summer programs on site or at another facility deemed acceptable by the Department of Housing and Community

Section 31 (d)

Said out of school time programs and summer programs shall require that all staff members in employment and direct care of children in the program have completed satisfactorily a criminal background check that includes a comprehensive check of the National Sexual Offender Registry.

The Home Works Program shall not be funded through the already existing funds in the Emergency Assistance program.