SENATE DOCKET, NO. 249        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 25

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Barrett

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act improving outcomes for transition age youth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/30/2017

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

1/30/2017

John J. Lawn, Jr.

10th Middlesex

1/30/2017

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

2/2/2017

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

2/3/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 249        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 25

By Mr. Barrett, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 25) of Michael J. Barrett, James B. Eldridge, Chris Walsh, John J. Lawn, Jr. and other members of the General Court for legislation to improve outcomes for transition age youth.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act improving outcomes for transition age youth.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 86. (a) The department shall report on the number of youth, under 17 years old, who have a service plan goal of another planned permanency living arrangement. Said report shall be provided to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, and the clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives annually on July 1, beginning on July 1, 2017. Said report shall also be posted to the department’s website annually on July 1, beginning on July 1, 2017. This report may be included in the department’s quarterly reports if posted in accordance with this annual timeline.

(b) The department shall reduce its reliance on another planned permanent living arrangement as a service plan goal for a child or youth under 17 years old by 2 per cent by July 1, 2018, and 2 per cent annually by July 1 of each year until the total service plan goal for all consumers in placement is reduced to 5 per cent or fewer of the department’s total caseload.

(c) The executive office of health and human services, and its child serving agencies, shall continue to convene in furtherance of its transitional planning initiative, whose purpose is to recommend programmatic and regulatory changes that will improve individual transition outcomes for people involved with executive office of health and human services related services, until every youth leaves the care and custody of the commonwealth with a full, effective transition plan which shall include the following: minimum standards which shall be set by the commissioner of the department creating the plan with approval of the minimum standards from the secretary of health and human services and the child advocate; and a connection to a committed adult.