HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3619        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 144

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Elizabeth A. Malia

_________________

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 ensuring positive transition for at-risk youth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/16/2019

Martin J. Walsh, Mayor of the City of Boston

1 City Hall Square Suite 500, Boston MA 02201

1/16/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/31/2019

Joseph A. Boncore

First Suffolk and Middlesex

2/1/2019

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

2/1/2019

Daniel R. Cullinane

12th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

1/30/2019

William J. Driscoll, Jr.

7th Norfolk

2/1/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

2/2/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/2/2019

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

2/1/2019

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

2/1/2019

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

1/30/2019

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/1/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/31/2019

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

2/1/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/25/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3619        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 144

By Ms. Malia of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 144) of Elizabeth A. Malia and others for legislation to provide residential or custodial services to ensure positive transitions for at-risk youths.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act ensuring positive transition for at-risk youth.

 

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

Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, any agency or office of the Commonwealth providing residential or custodial services to minors, including services provided to minors in custody of the Department of Children and Families, Clinically Intensive Residential Treatment, Intensive Residential Treatment Programs, Continuing Care Inpatient Services or other programs administered through the Department of Mental Health, and juvenile detention programs administered by the Department Youth Services, or entity funded by the Commonwealth to provide the same, shall not discharge any minor in their care or custody or adult in their care or custody who was a minor at the time of their placement, without a transition plan. A transition plan shall address discharge procedures comprehensive on the following subject matters, including but not limited to, housing, continuity of care, health insurance, employment, benefits, and community resources. The agency or office shall take all means necessary to ensure placement into appropriate housing upon discharge. Appropriate housing shall include but shall not be limited to the following: single room occupancies (SROS), transitional housing, rest homes or nurses homes, as well as housing obtained through housing and rental voucher programs and the Family Unification program. Emergency shelters shall not constitute appropriate housing. No later than January 1, 2020, each such agency or organization shall establish or improve the process by which each minor receives a comprehensive transition plan that identifies and addresses the specific needs of each minor  in their care. Furthermore, no later than January 1, 2020, any such agency shall implement transition plans and amend any existing relevant regulation or policy inconsistent with this Act as set forth hereunder.