Budget Amendment ID: FY2013-S4-584-R2

2nd Redraft EHS 584

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Commission

Ms. Chandler, Ms. Flanagan, Ms. Clark and Ms. Chang-Diaz and Messrs. Brownsberger, Eldridge, DiDomenico and Joyce moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 155, the following new section:-

“SECTION 155A.   Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission for the purpose of studying and making recommendations concerning services for unaccompanied homeless youth age 22 and under, with the goal of ensuring a comprehensive and effective response to the unique needs of this population. The focus of the commission’s work shall include, but not be limited to: (i) an analysis of the barriers to serving unaccompanied youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender; (ii) an analysis of the barriers to serving unaccompanied youth under 18 years of age; (iii) an assessment of the impact of mandated reporting requirements on unaccompanied youths’ access to services; (iv) the state’s ability to identify and connect with unaccompanied youth; and (v) recommendations to reduce identified barriers to serving this population, including, but not limited to, extending the time for certain categories of mandated reporters to file reports and establishing special licensure provisions to allow service providers to serve homeless youth under 18 years of age. The commission, in formulating its recommendations, shall take account of best practices and policies in other states and jurisdictions.

The commission shall include 25 members: the secretary of health and human services or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of the department of children and families or a designee; the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education or a designee; the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee; the commissioner of the department of mental health or a designee; the director of the office of Medicaid or a designee; the commissioner of the department of transitional assistance or a designee; the undersecretary of housing and community development or a designee; 2 members of the senate, appointed by the senate president; 2 members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house; 3 youth who have experienced homelessness, appointed by the office of the child advocate; 3 direct service providers who work with unaccompanied homeless youth, appointed by the governor; and 1 representative from each of the following organizations: Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, Task Force on Youth Aging Out, Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, MassEquality, Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth.

The commission shall submit a report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities and the office of the child advocate not later than March 31, 2013. The report shall set forth the commission’s findings and any recommendations for regulatory or legislative action with a timeline for implementation, cost estimates and finance mechanisms. Thereafter, the commission shall submit a report annually by December 31 of each year to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,  the president of the senate, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities and the office of the child advocate, detailing the extent of homelessness among unaccompanied youth within the commonwealth and the progress made toward implementing the commission’s recommendations, along with other efforts to address the needs of this population.”