1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act; 
1.3 	establishing a pilot project for youth during out-of-school time; requiring a 
1.4 	report from the commissioner of education on out-of-school time opportunities 
1.5 	for youth ages ten to 15; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law 
1.6 	in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256K.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. [256K.50] RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH ACT.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Findings and needs. There are hundreds of homeless youth in 
1.10 	Minnesota every night and many come from homes of abuse and neglect or have been 
1.11 	abandoned. Homeless and runaway youth are largely an invisible population. Many 
1.12 	homeless and runaway youth have no families or primary caregivers. Many are exploited 
1.13 	by adults or are forced to compromise their values to survive on the streets. Homeless 
1.14 	and runaway youth are in need of outreach, crisis intervention, adult mentorship, family 
1.15 	reunification, safe drop-in spaces, shelter, housing, case management services, and life 
1.16 	skills training. It is necessary to offer a continuum of care and services directed at 
1.17 	homeless and runaway youth.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Definitions. (a) The definitions of this subdivision apply to this section. 
1.19 	(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of human services.
1.20 	(c) "Homeless youth" means a person 21 years or younger who is without shelter 
1.21 	where appropriate care and supervision are available, whose parent or legal guardian 
1.22 	is unable or unwilling to provide shelter and care, or who lacks a fixed, regular, and 
1.23 	adequate nighttime residence. The following are not fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime 
1.24 	residences: 
2.1 	(1) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary 
2.2 	living accommodations;
2.3 	(2) an institution publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide 
2.4 	temporary living accommodations;
2.5 	(3) transitional housing;
2.6 	(4) a temporary placement with a peer, friend, or family member that has not offered 
2.7 	permanent residence, a residential lease, or temporary lodging for more than 30 days; or
2.8 	(5) a public or private place not designed for, nor ordinarily used as, a regular 
2.9 	sleeping accommodation for human beings. 
2.10 	Homeless youth does not include persons incarcerated or otherwise detained under 
2.11 	federal or state law.
2.12 	(d) "Youth at risk of homelessness" means a person 21 years or younger whose 
2.13 	status or circumstances indicate a significant danger of experiencing homelessness in the 
2.14 	near future. Status or circumstances that indicate a significant danger may include youth 
2.15 	exiting out-of-home placements, youth who previously were homeless, youth whose 
2.16 	parents or primary caregivers are or were previously homeless, and runaways.
2.17 	(e) "Runaway" means an unmarried child under the age of 18 years who is absent 
2.18 	from the home of a parent or guardian or other lawful placement without the consent of 
2.19 	the parent, guardian, or lawful custodian.
2.20 		Subd. 3.Homeless and runaway youth initiative. (a) The commissioner shall 
2.21 	develop a comprehensive initiative for homeless youth, youth at risk of homelessness, 
2.22 	and runaways. The commissioner shall provide funding to counties to contract with 
2.23 	organizations and public and private agencies, including faith-based organizations, to 
2.24 	provide street outreach, emergency shelter services, drop-in services, family mediation 
2.25 	counseling and conflict resolution, transitional living services, case management services, 
2.26 	life skills training, and family reunification services to youth, to the extent that funds 
2.27 	exist or become available. The programs must be culturally competent to serve specific 
2.28 	populations and must provide voluntary services to homeless youth, youth at risk of 
2.29 	homelessness, and runaways in an appropriate and responsible manner.
2.30 	(b) The commissioner shall plan for and coordinate services for homeless, runaway, 
2.31 	and at-risk youth. The commissioner may provide support services required to achieve 
2.32 	the objectives and goals of the initiative.
2.33 	(c) Nothing in this section relieves counties from existing responsibilities to provide 
2.34 	services for homeless youth, youth at risk of being homeless, or runaways under section 
2.35 	626.556, chapter 256E, or other applicable laws.
3.1 	(d) Nothing in this section is intended to preclude homeless youth ages 18 to 21 from 
3.2 	utilizing other services or programs available to homeless adults.
3.3 		Subd. 4.Street and community outreach and drop-in program. Street and 
3.4 	community outreach programs must locate, contact, and provide information, referrals, 
3.5 	and services to homeless youth, youth at risk of homelessness, and runaways. Information, 
3.6 	referrals, and services provided may include, but are not limited to:
3.7 	(1) family reunification services;
3.8 	(2) conflict resolution or mediation counseling;
3.9 	(3) assistance in obtaining temporary emergency shelter;
3.10 	(4) assistance in obtaining food, clothing, medical care, or mental health counseling;
3.11 	(5) counseling regarding violence, prostitution, substance abuse, sexually transmitted 
3.12 	diseases, and pregnancy;
3.13 	(6) referrals to other agencies that provide support to services to homeless youth, 
3.14 	youth at risk of homelessness, and runaways;
3.15 	(7) assistance with education, employment, and independent living skills;
3.16 	(8) after-care services;
3.17 	(9) specialized services for highly vulnerable runaways and homeless youth, 
3.18 	including teen parents, emotionally disturbed and mentally ill youth, and sexually 
3.19 	exploited youth; and
3.20 	(10) homelessness prevention.
3.21 		Subd. 5.Emergency shelter program. (a) Emergency shelter programs must 
3.22 	provide homeless youth and runaways with referral and walk-in access to emergency, 
3.23 	short-term residential care. The program shall provide homeless youth and runaways with 
3.24 	safe, dignified shelter, including private shower facilities, beds, and at least one meal each 
3.25 	day, and shall assist a runaway with reunification with the family or legal guardian when 
3.26 	required or appropriate.
3.27 	(b) The services provided at emergency shelters may include, but are not limited to:
3.28 	(1) family reunification services;
3.29 	(2) individual, family, and group counseling;
3.30 	(3) assistance obtaining clothing;
3.31 	(4) access to medical and dental care and mental health counseling;
3.32 	(5) education and employment services;
3.33 	(6) recreational activities;
3.34 	(7) advocacy and referral services;
3.35 	(8) independent living skills training;
3.36 	(9) after-care and follow-up services;
4.1 	(10) transportation; and
4.2 	(11) homelessness prevention.
4.3 		Subd. 6.Transitional living programs. Transitional living programs must help 
4.4 	homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness to find and maintain safe, dignified 
4.5 	housing. The program may also provide rental assistance and related supportive services, 
4.6 	or refer youth to other organizations or agencies that provide such services. The program 
4.7 	may be available to an individual for up to 24 consecutive months. Services provided 
4.8 	may include, but are not limited to:
4.9 	(1) educational assessment and referrals to educational programs;
4.10 	(2) career planning, employment, work skill training, and independent living skills 
4.11 	training;
4.12 	(3) job placement;
4.13 	(4) budgeting and money management;
4.14 	(5) assistance in securing housing appropriate to needs and income;
4.15 	(6) counseling regarding violence, prostitution, substance abuse, sexually transmitted 
4.16 	diseases, and pregnancy;
4.17 	(7) referral for medical services or chemical dependency treatment;
4.18 	(8) parenting skills;
4.19 	(9) self-sufficiency support services or life skill training;
4.20 	(10) after-care and follow-up services; and
4.21 	(11) homelessness prevention.

4.22 	Sec. 2. REPORT ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL CARE FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN 
4.23 	THE AGES OF TEN TO 15.
 4.24 	The commissioner of education, in consultation with the commissioners of human 
4.25 	services and public safety, shall provide a report to the legislature by January 20, 2007, 
4.26 	which surveys and analyzes out-of-school time opportunities for children ages ten to 
4.27 	15. The commissioner must gather information from urban, suburban, and rural areas 
4.28 	regarding where children go after their school day is over. Further, the commissioner 
4.29 	shall communicate with members of the community, parents of children ages ten to 15, 
4.30 	child care providers, middle school personnel, and other interested individuals to gather 
4.31 	information and develop positive, supervised out-of-school alternatives for children ages 
4.32 	ten to 15, in order to reduce the incidence of sexual activity, underage drinking and 
4.33 	smoking, use of illegal substances, and other criminal activity.

4.34 	Sec. 3. OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH DURING OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME.
 5.1 		Subdivision 1.Authorization. The commissioner of education shall approve up to 
5.2 	four pilot programs that provide out-of-school time opportunities for youth ages ten to 
5.3 	15. The programs must be located in at least one rural and one urban community, and the 
5.4 	other programs must be in school districts where there are few, if any, out-of-school time 
5.5 	opportunities for youth. The commissioner shall provide grants to the approved programs.
5.6 		Subd. 2.Program components. The program must provide a positive youth 
5.7 	community for youth ages ten to 15 and must include adult supervision.
5.8 	In developing the youth community, the program may include:
5.9 	(1) youth-mentoring-youth opportunities;
5.10 	(2) youth-tutoring-youth opportunities;
5.11 	(3) advocacy roles for youth;
5.12 	(4) youth field trips;
5.13 	(5) discussion groups on age-appropriate topics;
5.14 	(6) recreational or physical activities; and
5.15 	(7) other youth opportunities for learning and development.
5.16 		Subd. 3.Applications. An interested program provider may apply to the 
5.17 	commissioner for a grant to establish, maintain, or expand a program providing 
5.18 	out-of-school supervised opportunities for youth. The application must include:
5.19 	(1) a proposal for the provision of services;
5.20 	(2) a proposed budget;
5.21 	(3) evidence of the need of the applicant for state assistance and of the need for the 
5.22 	particular program; and
5.23 	(4) a plan for the collection of data to be used for program evaluation done by 
5.24 	the commissioner.
5.25 		Subd. 4.Program information. In order to collect data to better measure the nature 
5.26 	and extent of the need for out-of-school opportunities, grant recipients must collect and 
5.27 	make available to the commissioner the following information:
5.28 	(1) the average number of youth participating in out-of-school opportunities per 
5.29 	week;
5.30 	(2) reasons for seeking out-of-school opportunities;
5.31 	(3) popular or preferred components of the program, according to the youth, and 
5.32 	why those components are popular or preferred;
5.33 	(4) the need for support services and what type; and
5.34 	(5) other program information that the grant recipient determines is important in 
5.35 	developing statewide out-of-school opportunities for youth.

6.1 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION.
 6.2 	$....... is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2007, from the general 
6.3 	fund to the commissioner of human services for purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 
6.4 	256K.50.