H-1972.1                  _______________________________________________

                                             SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1859

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Brown, Leonard, Foreman, Karahalios, L. Johnson, Lemmon, Cothern, Long, King, Jones and Patterson)

Read first time 03/03/93.

Establishing short-term emergency services for runaways.

          AN ACT Relating to the establishment and operation of short-term emergency services including shelter for runaway and street youth; adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that adequate services are not available to runaway youth, and that the availability of timely and appropriate services for runaway youth is a critical factor in keeping these youth from moving to the streets.  The legislature further finds that local governments, private businesses, and charities are attempting to address this critical unmet need in many areas of the state.

          (2) It is the intent of section 2 of this act to forge a partnership between local governments, private businesses, charities, and the state to support the establishment and operation of short-term shelter programs in areas of the state experiencing extreme shortages of care for runaway and homeless youth.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

          The department of social and health services may award matching grants to local governments to help support the costs of operating short-term shelters established through local government and private funding.  In awarding matching grants, the department shall ensure funding for shelters is distributed on a geographically equitable basis.  Funds may be used to support staff necessary to operate and maintain short-term shelters.  Funds may not be used for capital expenditures.

          Local governments must demonstrate that the emergency shelters meet the following criteria:

          (1) Shelters will be drug and alcohol free at all times;

          (2) The length of stay for youth shall not exceed twenty days;

          (3) Counseling will be available to the youth staying in the shelters to assist them in reconciling with their families or in identifying appropriate alternative residential placement;

          (4) The shelters will maintain compliance with applicable licensing and state and local building codes;

          (5) Grants for the establishment, operation, or both, of short-term shelters shall be made competitively to local governments based on their commitment to supporting short-term housing and intervention services to runaway and homeless youth, demonstrated collaboration between youth serving organizations, commitments to support from private sources, and compliance with the assurances outlined in this section;

          (6) Fifty percent of the funding for shelters shall be community matching funds provided by private or public entities in the communities requesting funding.  Contributions of materials, supplies, physical facilities, or volunteer time may be considered as all or part of the funding provided by the community.  Federal funds may be used as match for the purposes of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

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