SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 6527

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRADE, TECHNOLOGY

           & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FEBRUARY 2, 1994

Brief Description:  Requiring an at‑risk youth job placement and training program.

SPONSORS: Senators Sheldon, Erwin, Skratek, M. Rasmussen, Oke and Franklin

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRADE, TECHNOLOGY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6527 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

     Signed by Senators Skratek, Chairman; Sheldon, Vice Chairman; Bluechel, Erwin, M. Rasmussen and Williams.

Staff:  Jack Brummel (786‑7428)

Hearing Dates: January 27, 1994; February 2, 1994

BACKGROUND:

At-risk youth are those young people who are more likely than other youth to become school dropouts or teen parents, abuse alcohol or drugs, engage in gang-related or criminal behavior, or commit suicide.  Educators and social workers assert that they can identify at-risk youth and, with appropriate intervention, decrease the likelihood of deviant behavior and increased costs to the state. 

At-risk youth are less likely than other youth to have job skills and job opportunities.  Providing such skills and opportunities is one intervention advocated by many juvenile experts.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development is to operate an at-risk youth job placement and training program which provides grants to local groups.  The local groups are to use the grants to match at-risk youth with businesses willing to provide the youth with employment and training.  The grant recipients are also to provide skills and needs assessments and occupational counseling for at-risk youth.  A selection panel is to assist in the development of the grant application form and is to select successful applicants.

Groups eligible for the grant include nonprofits, schools, business associations, unions, local governments and PICs.  Evidence of local collaboration, commitment of matching funds, and preparation of at-risk youth for demand occupations will merit additional consideration during selection of applicants.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

DCTED is to develop and operate an at-risk youth prevention and intervention program with at least one-half of the funds going to employment assistance and the remainder going to a variety of activities including education assistance, counseling, crisis intervention, leadership development, and parental support.  The program will fund local projects proposed by community groups, school districts, juvenile institutions, Indian tribes, private industry councils, youth organizations, and local governments.

The Director of the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation (DJR) and the several school districts serving juvenile institutions are to operate a job skills training program to provide youth with skills necessary to locate, compete for, and maintain employment.  DJR and the schools are to assure that educational programs are occupationally based and provide skills that are transferable to the job market.  In addition, they are to work with local business organizations and provide institutional work experience. 

The design and operation of the job skills training program is to be carried out in consultation with the Employment Security Department, the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.  Schools are to make vocational education opportunities available to each residential school student between the ages of 14 and 21.  DJR is to provide the support services and facilities necessary for the job skills training program.

$1.5 million is appropriated for the at-risk youth job placement and training program.  $2 million is appropriated for the at-risk youth prevention and intervention program.  $300,000 is appropriated for the jobs skills training program for juvenile offenders.

Appropriation:  $3.8 million

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note: requested January 26, 1994

TESTIMONY FOR:

At community forums the major request was to focus the youth agenda on training and jobs for youth.  This bill represents a private-public partnership to solve a pressing social problem.

Work is an important element in meeting the needs of at-risk youth.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Meg Van Schoorl, DCD; Tom Lopp, OSPI; Ellen O'Brien Saunders, Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board