BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to requiring community networks to emphasize youth job training and employment; and amending RCW 70.190.050, 70.190.070, 70.190.080, and 43.41.195.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 70.190.050 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 207 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The Washington state institute for public policy shall conduct or contract for monitoring and tracking of the implementation of chapter 7, Laws of 1994 sp. sess. to determine whether these efforts result in a measurable reduction of violence. The institute shall also conduct or contract for an evaluation of the effectiveness of the community public health and safety networks in reducing the rate of at-risk youth through reducing risk factors ((~~and~~)), increasing protective factors, and increasing youth job readiness and employment opportunities. The evaluation plan shall result in statistically valid evaluation at both state-wide and community levels. The evaluation plan shall be submitted to the governor and appropriate legislative committees by July 1, 1995.

(2) Starting five years after the initial grant to a community network, if the community network fails to meet the outcome standards and goals in any two consecutive years, the institute shall make recommendations to the legislature concerning whether the funds received by that community network should revert back to the originating agency. In making this determination, the institute shall consider the adequacy of the level of intervention relative to the risk factors in the community and any external events having a significant impact on risk factors or outcomes.

(3) The outcomes required under this chapter ((~~and~~)), and the outcome evaluation of the community networks, shall be based on, but not limited to, social development standards and measures established by the department of health under RCW 43.70.555 ((~~shall be used in conducting the outcome evaluation of the community networks~~)).

Sec. 2. RCW 70.190.070 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 304 are each amended to read as follows:

The community public health and safety networks shall:

(1) Review state and local public health data and analysis relating to risk factors, protective factors, and at-risk children and youth;

(2) Prioritize the risk factors and protective factors to reduce the likelihood of their children and youth being at risk. The priorities shall be based upon public health data and assessment and policy development standards provided by the department of health under RCW 43.70.555;

(3) Develop long-term comprehensive plans to reduce the rate of at-risk children and youth; ((~~set~~)) and increase the job readiness and employment opportunities for at-risk youth. The plans shall include definitive, measurable goals, based ((~~upon~~)) on relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the department of health standards; and ((~~project their desired~~)) projected outcomes;

(4) ((~~Distribute funds to local programs that reflect the locally established priorities and as provided in RCW 70.190.140;~~)) Distribute (a) funds to local programs that reflect the locally established priorities; and (b) twenty-five percent of available funds for programs provided for under RCW 70.190.080(3);

(5) Comply with outcome-based standards;

(6) Cooperate with the department of health and local boards of health to provide data and determine outcomes; and

(7) Coordinate its efforts with anti-drug use efforts and organizations and maintain a high priority for combatting drug use by at-risk youth.

Sec. 3. RCW 70.190.080 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 305 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The community network's plan may include a program to provide postsecondary scholarships to at-risk students who: (a) Are community role models under criteria established by the community network; (b) successfully complete high school; and (c) maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average throughout high school. Funding for the scholarships may include public and private sources.

(2) The community network's plan may also include funding of community-based home visitor programs which are designed to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect ((~~with [within]~~)) within the network. Parents shall sign a voluntary authorization for services, which may be withdrawn at any time. The program may provide parents with education and support either in parents' homes or in other locations comfortable for parents, beginning with the birth of their first baby. The program may make the following services available to the families:

(a) Visits for all expectant or new parents, either at the parent's home or another location with which the parent is comfortable;

(b) Screening before or soon after the birth of a child to assess the family's strengths and goals and define areas of concern in consultation with the family;

(d) Parenting and family support information and referral;

(e) Parent support groups; and

(f) Service coordination for individual families, and assistance with accessing services, provided in a manner that ensures that individual families have only one individual or agency to which they look for service coordination. Where appropriate for a family, service coordination may be conducted through interdisciplinary or interagency teams.

These programs are intended to be voluntary for the parents involved.

(3) The community network ((~~may~~)) shall include funding of:

(a) At-risk youth job placement and training programs. The programs shall:

(i) Identify and recruit at-risk youth for local job opportunities;

(ii) Provide skills and needs assessments for each youth recruited;

(iii) Provide career and occupational counseling to each youth recruited;

(iv) Identify businesses willing to provide employment and training opportunities for at-risk youth;

(v) Match each youth recruited with a business that meets his or her skills and training needs;

(vi) Provide employment and training opportunities that prepare the individual for demand occupations; and

(vii) Include, to the extent possible, collaboration of business, labor, education and training, community organizations, and local government;

(b) Employment assistance, including job development, school-to-work placement, employment readiness training, basic skills, apprenticeships, job mentoring, and private sector and community service employment;

(c) Education assistance, including tutoring, mentoring, interactions with role models, entrepreneurial education and projects, violence prevention training, safe school strategies, and employment reentry assistance services((;)).

((~~(d)~~)) (4) The community network may include funding of:

(a) Peer-to-peer, group, and individual counseling, including crisis intervention, for at-risk youth and their parents;

((~~(e)~~)) (b) Youth coalitions that provide opportunities to develop leadership skills and gain appropriate respect, recognition, and rewards for their positive contribution to their community;

((~~(f)~~)) (c) Technical assistance to applicants to increase their organizational capacity and to improve the likelihood of a successful application; and

((~~(g)~~)) (d) Technical assistance and training resources to successful applicants.

Sec. 4. RCW 43.41.195 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 319 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The office of financial management, in consultation with affected parties, shall establish a fund distribution formula for determining allocations to the community networks authorized under RCW 70.190.130. The formula shall reflect the local needs assessment for at-risk children and consider:

(a) The number of arrests and convictions for juvenile violent offenses;

(b) The number of arrests and convictions for crimes relating to juvenile drug offenses and alcohol-related offenses;

(d) The number of child and teenage suicides and attempted suicides; and

(e) The high school graduation rate.

(2) In developing the formula, the office of financial management shall reserve five percent of the funds for the purpose of rewarding community networks.

(3) The reserve fund shall be used by the council to reward community networks that show exceptional reductions in: State-funded out-of-home placements, violent criminal acts by juveniles, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and male parentage, teen suicide attempts, youth unemployment, or school dropout rates.

(4) The office of financial management shall submit the distribution formula to the family policy council and to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 20, 1994.