HOUSE BILL 981321
BY REPRESENTATIVES G. Berry, Dyer, K. Alexander, Bacon, George, Kaufman, Reeser, Smith, Takis, Udall, S. Williams, T. Williams, Chavez, Epps, Gotlieb, Hagedorn, Keller, Mace, Nichol, and Romero;
also SENATORS Hopper, Linkhart, B. Alexander,
Bishop, Reeves, Hernandez, Martinez, Pascoe, Rupert, Tanner, and
Wham.
CONCERNING YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State
of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Part
28 of article 32 of title 24, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended
BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
24322805. "Colorado
Youth Mentoring Services Act". (1) Short
title. THIS SECTION SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE
"COLORADO YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES ACT".
(2) Legislative declaration. (a) THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS AND DECLARES THAT MENTORING PROGRAMS
SUCH AS BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS, AND PARTNERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE
IN COLORADO FOR MANY YEARS. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT NATIONAL
RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT STRUCTURED MENTORING PROGRAMS ARE
EFFECTIVE TOOLS IN COMBATING YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND YOUTH CRIME
AND VIOLENCE. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS, BASED UPON
RECENT NATIONAL RESEARCH RESULTS, THAT ATRISK YOUTH WHO
ARE MATCHED IN A MINIMUM OF YEARLONG MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS
ARE LESS LIKELY TO BECOME INVOLVED IN SUBSTANCE AND ALCOHOL ABUSE,
LESS LIKELY TO BE TRUANT, LESS LIKELY TO COMMIT VIOLENT ACTS AGAINST
OTHER PERSONS, AND MORE LIKELY TO SHOW IMPROVEMENTS IN ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE AND POSITIVE PEER RELATIONS.
(b) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS
THAT, DESPITE THE POSITIVE RESULTS THAT MAY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH
STRUCTURED YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMS, AS MANY AS THIRTYEIGHT
COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF COLORADO DO NOT HAVE THE ORGANIZATIONAL
RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT SUCCESSFUL MENTORING PROGRAMS
OR LACK THE ADULT VOLUNTEERS TO ESTABLISH SUCH PROGRAMS OR BOTH.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT EVEN COUNTIES IN WHICH THERE
ARE ESTABLISHED YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMS, SUCH PROGRAMS ARE UNABLE
TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR MENTORS AND THAT SUCH ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS
HAVE WAITING LISTS THAT EXCEED TWO THOUSAND YOUTHS.
(c) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THEREFORE DECLARES
AND DETERMINES THAT THE PROVISION OF YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES
THAT WOULD USE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES TO RECRUIT, TRAIN,
SCREEN, AND SUPERVISE ADULT VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AS MENTORS FOR
ATRISK YOUTH WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS
OF THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO.
(3) Definition. FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ATRISK YOUTH" MEANS
A PERSON WHO IS AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OF AGE BUT WHO IS LESS THAN
EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND WHO IS CHALLENGED BY SUCH RISK FACTORS
AS POVERTY, RESIDENCE IN A SUBSTANCEABUSING HOUSEHOLD, FAMILY
CONFLICT, ASSOCIATION WITH PEERS WHO COMMIT CRIMES, RESIDENCE
IN A SINGLEPARENT HOUSEHOLD, EXHIBITION OF INDICIA OF DELINQUENT
BEHAVIOR, OR BEING THE VICTIM OF CHILD ABUSE.
(4) Provision of youth mentoring services. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED THE COLORADO YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING STATE FUNDING FOR THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITYBASED YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES THAT TARGET ATRISK YOUTHS IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND TO DECREASE THE INCIDENTS OF YOUTH CRIME AND VIOLENCE. SUCH FUNDING SHALL BE USED TO PROVIDE NEW MENTORING SERVICES IN COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE EXISTING MENTORING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS TO ENHANCE ESTABLISHED COMMUNITYBASED YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE.
(5) Administration duties of
contracting entities. (a) TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR MONEYS
FROM THE YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES CASH FUND CREATED IN SUBSECTION
(6) OF THIS SECTION, FOR THE PROVISION OF YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES,
AN ENTITY SHALL APPLY TO THE BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIMELINES
AND GUIDELINES ADOPTED BY THE BOARD PURSUANT TO SECTION 24322802
AND SHALL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SUBSECTION
(5).
(b) THE ENTITIES THAT ARE SELECTED BY
THE BOARD TO PROVIDE COMMUNITYBASED YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES
SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR:
(I) ACTIVELY RECRUITING QUALIFIED AND
APPROPRIATE ADULT VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE AS YOUTH
MENTORS FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN ONE YEAR AND TO COMMIT TO
SPENDING AN AVERAGE OF THREE HOURS PER WEEK WITH THE ATRISK
YOUTH;
(II) EFFECTIVELY SCREENING ADULT VOLUNTEERS
TO SERVE AS MENTORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CONDUCTING CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS OF SUCH ADULT VOLUNTEERS;
(III) PROVIDING TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT
TO ADULT VOLUNTEERS TO PREPARE THEM TO SERVE IN ONEYEAR
MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ATRISK YOUTHS;
(IV) CAREFULLY MATCHING EACH ADULT VOLUNTEER
WITH AN ATRISK YOUTH BASED UPON THE UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS
OF THE ADULT VOLUNTEER AND THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE YOUTH;
(V) SUPERVISING CLOSELY AND THROUGH CASE
MANAGERS THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ADULT VOLUNTEER AND THE MUTUAL
BENEFITS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP;
(VI) MAKING AVAILABLE LIFE SKILL WORKSHOPS,
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES TO
THE ATRISK YOUTH AND ADULT VOLUNTEER;
(VII) IMPLEMENTING A METHOD OF EVALUATING
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMUNITYBASED YOUTH MENTORING
PROGRAM AND TRACKING THE YOUTHS SERVED BY THE PROGRAM TO EVALUATE
THE IMPACT OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH THE PROGRAM; AND
(VIII) REPORTING ANNUALLY TO THE BOARD
CONCERNING THE RESULTS OF THE ENTITY'S EVALUATION OF YOUTHS SERVED
BY THE COMMUNITYBASED YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM AS WELL AS
THE FISCAL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE ENTITY TO THE PROGRAM AND
SUCH OTHER INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD MAY REQUIRE.
(c) COMMUNITYBASED ORGANIZATIONS
MAY OBTAIN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDS, GRANTS, GIFTS, OR DONATIONS
FOR YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMS. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF LOCAL AFFAIRS IS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND ON BEHALF
OF THE STATE ANY FUNDS, GRANTS, GIFTS, OR DONATIONS FROM ANY PRIVATE
OR PUBLIC SOURCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS SECTION,
EXCEPT THAT NO GRANT OR DONATION SHALL BE ACCEPTED IF THE CONDITIONS
ATTACHED TO THE GRANT OR DONATION REQUIRE THE EXPENDITURE THEREOF
IN A MANNER CONTRARY TO LAW.
(d) ENTITIES SELECTED TO RECEIVE GRANTS
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION FOR THE PROVISION OF YOUTH MENTORING
SERVICES SHALL MATCH ANY GRANT RECEIVED WITH A CONTRIBUTION THAT
IS THE EQUIVALENT OF TWENTY PERCENT OF THE GRANT AWARDED.
(6) Youth mentoring services cash fund.
THERE IS HEREBY CREATED IN THE STATE TREASURY THE YOUTH MENTORING
SERVICES CASH FUND. THE MONEYS IN THE YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES
CASH FUND SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ANNUAL APPROPRIATION BY THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY FOR THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAIRS IS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT ON BEHALF
OF THE STATE ANY GRANTS, GIFTS, OR DONATIONS FROM ANY PRIVATE
OR PUBLIC SOURCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION. ALL PRIVATE
AND PUBLIC FUNDS RECEIVED THROUGH GRANTS, GIFTS, OR DONATIONS
SHALL BE TRANSMITTED TO THE STATE TREASURER, WHO SHALL CREDIT
THE SAME TO THE YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES CASH FUND. ALL INVESTMENT
EARNINGS DERIVED FROM THE DEPOSIT AND INVESTMENT OF MONEYS IN
THE FUND SHALL REMAIN IN THE FUND AND SHALL NOT BE TRANSFERRED
OR REVERT TO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE AT THE END OF ANY FISCAL
YEAR.
SECTION 2.
24322801, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY
THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION to read:
24322801. Youth crime prevention
and intervention program creation standards
applications. (7) ENTITIES
SEEKING TO PROVIDE YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES OR TO ENHANCE EXISTING
YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAMS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
TO THE BOARD FOR GRANTS DIRECTLY FROM THE YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION
AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM, IN ADDITION TO ANY FUNDING THE ENTITIES
MAY BE SEEKING FROM THE YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES CASH FUND PURSUANT
TO SECTION 24322805 (6), TO ESTABLISH OR ENHANCE YOUTH
MENTORING PROGRAMS. ENTITIES SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS
DIRECTLY FROM THE YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION NEED NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION
24322805 (5) (b).
SECTION 3. Safety
clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and
declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public peace, health, and safety.
____________________________ ____________________________
Charles E. Berry Tom Norton
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
____________________________ ____________________________
Judith M. Rodrigue Patricia K. Dicks
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
APPROVED________________________________________
_________________________________________
Roy Romer
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO