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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of an evidence-based youth |
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development competitive grant pilot program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Adolescent" means a person who is at least 12 |
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years of age but younger than 18 years of age. |
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(2) "Department" means the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services. |
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SECTION 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH |
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DEVELOPMENT COMPETITIVE GRANT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The department |
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shall establish an evidence-based youth development competitive |
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grant pilot program to award grants for the implementation, |
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expansion, and operation of evidence-based youth development |
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programs designed to provide information and guidance for not more |
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than a total of 75 adolescents in making healthy and beneficial life |
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choices. |
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(b) The pilot program shall be located in Bexar County and |
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serve regions that are: |
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(1) located in zip codes in which the school-age birth |
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rate is at least three times the national school-age birth rate; and |
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(2) served by one or more school districts in which: |
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(A) at least 90 percent of the student population |
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is economically disadvantaged; and |
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(B) the annual dropout rate for grades 7 through |
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12 is greater than five percent. |
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SECTION 3. EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM |
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REQUIREMENTS. (a) An evidence-based youth development program |
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funded through a grant awarded under this Act must: |
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(1) target adolescents who: |
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(A) are at risk of becoming pregnant or causing |
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an unplanned pregnancy or already have a child; |
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(B) are at risk of engaging in delinquent conduct |
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or conduct indicating a need for supervision, as those terms are |
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defined by Section 51.03, Family Code; |
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(C) are students at risk of dropping out of |
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school as defined by Section 29.081(d), Education Code; |
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(D) live in foster care or in a facility operated |
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by the state; or |
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(E) live in economically disadvantaged |
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circumstances; |
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(2) feature a curriculum that is appropriate for |
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adolescents and that has been demonstrated to reduce school dropout |
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and adolescent pregnancy rates; |
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(3) include a community service component of not fewer |
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than 20 hours; |
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(4) include at least one activity session or group |
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discussion each week; and |
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(5) cover a wide variety of developmental topics of |
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interest to adolescents, including: |
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(A) development of values and good judgment; |
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(B) communication and assertiveness; |
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(C) healthy relationships; |
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(D) influence of others and peer pressure; |
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(E) goal-setting; |
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(F) decision-making; |
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(G) development and human sexuality; |
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(H) preparation for participation in community |
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service activities; |
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(I) community service learning; and |
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(J) group reflection on community service |
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experiences. |
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(b) An evidence-based youth development program that |
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receives a grant under this Act must use grant funding to operate |
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during a nine-month period beginning not earlier than August 1, |
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2010, and not later than September 30, 2010. |
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SECTION 4. APPLICATION. (a) A public or private entity, |
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including a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of |
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this state, may apply for a grant under this Act by submitting a |
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written application to the department on a form prescribed by the |
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department. |
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(b) The application prescribed by the department must: |
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(1) require the applicant to provide data on the |
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number of adolescents who will receive assistance through the |
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program; |
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(2) describe the ongoing monitoring and evaluation |
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process to which a grant recipient is subject, including the |
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recipient's obligation to collect and provide information |
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requested by the department; and |
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(3) require the applicant to provide other relevant |
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information as determined by the department. |
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SECTION 5. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IN AWARDING GRANTS. |
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In determining whether to award a grant under this Act, the |
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department shall consider: |
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(1) the applicant's ability to: |
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(A) participate in ongoing monitoring and |
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performance evaluations, including the applicant's ability to |
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collect and provide information required by the department; |
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(B) adhere to the evidence-based youth |
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development program operating and performance standards; and |
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(C) develop broad-based community support for |
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implementing or expanding an evidence-based youth development |
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program, as applicable; and |
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(2) the applicant's history of developing and |
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sustaining innovative, high-quality programs that meet the needs of |
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families and communities. |
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SECTION 6. EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM |
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STANDARDS. The commissioner of the department, in accordance with |
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the goals and requirements established by this Act, shall adopt |
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standards for an evidence-based youth development program awarded a |
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grant under this Act. |
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SECTION 7. USE OF AWARDED GRANT FUNDS. The grant funds |
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awarded under this Act may be used only to cover costs related to |
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implementing, expanding, or operating an evidence-based youth |
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development program during a nine-month period beginning not |
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earlier than August 1, 2010, and not later than September 30, 2010, |
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including costs related to: |
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(1) administering the program, including: |
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(A) appropriate local site selection; and |
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(B) required evaluation and quality monitoring; |
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(2) training and managing staff; |
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(3) paying staff salaries and expenses; and |
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(4) paying for program facilities and equipment. |
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SECTION 8. EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM |
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MONITORING AND EVALUATION; COMMITTEE REPORT. (a) The commissioner |
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of the department shall adopt performance indicators designed to |
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measure a grant recipient's performance with respect to the |
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evidence-based youth development program standards adopted by the |
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commissioner under Section 6 of this Act. |
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(b) The department shall use the performance indicators to |
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monitor and evaluate the performance of each grant recipient. |
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(c) Not later than November 1, 2011, the department shall |
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submit a report to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, |
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or its successor, and the House Human Services Committee, or its |
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successor, regarding the performance of each grant recipient with |
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respect to providing evidence-based youth development program |
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services, including: |
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(1) the number of low-income adolescents served by an |
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evidence-based youth development program and, of that number, the |
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number of adolescents who subsequently became pregnant or caused a |
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pregnancy; and |
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(2) any other information required by the department. |
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(d) On request, each grant recipient shall timely collect |
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and provide data and any other information required by the |
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department to monitor and evaluate the recipient or to prepare the |
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report required by this section. |
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SECTION 9. EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COMPETITIVE |
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GRANT PILOT PROGRAM FUNDING. (a) The department may actively seek |
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and apply for any available federal funds or grants from any source |
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to assist in financing the competitive grant pilot program |
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established under this Act. |
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(b) The department may use appropriated funds and may accept |
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gifts, donations, and grants of money from the federal government, |
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local governments, private corporations, or other persons to assist |
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in financing the competitive grant pilot program. |
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SECTION 10. EXPIRATION. This Act expires December 31, |
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2011. |
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SECTION 11. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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September 1, 2009. |