Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services to Design a Mentoring Program for Youth Who Have Extended Care and Support Agreements with the Department
Summary
LD 802 is a resolve directing the Department of Health and Human Services to use an existing contract with the Youth Leadership Advisory Team at the University of Southern Maine to study and recommend options for a mentoring program for youth who have extended care and support agreements with DHHS under Title 22, section 4037-A. The contract would be increased by $20,000 to support evaluation of evidence-based mentoring models, with an emphasis on transition support for youth aging out of or moving beyond extended care.
The bill requires the proposed mentoring program to include training requirements for mentors, staff, and youth, along with multiple data collection points and data analysis. It also requires the Youth Leadership Advisory Team to consult directly with youth who currently have, or previously had, extended care and support agreements, and to provide compensation for youth participation, including supplies and travel. DHHS must submit a report to the Legislature by January 2, 2027, containing recommendations, youth viewpoints, and the department’s response, and the relevant legislative committee may then introduce follow-up legislation in 2027.
Impact
The resolve does not immediately create a statewide mentoring program in statute; instead, it funds a planning and evaluation process through an existing DHHS contract and adds a one-time General Fund appropriation of $20,000 for fiscal year 2025-26. Its main legal effect is to direct DHHS to study program options, consult affected youth, and report back to the Legislature, potentially leading to future legislation affecting services for youth in extended care and support agreements under Title 22, section 4037-A.
Sentiment
The available record suggests a generally supportive and constructive approach to the bill, with the Legislature approving it and the Governor signing it into law as Chapter 112. The structure of the resolve—focused on research, youth input, and a later report rather than immediate program mandates—indicates a consensus-oriented effort to improve transition supports for a vulnerable youth population.
Contention
No committee transcript or recorded vote history is provided, so there is no documented opposition in the supplied materials. The only likely areas of policy discussion are the scope of the mentoring model, the use of public funds for a planning contract, and how much authority should be given to DHHS versus requiring a more immediate program rollout. The bill addresses these concerns by limiting the appropriation to a modest one-time amount and by requiring evidence-based recommendations before any broader implementation.
An Act to Update Juvenile Justice System Reporting Requirements and to Direct the Department of Corrections and the Department of Health and Human Services to Study Modifying the Long Creek Youth Development Center
relative to access to rural maternal health care and directing the department of health and human services to develop a rural maternal health care delivery pilot program.
Urging The Department Of Education, In Collaboration With The Department Of Health And Office Of Wellness And Resilience, To Establish A Statewide Peer Counselor Program To Address Youth Loneliness And Social Disconnection In Hawaii's Schools.