ASSEMBLY, No. 205

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

 

 

By Assemblywomen WEINBERG and TURNER

 

 

An Act concerning the provision of counseling and child care services to teenage parents.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. a. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish a pilot program in three counties whereby the Division of Youth and Family Services shall enter into a contract with a community-based organization for the purpose of providing counseling and child care services to teenage parents who are attending school on a regular basis.

    b. The pilot program shall be established in three counties, one each in the northern, central and southern regions of the State. The commissioner shall monitor and evaluate the program during the first year after its establishment and determine whether the use of community-based organizations to provide counseling and child care services to teenage parents should be expanded throughout the State.

    c. The commissioner shall develop standards concerning the qualifications and responsibilities of the community-based organizations that may enter into contracts with the division, the administration of the pilot program, and the provision of services including client eligibility and alternative funding sources.

 

    2. The commissioner shall report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after the effective date of this act on the activities of the program and present recommendations for expanding the program Statewide, as appropriate.

 

    3. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act" P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Human Services shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.


    4. This act shall take effect immediately and expire one year after enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill requires that the Commissioner of Human Services establish a pilot program in three counties whereby the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) would enter into contracts with community-based organizations to provide counseling and child care services to teenage parents. The bill requires the pilot program to be established in three counties located in the northern, central and southern regions of the State and the Commissioner of Human Services would be required to monitor and evaluate the program during the first year after its establishment. The bill also requires that the Department of Human Services adopt standards concerning the qualifications and responsibilities of the community-based organizations allowed to enter into contracts with DYFS, the administration of the pilot program and the provision of services including client eligibility and alternate funding sources.

 

 

 

Establishes a pilot program for teenage parents in DYFS.