BILL NUMBER: AB 2186	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 1, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Grove

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2012

   An act to add Chapter 1.4 (commencing with Section 1945) to
Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and to repeal
Chapter 1614 of the Statutes of 1984, relating to the Youth Emergency
Telephone Referral Project.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2186, as amended, Grove. Youth Emergency Telephone Referral
Project.
   Existing uncodified law establishes the Youth Emergency Telephone
Referral Project, in the Office of Criminal Justice Planning, to be
headquartered in Sacramento, as specified. Existing law provides that
the Office of Criminal Justice Planning may directly implement the
project, or may contract with nonprofit corporations, as specified,
for administration of the project.
   This bill would recast and codify these  uncodified
 provisions of law establishing the project and stating the
intent of the Legislature in that regard. The bill would establish
the project in the California Emergency Management Agency, and would
provide that the agency may directly implement the project, or may
 administer competitively awarded grants awarded to 
 contract with California  nonprofit corporations to do so,
as specified. The bill would delete the provisions requiring the
project  to  be headquartered in Sacramento.  This bill
would also clarify that the project's services, as specified, are
available to youth who are at risk of running away from home or
becoming homeless, or who have run away from home or are homeless.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 1.4 (commencing with Section 1945) is added to
Division 2.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 1.4.  YOUTH EMERGENCY TELEPHONE REFERRAL PROJECT


   1945.  The Legislature finds and declares that the problem of
runaway children is one of major significance, causing great
suffering both for parents, who often do not know whether their child
is alive, as well as for the runaways themselves, as they often are
young, impressionable children, who are frequently the victims of
crime, including forced prostitution, drug abuse, and death.
   1946.  (a) There is, administered by the California Emergency
Management Agency, the Youth Emergency Telephone Referral Project.
The agency may directly implement the project or may 
administer grants that shall be awarded pursuant to a request for
application process. Grants shall be competitively awarded to
nonprofit corporations that can most efficiently and effectively meet
the following mandated objectives   contract with any
California nonprofit corporation to implement the project. The
project shall  :
   (1) Provide a statewide 24-hour youth emergency telephone hotline
for  homeless or runaway  youth  who are at risk
of running away from home or becoming homeless, or who have run away
from home or are homeless  .
   (2) Provide  counseling and  referrals to appropriate
services to  homeless or runaway  youth  who are
at risk of running away from home or becoming homeless, or who have
run away from   home or are homeless  who call the
hotline, for shelter, meals, clothing, counseling, and other services
necessary for their well-being.
   (3) Provide  a free, nonthreatening  24-hour telephone
crisis counseling by trained volunteer or paid staff for 
homeless or runaway  youth  who are at risk of running
away from home or becoming homeless, or who have run away from home
or are homeless  .  Counseling provided to a caller shall be
confidential, unless it is determined that the health and safety of
the caller is at risk and that   contact with local law
enforcement or medical services is necessary. 
   (4) Serve as a message center for  homeless or runaway
 youth  who are at risk of running away from home or
becoming homeless, or who have run away from home or are homeless
 who wish to communicate with their parents or guardians.
   (b) The agency shall supervise the  grant recipients
  contracted California nonprofit corporations  ,
as needed, to ensure compliance with the objectives of this chapter.
   (c) The agency shall, in conjunction with providers of telephone
service, establish and implement a statewide toll-free telephone
number to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The agency shall
use the provider of telephone services that, in the opinion of the
agency, provides the most efficient services at the lowest cost.
   (d) The agency shall publicize the existence of the referral
service through the print and electronic media, including, but not
limited to, the use of television and radio public service
announcements, brochures, newspaper announcements, posters, bumper
stickers, and agreements for the provision of publicity, free of
charge, by private entities.
   (e) The agency shall cooperate with other services of this kind
throughout the United States, or existing local services in
California, with the goal of aiding, rather that preempting, these
services.
  SEC. 2.  Chapter 1614 of the Statutes of 1984 is repealed.