BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2186
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 24, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Jim Beall Jr., Chair
AB 2186 (Grove) - As Amended: March 29, 2012
SUBJECT : Youth Emergency Telephone Referral Network
SUMMARY : Recasts and codifies the Youth Emergency Telephone
Referral (YETR) Project and requires the California Emergency
Management Agency (CalEMA) to either administer the YETR Project
directly or as a grant program issued through a competitive
bidding process. Specifically, this bill :
1)Allows the CalEMA to administer the YETR Project as a program
within the agency or competitively award it to a non-profit
organization through a competitive bidding process.
2)Requires the YETR Project to:
a) Operate a statewide 24-hour youth emergency telephone
hotline for homeless or runaway youth;
b) Provide access to trained volunteer or paid counselors
for youth who call into the emergency telephone hotline;
c) Provide referrals for youth who call the emergency
telephone hotline to appropriate services that provide
shelter, meals, clothing, counseling or other related or
necessary services; and,
d) Serve as a message center for homeless or runaway youth
who wish to communicate with their parent or guardian;
3)Provides that, if CalEMA issues the YETR Project through a
competitively bid grant process, it shall oversee the grant
recipients to ensure compliance with program requirements and
objectives.
4)Requires CalEMA or its grantee to establish and operate a
24-hour statewide toll-free emergency telephone number, which
shall be provided by a telephone services provider that can
provide the most efficient services at the lowest cost.
5)Requires CalEMA or its grantee to publicize the emergency
AB 2186
Page 2
telephone hotline via print and electronic media.
6)Requires CalEMA or its grantee to cooperate with other like
services, including local, statewide or national services in
order to coordinate and aide in the provision of services for
homeless or runaway youth.
7)Deletes the requirement that the YETR Project be headquartered
in Sacramento.
EXISTING LAW
1) Finds and declares that the problem of runaway children
is one of major significance, causing great suffering both
for parents, which can cause uncertainty and worry, and
result in runaways becoming the victims of crime, including
forced prostitution, drug abuse, and death.
2) Establishes the YETR Project to serve as a free and
non-threatening telephone referral service for runaways and
homeless youth that provides referrals for available
resources, including medical, meals, clothing and other
related services.
3) Requires the YETR Project to be headquartered in
Sacramento in facilities owned or leased by the state. If
located in leased space, the rate paid shall not exceed the
least amount paid for state leased facilities.
4) If issued to a grantee, the CalEMA is required to
utilize the provider that can provide the most efficient
services at the lowest cost.
5) Requires the YETR Project to publicize the telephone
line through print and electronic media, including
television and radio.
6) Requires the YETR Project to cooperate and coordinate
with other local, state and national services so as to aide
rather than preempt other like services.
7) Provides for an annual General Fund allocation of
$200,000 to the CalEMA to administer the Project and
requires CalEMA to seek federal and private funding to
AB 2186
Page 3
assist in funding the purposes of the program.
8) Allows CalEMA to retain ten percent of the funds
appropriated for administrative costs should it decide to
administer the YETR Project directly.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Background
The Legislature has historically found and declared that the
identification of services for at-risk youth is a priority for
the state. Numerous studies have documented the increasing
challenges youth face in society, from substance abuse, crime,
victimization and gangs to unhealthy or abusive home
environments. These influences at a young age can lead to youth
being put at greater risk of abuse and neglect, which, if not
addressed through counseling, mentorship or other like supports,
can lead to minors running away from home, engaging in drug or
substance abuse, become homeless and or lead to their death.
In an effort to provide a free and welcoming resource for youth
who have run away from home or have become homeless, the
Legislature passed AB 3075 (Chacon) Chapter 1614, Statutes of
1984. This measure established the YETR Project to provide a
welcoming and free telephone hotline for runaway or homeless
youth to connect with local services, such as a shelter,
counseling, access to a warm meal, or a way to communicate with
their parent or guardian. AB 3075 requires the appropriation of
$200,000 from the state General Fund to provide for the
administration and operation of the program. Additionally, AB
3075 did not codify these provisions.
Originally placed in the Office of Criminal Justice Planning
(OCJP), the YETR Project was awarded through a competitive grant
process to the California Coalition for Youth (CCY) in 1987.
The OCJP was abolished in the 2003 Budget Act and had a number
of its duties and responsibilities, including the YETR Project,
transferred to CalEMA. Under CalEMA grant requirements,
grantees must provide two programs reports a year, are subject
to periodic site visits, and more thorough monitoring visits to
ensure programmatic compliance. If a grantee is found to be out
of compliance with grant requirements, CalEMA may issue via
competitive bid the grant to find another entity. According to
AB 2186
Page 4
CalEMA, the YETR Project Grant was never reissued for public bid
because the CCY has effectively and efficiently administered the
program on an annual basis. Additionally, the CCY recently
underwent a CalEMA monitoring visit whereby they were found to
be operating the program effectively and efficiently, and remain
in good standing.
Although the YETR Project is required to be appropriated
$200,000 annually, it has received appropriations greater than
that amount. In the 2001-02 fiscal year the program was
supported with $338,000 when state budget revenues were higher.
However, due to declining state revenues and the emerging state
budget shortfall, funding for the YETR project was steadily
reduced between 2002 and 2010. Currently, the YETR Project is
appropriated $114,000 in state General Funds.
According to CalEMA, these budget reductions resulted in a
reduction in staff and a decreased call volume. In response,
the CCY has worked to raise additional private funds to help
offset budget reductions that began in 2002-03. In the 2009-10
fiscal year, the CalEMA, in coordination with the CCY, was able
to allocate an additional $100,000 in federal Victims of Crime
Act (VOCA) funds to help offset the impacts of these budget
reductions. This enabled the CCY to rehire laid off staff and
provide graveyard shift counselors. According to the CCY, under
the current funding amount, they are able to serve an average of
21,000 calls annually with predominantly an all-volunteer staff.
Since 2009, due to budget cuts, the YETR Project has
transitioned to an all-volunteer staff, where in-kind donation
hours annually amount to over $100,000.
Need for this bill
According to the author, this bill is necessary to codify these
provisions to enhance greater public awareness and
accountability over the program, open the program up to
competitive bidding and remove the obsolete requirement that the
YETR Project be located in Sacramento due to the evolution of
communications technology, i.e. telephone services, email, etc.
However, it is unclear whether there is a need for the YETR
Project to be reissued for bid on a periodic basis. The current
contract provider is in good standing and is able to draw down a
majority of privately raised funding to help offset recent state
budget reductions, while maintaining its ability to serve a high
call volume. Further, under federal law (OMB Circular A-110)
AB 2186
Page 5
CalEMA has the authority to issue this grant via a competitive
bid process if it determines that the current grantee is out of
compliance. Since this bill requires a competitive bid process
regardless of the current performance of the grantee or the
existing authority of CalEMA, does this bill unnecessarily put
at risk the high quality of services and administration
currently being provided by CCY?
Due to the YETR Project's small amount of state funding, would
requiring a public bidding process help or hinder the program's
administration? The YETR project has experienced significant
budget reductions over the last ten years, requiring the CCY to
leverage state funds to raise federal and private dollars.
Currently, more than two-thirds of the YETR Project's operating
budget to maintain service and access to at-risk youth comes
from federal funding and private organizations. If the YETR
Project is required to be issued for bid on a periodic basis,
does this jeopardize the federal and private funding leveraged
to date?
Additionally, the CCY has established strong and proactive
working relationships with numerous organizations throughout the
state that serve at-risk youth populations. Is it prudent to
require the YETR project to be issued for bid on a periodic
basis and thereby potentially put in jeopardy the established
relationships, institutional history and effectiveness of the
current provider; CCY?
RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS:
Staff recommends the following amendments:
1)For nearly 30 years the YETR Project has provided counseling
to and made referrals on behalf of youth who have run away
from home or are homeless. It has also provided counseling
and support to youth who are at-risk of running away or
becoming homeless. As a result, in addition to being
responsive to the needs of these youth, the services the YETR
Project provides are also preemptive, helping to prevent youth
runaways and homelessness. This measure should be amended to
ensure that the YETR Project's scope and responsibilities
include providing counseling and referral services to youth
who are at-risk of running away from home or becoming
homeless, or who have runaway or are homeless. Specifically:
AB 2186
Page 6
a) On page two of the bill, amend lines 21 and 22 to read:
Provide a statewide 24-hour youth emergency telephone
hotline for youth who are at-risk of running away from
home or becoming homeless or who have run away from home
or are homeless homeless or runaway youth .
b) On page two of the bill, amend lines 23 and 24 to read:
Provide counseling and referrals to appropriate services
to youth who are at-risk of running away from home or
becoming homeless or who have run away from home or are
homeless homeless or runaway youth who call the hotline,
for shelter, meals, clothing, counseling, and other
services necessary for their well-being.
c) On page three of the bill, amend lines one and two to
read:
Serve as a message center for youth who are at-risk of
running away from home or becoming homeless or who have
run away from home or are homeless homeless or runaway
youth who wish to communicate with their parents or
guardians.
2)Under federal Office of Management and Budget Circular A-110,
CalEMA already has the authority to terminate a grantee if it
fails to meet any component of the grant requirements, which
would then require CalEMA to re-issue the grant via
competitive bid. Additionally, given the good-standing of the
CCY in its administration of the YETR Project, it is not
necessary to require the grant to be re-issued for competitive
bid. Specifically, on page two of the bill, amend lines 16
through 18 to read:
a) The agency may directly implement the project or may
administer grants contract with any California nonprofit
corporation to implement the project as specified in this
section. that shall be awarded pursuant to a request for
application process. Grants shall be competitively awarded
to non profit corporations that can most efficiently and
effectively meet the following mandated objectives The
Project shall:
3)Due to the nature and sensitivity of the reasons at-risk youth
AB 2186
Page 7
may utilize this service, this bill should be amended to
provide confidentiality to the callers as they are likely to
be minors and need assurances that their faith and trust in
reaching out for these services are not compromised. The
amendment should also be reflective of the professional
judgment of YETR Project counselors to help provide for the
health and safety of the caller. Specifically, Section 1 of
the bill should be amended to read:
a) 1946(a)(3). Provide a free non-threatening 24-hour
telephone crisis counseling by trained volunteer or paid
staff for youth who are at-risk of running away from home
or becoming homeless or who have run away from home or are
homeless or runaway youth . Counseling provided to the
caller shall be confidential, unless it is determined that
the health and safety of the caller is at-risk and contact
with local law enforcement or medical services is
necessary.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by : Chris Reefe / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089