(1) The state department shall establish a former foster care youth steering committee that includes comprehensive and appropriate stakeholder representation from the state and county level. The state department shall convene the committee on or before October 30, 2018. The steering committee shall:
Develop an implementation plan that allows former foster care youth to receive services for a successful adulthood or assistance in returning to placement, as well as alternatives to returning to placement after reaching eighteen years of age but before reaching twenty-one years of age, or a later age if so recommended by the steering committee, and after the county department's jurisdiction ends;
Make recommendations relating to the operation, evaluation, and sustainability of theimplementation plan. In making its recommendations, the steering committee shall use a consensus-based approach.
Coordinate with other committees formed by the general assembly that have similaror overlapping jurisdictional tasks or purposes.
On or before January 1, 2020, the steering committee shall submit a report with itsrecommendations for an implementation plan to the executive director of the department of human services; the governor; and the joint budget committee, the health and human services committee of the senate, the public health and environment committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committees.
The implementation plan recommended by the steering committee pursuant to thissection is not required to become operational unless adequate state and federal funding is available.
Source: L. 2018: Entire section added, (HB 18-1319), ch. 217, p. 1390, § 3, effective May 18.