(Doc Name h:\legwork\house\amend\h-wm\001\7.4 parks.docx):
EXPLANATION: reinsert John de la Howe School proviso 7.4 (Transition) and amend to change membership of the advisory group and delete references to children served by DSS and DJJ
Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 7, JOHN DE
LA HOWE SCHOOL, page 328, paragraph 7.4 (Transition), lines
20-36 and page 329, lines 1-28, by reinserting and amending:
7.4. (JDLH: Transition)
In accordance with the purposes of the will of Dr. John de la
Howe, by September thirtieth 30
of the current fiscal year, the Board of Trustees of John de la
Howe is directed to work with an advisory group comprised of
one person each designated by the Director of the
Department of Social Services, the Director of the Department of
Mental Health, the Director of the Department of Juvenile
Justice, the State Superintendent of Education, the Director of
the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, the
Chair of the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on
Children, a Representative appointed by the Speaker of the
House, and a Senator appointed by the President Pro Tempore of
the Senate representatives of the Department of
Education, Education Oversight Committee, Department of Social
Services, Clemson University Department of Agriculture and
Cooperative Extension, Piedmont Technical College, Western
Piedmont Educational Consortium, CATE Education Associates,
McCormick County School District, McCormick County Council, and
the John de la Howe School to recommend an educational,
vocational, and life skills training program at the John de la
Howe School for older youth who are at risk and who are
aging out of the foster care or the juvenile justice supervisory
programs of the Department of Social Services or the Department
of Juvenile Justice. The program will utilize the
funds appropriated to John de la Howe School for the costs of
the program that will include school drop-out recovery to
complete a high school degree, a GED program, vocational and
employment training, and an aftercare program for transition of
the youth to independent living and employment. Clemson
University will collaborate with the advisory group regarding
the development of a vocational farming component for the
program.
In consultation with the advisory group and
as set forth herein, by November thirtieth
30, the John de la Howe Board of Trustees will
procure a contract with a child-service provider to operate the
program. The child-service provider must be a nationally
accredited (AdvancED) educational organization experienced in
both child protection and juvenile justice
programs and must be able to demonstrate a history of
success in the operation of educational and vocational
residential training programs for youth. The Department of
Administration and the Executive Budget Office will assist John
de la Howe as needed in the transition.
With funds appropriated and with technical
assistance from Clemson University, the Department of
Administration and the Executive Budget Office, the John de la
Howe School Board of Trustees will continue to provide
wilderness camp programs to middle-school-aged
students in the current fiscal year; and
identify initiatives to provide agricultural education
opportunities on campus for students who have not yet
completed high school.
John de la Howe will work with the
Department of Social Services and the Department of Juvenile
Justice to provide for the safe transition of the existing
residents from John de la Howe School into such placements,
programs and services as determined appropriate based on an
assessment of their individual needs. In the development of the program
and in the qualifications and selection of the child-service
provider, considerations by the John de la Howe Board of
Trustees in consultation with the advisory group will include
the following:
(1)
the overlap of needs of children who
crossover for services between are served
by the Department of Social Services and the
Department of Juvenile Justice;
(2)
educational, school drop-out recovery, GED, vocational
programs, life skills training programs, career and employment
opportunities, and independent living programs for these
older youth clients that can be provid youth who are at risk and
aging out of state services to prepare for success as
adults;
(3)
aftercare programs that will follow these youths into the
community and help them to become established in viable
employment and living situations that encourage a future free of
homelessness, unemployment, poverty, alcohol and other substance
abuse, criminal behavior, and dependence on public
assistance;
(4)
provide the existing child clients at John de la Howe
School with a proper, safe transition to family reunification or
other appropriate placements and services;
(5)
provide consideration of current John de la Howe School
employees, where appropriate, for employment pursuant to the new
provider contract for program services; and,
(6)
how the existing funds and youth vocational training
programs can be applied to provide repairs and maintenance to
the John de la Howe School buildings and grounds.
The John de la Howe Board of Trustees, with
technical assistance from the Department of
Education State Fiscal Accountability Authority,
Procurement Services, will provide procurement for the
contract, fiscal administration of the funds, contract
accountability, compliance, and reporting and will submit
reports by June thirtieth 30 of
the current fiscal year to the House Ways and Means Committee,
the Senate Finance Committee, and the Joint Citizens and
Legislative Committee on Children to inform the Committees
regarding the status and progress of programs, operations,
client data, facilities, and budget information. The John de la
Howe Board of Trustees, in consultation with the advisory group
will make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly
regarding the future role of the John De La Howe School.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend totals and titles to conform.