S 1047 Session 112 (1997-1998)
S 1047 General Bill, By Jackson, Cork, Drummond, Ford, Glover, Holland, Hutto,
Land, Matthews, Patterson, Ravenel and Short
A BILL TO AMEND TITLE 44 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY
ADDING CHAPTER 122 SO AS TO CREATE THE COUNTY GRANTS FUND PROGRAM FOR
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION INITIATIVES; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION
AND DISTRIBUTION OF MONIES APPROPRIATED TO THE GRANTS FUND; AND TO REQUIRE
REGULAR EVALUATIONS OF PROJECTS RECEIVING MONIES FROM THE GRANTS FUND.
02/18/98 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-8
02/18/98 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-8
04/08/98 Senate Committee report: Majority favorable, minority
unfavorable Medical Affairs SJ-14
04/23/98 Senate Minority report withdrawn SJ-18
04/23/98 Senate Read second time SJ-18
04/23/98 Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
amendments SJ-18
04/28/98 Senate Amended SJ-15
04/28/98 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-15
04/29/98 House Introduced and read first time HJ-10
04/29/98 House Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-10
AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
April 28, 1998
S. 1047
Introduced by Senators Jackson, Cork, Holland, Short, Glover, Ford,
Land, Hutto, Matthews, Patterson, Drummond and Ravenel
S. Printed 4/28/98--S.
Read the first time February 18, 1998.
A BILL
TO AMEND TITLE 44 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING CHAPTER 122 SO AS TO
CREATE THE COUNTY GRANTS FUND PROGRAM FOR
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY PREVENTION INITIATIVES; TO
PROVIDE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION
OF MONIES APPROPRIATED TO THE GRANTS FUND; AND
TO REQUIRE REGULAR EVALUATIONS OF PROJECTS
RECEIVING MONIES FROM THE GRANTS FUND.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South
Carolina:
SECTION 1. Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"CHAPTER 122
County Grants Fund
for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives
Section 44-122-10. As used in this chapter:
(1) 'Adolescent' means an individual nineteen years of age and
under.
(2) 'Contractor' means a public or private agency or organization
receiving money from the fund.
(3) 'County government' means the governing body of a county or
the organization or agency in a county that has been designated
pursuant to Section 44-122-30(C) to assume the duties and
responsibilities assigned to county governments.
(4) 'Department' means the South Carolina Department of Social
Services.
(5) 'Initiative' means a local program or project funded by a county
pursuant to this chapter.
(6) 'Short term outcomes' mean the intermediate results that a
particular adolescent pregnancy prevention intervention is likely to
produce including, but not limited to, increased knowledge, behavior
change, or delays or reductions in sexual activity.
(7) 'Long term outcome' means the measurable reduction in the
rate of adolescent pregnancy for a specific target population or
defined geographic area.
(8) 'Primary pregnancy prevention' means prevention of first
pregnancy.
(9) 'Fund' means the County Grants Fund for Adolescent
Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives created by this chapter.
Section 44-122-20. (A) There is established the County Grants
Fund for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives. The fund
must be administered by the department and county governments as
provided in this chapter. The purpose of the fund is to support local
efforts to prevent early sexual activity and to measurably reduce the
rate of adolescent pregnancy in each county and in the State and to
ensure that these efforts reflect local community values.
(B) Any program components funded by federal Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars will be subject to
TANF reporting requirements and federal fiscal accountability
requirements. The department will amend the South Carolina
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant State
Plan as required by federal law to govern expenditures of federal
TANF dollars.
Section 44-122-30. (A) Ten percent of the money appropriated
annually to the fund by the General Assembly is to be used by the
department to evaluate the effectiveness of each initiative and the
fund as specified in Section 44-122-60. The remaining money must
be distributed by the department to each county government in the
following manner:
(1) fifteen percent of the money appropriated must be allocated
evenly among all counties;
(2) fifteen percent of the money appropriated must be allocated
to counties based on the size of their adolescent population;
(3) twenty percent of the money appropriated must be allocated
to counties based on their rate of adolescent pregnancy;
(4) forty percent of the funds appropriated must be allocated to
counties based on their number of adolescent pregnancies.
A county government may retain up to five percent of the money it
receives to cover the actual costs of administering the fund. All other
funds must be allocated for initiatives mainly focused on primary
pregnancy prevention. Money must be allocated by the county
within two years of receipt.
(B) Money appropriated to the fund must not be used for:
(1) purchase of inpatient care;
(2) purchase or improvement of land;
(3) purchase, construction, or permanent improvement of any
building or other facility;
(4) purchase of major equipment;
(5) transportation to or from abortion services;
(6) abortions; or
(7) provision of anything of monetary value to a participant in
a local project or initiative; counseling and guidance may be provided
as well as any service of non-monetary value.
(C) If the governing body of a county chooses not to assume the
responsibilities and duties assigned to county governments by this
chapter:
(1) the governing body may designate an agency or organization
to assume those responsibilities and duties; or
(2) in the absence of designation by the governing body, the
department may designate another agency or organization within the
county to assume those responsibilities and duties.
If a county government uses money it receives pursuant to
subsection (A) in a manner not expressly authorized by this chapter,
the department may designate another agency or organization within
the county to assume those responsibilities and duties.
Section 44-122-40. (A) A local public or private agency or
organization or combination of these agencies and organizations may
apply to the county government for an allocation of funds to operate
an adolescent pregnancy prevention initiative. All initiatives funded
by the county government pursuant to this chapter shall emphasize
premarital sexual abstinence and male responsibility. All
applications must meet the following minimum standards for
consideration:
(1) Each initiative must have a plan of action for prevention of
adolescent pregnancy that extends for at least five years. The
proposal must include convincing evidence of a direct link between
project activities and the reduction of adolescent pregnancy in the
target population.
(2) Each initiative must have realistic, specific, and measurable
goals, objectives, timelines, and budget for the prevention of
adolescent pregnancy.
(3) The proposal must include a description of the method for
collecting and reporting the data required by the department to
evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative as specified in Section
44-122-60. Each initiative, before submitting its proposal, must send
a representative to the evaluation standards workshop sponsored by
the department.
(B) Continuation of funding for a local teen pregnancy prevention
initiative is contingent upon:
(1) successful evaluation of the effectiveness of the contractor's
performance in achieving its short term outcomes within the first two
years of receiving money and in achieving the fund's long term
outcome by the end of the third year of receiving money; and
(2) the contractor updating information concerning the nature
of the problem in its target population, available resources, and
potential barriers to success, with appropriate changes in the
initiative's goals, objectives, timelines, and budget.
Section 44-122-50. (A) The Department of Social Services shall:
(1) monitor the statewide administration of the fund;
(2) evaluate the success of this chapter and initiatives funded
under this chapter, as required by Section 44-122-60;
(3) analyze all available information and report to the Governor
and the General Assembly on the effectiveness of the fund in
measurably reducing the rate of adolescent pregnancy in the State.
These reports must be made annually, with the first report due three
years after the first distribution of funds pursuant to Section
44-122-30(A); and
(4) provide to each county government specific criteria required
by this legislation.
(B) County governments shall:
(1) oversee and administer funds distributed to the county
pursuant to Section 44-122-30(A);
(2) choose from among the applicants that meet the minimum
standards;
(3) develop additional criteria, as necessary, to meet specific
local needs; and
(4) monitor contractors' progress in meeting stated goals,
objectives, and timelines.
(C) Contractors shall:
(1) comply with reporting, contracting, and evaluation
requirements of the county government and the department;
(2) define and maintain cooperative ties with other community
institutions;
(3) coordinate and collaborate with other community entities
that have an interest in positive youth development and adolescent
risk behavior reduction;
(4) obtain approval from the county government before making
changes in program goals, objectives, and target populations; and
(5) before the beginning of each fiscal year, submit to the
county government for approval a budget of planned expenditures,
and at the end of each fiscal year, render an accounting of
expenditures to the county government.
(D) The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall:
(1) provide technical assistance and training to county
governments and contractors, as needed, related to adolescent
pregnancy prevention issues; and
(2) if a community health assessment has been conducted in a
county, share information with county governments, contractors, and
program applicants about the nature of the problem, available
resources, and potential barriers to the development of teen
pregnancy prevention projects and activities.
Section 44-122-60. An evaluation must be conducted by a firm
or individual external to the department, on a schedule to be
determined by the department, and must assess the effectiveness of
each initiative in meeting its short and long term outcomes.
Evaluation standards must be consistent across all initiatives. The
evaluation also must assess the effectiveness of each county
government's efforts in measurably reducing the rate of adolescent
pregnancy for the county. These efforts include administration of the
fund and selection and oversight of contractors."
SECTION 2. This section takes effect upon approval by the
Governor.
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