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H.B. 296

             1     

SOCIAL SERVICES - EMPLOYMENT FIRST PRIORITY

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: V. Lowry Snow

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Lyle W. Hillyard

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill establishes an employment first priority policy for a person with a disability, a
             10      person with a mental illness, and a person seeking treatment for a substance abuse
             11      problem within the Employment Support Act and the Substance Abuse and Mental
             12      Health Act.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    defines terms;
             16          .    requires the Department of Workforce Services and Division of Substance Abuse
             17      and Mental Health to, when providing services to a person with a disability, a
             18      person with a mental illness, or a person seeking treatment for a substance abuse
             19      problem, give priority to providing services that assist the person in obtaining and
             20      retaining meaningful and gainful employment;
             21          .    requires the entities described in the preceding paragraph to:
             22              .    develop a written plan to implement the policy described in the preceding
             23      paragraph; and
             24              .    set annual goals to implement the policy and plan described in this bill,
             25      determine whether the goals for the previous year have been met, and modify
             26      the plan as needed; and
             27          .    makes technical changes.


             28      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None
             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          None
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      AMENDS:
             34          35A-3-103.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 169
             35      ENACTS:
             36          62A-15-105.2, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             37     
             38      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             39          Section 1. Section 35A-3-103.5 is amended to read:
             40           35A-3-103.5. Employment first emphasis on the provision of services.
             41          (1) As used in this section, "recipient" means an individual who:
             42          (a) has a disability;
             43          (b) suffers from a mental illness; or
             44          (c) is undergoing treatment for a substance abuse problem.
             45          [(1)] (2) When providing services to a [person with a disability] recipient in the
             46      programs provided under this chapter, the department shall, within funds appropriated by the
             47      Legislature and in accordance with the requirements of federal and state law and
             48      memorandums of understanding between the department and other state entities that provide
             49      services to a [person with a disability] recipient, give priority to providing services that assist
             50      an eligible [person] recipient in obtaining and retaining meaningful and gainful employment
             51      that enables the [person] recipient to earn sufficient income to:
             52          (a) purchase goods and services;
             53          (b) establish self-sufficiency; and
             54          (c) exercise economic control of the [person's] recipient's life.
             55          [(2)] (3) The department shall develop a written plan to implement the policy described
             56      in Subsection [(1)] (2) that includes:
             57          (a) assessing the strengths and needs of a [person with a disability] recipient;
             58          (b) customizing strength-based approaches to obtaining employment;


             59          (c) expecting, encouraging, providing, and rewarding:
             60          (i) integrated employment in the workplace at competitive wages and benefits; and
             61          (ii) self-employment;
             62          (d) developing partnerships with potential employers;
             63          (e) maximizing appropriate employment training opportunities;
             64          (f) coordinating services with other government agencies and community resources;
             65          (g) to the extent possible, eliminating practices and policies that interfere with the
             66      policy described in Subsection [(1)] (2); and
             67          (h) arranging sub-minimum wage work or volunteer work for an eligible [person]
             68      recipient when employment at market rates cannot be obtained.
             69          [(3)] (4) The department shall, on an annual basis:
             70          (a) set goals to implement the policy described in Subsection [(1)] (2) and the plan
             71      described in Subsection [(2)] (3);
             72          (b) determine whether the goals for the previous year have been met; and
             73          (c) modify the plan described in Subsection [(2)] (3) as needed.
             74          Section 2. Section 62A-15-105.2 is enacted to read:
             75          62A-15-105.2. Employment first emphasis on the provision of services.
             76          (1) As used in this section, "recipient" means an individual who is:
             77          (a) undergoing treatment for a substance abuse problem; or
             78          (b) suffers from a mental illness.
             79          (2) When providing services to a recipient, the department shall, within funds
             80      appropriated by the Legislature and in accordance with the requirements of federal and state
             81      law and memorandums of understanding between the department and other state entities that
             82      provide services to a recipient, give priority to providing services that assist an eligible
             83      recipient in obtaining and retaining meaningful and gainful employment that enables the
             84      recipient to earn sufficient income to:
             85          (a) purchase goods and services;
             86          (b) establish self-sufficiency; and
             87          (c) exercise economic control of the recipient's life.
             88          (3) The department shall develop a written plan to implement the policy described in
             89      Section (2) that includes:


             90          (a) assessing the strengths and needs of a recipient;
             91          (b) customizing strength-based approaches to obtaining employment;
             92          (c) expecting, encouraging, providing, and rewarding:
             93          (i) integrated employment in the workplace at competitive wages and benefits; and
             94          (ii) self-employment;
             95          (d) developing partnerships with potential employers;
             96          (e) maximizing appropriate employment training opportunities;
             97          (f) coordinating services with other government agencies and community resources;
             98          (g) to the extent possible, eliminating practices and policies that interfere with the
             99      policy described in Subsection (2); and
             100          (h) arranging sub-minimum wage work or volunteer work for an eligible recipient
             101      when employment at market rates cannot be obtained.
             102          (4) The department shall, on an annual basis:
             103          (a) set goals to implement the policy described in Subsection (2) and the plan described
             104      in Subsection (3);
             105          (b) determine whether the goals for the previous year have been met; and
             106          (c) modify the plan described in Subsection (3) as needed.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-12-12 11:57 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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