1     
HOMELESS YOUTH PROTECTION AMENDMENTS

2     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Elizabeth Weight

5     
Senate Sponsor: Luz Escamilla

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions related to shelter, care, and services for homeless youth.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     clarifies that a person who provides shelter, care, or services to certain homeless
13     youth may refer the homeless youth to temporary or permanent housing; and
14          ▸     makes technical changes.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          None
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          62A-4a-502, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 242
22     

23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 62A-4a-502 is amended to read:
25          62A-4a-502. Consent to shelter, care, or services by a homeless youth.
26          (1) As used in this section:
27          (a) "Care" means providing:

28          (i) assistance to obtain food, clothing, hygiene products, or other basic necessities;
29          (ii) access to a bed, showering facility, or transportation; or
30          (iii) assistance with school enrollment or attendance.
31          (b) "Homeless youth" means the same as that term is defined in Section 62A-4a-501.
32          (c) "Licensed services" means a service provided by a temporary homeless youth
33     shelter, a youth services center, or other facility that is licensed to provide the service to a
34     homeless youth.
35          (d) "Service" means:
36          (i) youth services, as defined in Section 62A-7-101;
37          (ii) child welfare or juvenile court case management or advocacy;
38          (iii) aftercare services, as defined in 45 C.F.R. 1351.1; or
39          (iv) independent living skills training.
40          (e) "Temporary homeless youth shelter" means the same as that term is defined in
41     Section 62A-4a-501.
42          (f) "Youth services center" means the same as that term is defined in Section
43     62A-4a-501.
44          (2) A homeless youth may consent to temporary shelter, care, or licensed services if the
45     homeless youth:
46          (a) is at least 15 years old; and
47          (b) manages the homeless youth's own financial affairs, regardless of the source of
48     income.
49          (3) In determining consent under Subsection (2), a person may rely on the homeless
50     youth's verbal or written statement describing the homeless youth's ability to consent to
51     temporary shelter, care, or licensed services.
52          (4) A person who provides shelter, care, or licensed services to a homeless youth who
53     consents to the shelter, care, or licensed services under Subsection (2):
54          (a) shall report to the division as required under Section 62A-4a-403 and Subsection
55     62A-4a-501(4); and
56          (b) may provide the homeless youth a referral to [safe] temporary or permanent
57     housing, employment [services] resources, medical or dental [care] providers, or counseling.