This bill requires the Office of the Child Advocate to develop programs and provide support for youth experiencing homelessness. It appropriates $150,000 to the Office for the purpose of hiring an additional staff member to support these efforts. The funding for this staff position will be allocated over the course of three fiscal years.

The bill also specifies that the funding for this program will come from available American Rescue Plan Act funds and General Funds. The Office of the Child Advocate will need to hire an additional Ombudsman to implement the bill, with the cost of this position being $82,000 in FY 2025, $97,000 in FY 2026, and $100,000 in FY 2027. The funds for FY 2026 and FY 2027 will be requested in the Office of the Child Advocate's budget starting in FY 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-V:1, 21-V:2