No. SB 7018
Filed under Education.
Child Welfare; Renaming the Step into Success Workforce Education and Internship Pilot Program as the Step into Success Workforce Education and Internship Program; requiring the department’s Office of Continuing Care to develop certain cohorts within specified regions, collaborate with certain organizations and recruit mentors and organizations, and provide eligible former foster youth with internship placement opportunities; requiring the Office of Continuing Care to develop trauma-informed training for mentors of certain former foster youth which meets certain requirements, etc.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDThe monthly stipend for former foster youth in the internship component increases from $1,517 to $1,717, subject to the availability of funds.
Mentors must now complete a specific 1-hour trauma-informed training before being matched with a youth, covering de-escalation and crisis response.
The bill removes the 3-year pilot designation, making the Step into Success program a permanent, ongoing state initiative.
The definition of a "visitor" in a child's home is tightened, requiring 10 consecutive days of presence instead of 5.
AIThe Office of Continuing Care must now develop youth cohorts within its regions and actively recruit local mentors and organizations, with specific emphasis on five named counties.
AIThe monthly financial assistance provided to participating former foster youth increases from $1,517 to $1,717, subject to the availability of funds.
AIMentors must complete a specific 1-hour trauma-informed training before being matched with a youth, and the department may offer annual review trainings to maintain those skills.
AIThe bill deletes the existing requirement that the department offset any reduction in a youth's public benefits caused by receiving the program stipend.
AIThe Florida Institute for Child Welfare is required to establish a program to identify and catalogue best practices within the community-based care model.