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An Act To Make Whole Family Support Available Statewide
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §5324, sub-§4  is enacted to read:
 
4.  Family support program.     A community action agency designated by the division to carry out the purposes of this chapter pursuant to subsection 1 shall establish a support program for families in the agency's service area to assist parents with children as they pursue stable employment, pursue education intended to lead to employment or otherwise pursue self-sufficiency. The support program must serve families with incomes at or below 200% of the poverty level or families that are determined by the community action agency to be severely at risk of falling below an income at or below 200% of the poverty level due to substance use disorder or another risk factor. The community action agency shall measure the effect of the support provided under this subsection using a matrix designed to measure self-sufficiency and annually, by January 15th, report to the department regarding the effect of the community action agency's program. The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection, including, but not limited to, rules regarding eligibility and the identification of risk factors. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Purchased Social Services 0228
 
Initiative: Provides funding for community action agencies to establish support programs for families to serve parents with children as they pursue stable employment, pursue education intended to lead to employment or otherwise pursue self-sufficiency in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 5324, subsection 4.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21	
All Other	$2,250,000	$2,250,000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$2,250,000	$2,250,000	

SUMMARY
This bill requires community action agencies to establish support programs to serve families to assist parents with children as they pursue stable employment, pursue education intended to lead to employment or otherwise pursue self-sufficiency. The bill also provides funding for community action agencies to establish the support programs.