Committee discusses future funding for Vermont Youth Council; agrees to send letter to federal delegation

The Senate Committee on Government Operations on Feb. 19 heard from Elisa Stahlberg, director of the Division of Family and Child Health at the Vermont Department of Health, about the funding and operations of the Vermont Youth Council and discussed steps the committee could take if federal funding changed.

The department "provides the administrative, technical, and legal assistance to assist the council directed activities," Stahlberg told the committee, and said the Youth Council is financed through the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, also known as Title V.

Title V is a federal-state partnership, Stahlberg told the committee: "Title V is a federal state partnership, and Vermont must match $3 for every $4 of federal share." She said the Department's current Title V budget is about $2,900,000 (including the state match) and that funds for the Youth Council are distributed via a subrecipient grant to Vermont After School.

Under the grant to Vermont After School, Stahlberg said, the organization coordinates and co-facilitates monthly State Youth Council meetings for 28 council members, coordinates recruitment and…