Committee delays youth homelessness cash pilot to refine delivery and metrics

The House Committee on Human Services on Feb. 12 heard HB 2167, a bill that would require the Office of Youth Services to run a pilot program providing financial assistance to youth experiencing homelessness or those exiting foster care.

Darcia Forester, supervisor of the juvenile division for the Office of the Public Defender, said the two biggest concerns for 16‑ and 17‑year‑old clients are finding a job and securing housing; small amounts of financial assistance, she said, make transitions to stable adulthood possible. Leanne Gillespie, executive director of the Office of Youth Services, said OYS supports the intent of the bill but requested clarifications about operations, contract language and whether to use grant‑in‑aid or procurement. OYS recommended grant‑in‑aid under chapter 92F to allow contracting with community‑based agencies while noting procurement timelines can run up to a year.

Witnesses from child‑serving non‑profits and people with lived experience described how brief cash assistance or housing subsidies can prevent long‑term homelessness and involvement with the justice system. Committee members asked detailed questions about target scale (the bill’s supporters suggested serving 30–100 youth per year for a two‑year pilot), staffing needs and the metrics that would demonstrate return on investment; OYS said it would include performance metrics in contracts if community agencies were selected.

The committee expressed general support for the bill’s goals but asked OYS and the bill’s sponsor to work offline to craft clearer procurement language, staffing estimates and measurable outcomes. Decision making was delayed to allow that work.