House advances H.657 to aid unaccompanied youth, protect certain benefits and tighten restraint rules

The Vermont House advanced H.657, a comprehensive package of policy changes aimed at unaccompanied homeless youth and statutory reforms within the Department for Children and Families (DCF). Sponsors described the bill as a multi-part effort to reduce trauma, protect benefits for children in state care, expand practical supports for unaccompanied 16- and 17-year-olds, and create enforceable standards and reporting for secure transport and the use of restraints and seclusion.

Sponsors said the bill contains seven core components: eliminating asset limits for Reach Up eligibility to allow families to save; prohibiting DCF from using a child’s Social Security benefits to reimburse the state (except as required to preserve federal eligibility limits); creating a certification process that allows eligible unaccompanied 16- and 17-year-olds to obtain non‑driver IDs, medical consent, housing and fee waivers for records and licenses at no charge; establishing clear statutory definitions and limits on mechanical, chemical and prone restraints and on seclusion in residential settings; requiring documentation and supervisory review for secure transports and restraint use; restoring annual reporting with detailed data; and creating a prenatal engagement and family support working group to study a controversial ‘pregnancy calendar’ practice.

On the floor the member from Northfield outlined data reported to committees: over the past five years roughly 1,206 children were transported by secure transport, with 529 transported in the most recent year; nearly 100 children were reported transported with mechanical restraints and 44 in waist shackles, he said. The presenter and sponsors emphasized that existing reporting is incomplete — lacking age breakdowns, custody status and reasons for transport — and said the bill requires better documentation, supervisory review, and annual public reporting to restore oversight.

The Ways and Means and Appropriations committees provided fiscal context. The Joint Fiscal Office estimated removing the Reach Up asset limit would cost about $140,000 annually; protecting foster children's Social Security benefits (preventing the state from using them to offset care costs) could reduce state offset income by roughly $700,000, the Appropriations representative said. House Appropriations reported favorably on the amended bill and the House adopted a committee amendment that restored deleted language and clarified definitions and intent.

Proponents framed the measure as both a practical and humane response to a population of youth who frequently lack guardians and are blocked from basic services by paperwork and fee rules. ‘‘This bill creates a more flexible, more responsive approach… that recognizes reality and provides support without immediately escalating intervention,’’ the member from Bridgeport said on the floor.

The House adopted the Bridgeport amendment to the committee report and ordered third reading of the bill. Sponsors signaled further rulemaking, data collection upgrades and interagency work will be needed to implement the new reporting and contract requirements; some statutory changes have staggered effective dates to allow time for implementation and for DCF to upgrade information systems.

Next steps: H.657 has been amended on the floor and placed for third reading; committees will continue to provide oversight and the Department for Children and Families will be tasked with supporting rulemaking and reporting requirements described in the bill.