House Appropriations reviews omnibus youth bill to allow certified unaccompanied youth to access services without parental consent

The House Appropriations Committee on March 18 took up an omnibus bill that would change how Vermont treats youths in transition, including new authority for certified unaccompanied homeless youth to obtain identification, health care and housing without parental consent.

Katie McGlenn, Legislative Council, told the committee the measure covers many topics: removing a $9,000 asset limit for Reach Up eligibility, protecting Social Security benefits for children in DCF care, establishing a certification process for unaccompanied youth, and tightening DCF policies on transport, restraint and seclusion. "The department shall not impose an asset limit for the purpose of initial and continuing eligibility for the Reach Up program," McGlenn said when summarizing the Reach Up change.

The bill would allow designated certifiers — for example, a school district homeless liaison, a director of a state-funded emergency shelter, or a continuum-of-care designee — to sign a standardized form that validates a youth's unaccompanied status. McGlenn said the bill requires a standardized form developed by Elevate Youth Services and the Vermont Coalition of Runaway Homeless Youth Services; the form would show qualifying circumstances, the certifier's signature and a confirmation the certifier…