Homeless youth: grant program.

Existing law establishes the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council and requires the council to set and measure progress toward goals to prevent and end homelessness among youth in California by setting specific, measurable goals aimed at preventing and ending homelessness among youth in the state and defining outcome measures and gathering data related to the goals. This bill would require the council to develop and administer a grant program to support young people experiencing homelessness and prevent and end homelessness. The program would be funded by a combination of funds provided to the council by the State Department of Health Care Services from the Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account, funds appropriated by the Legislature, and gifts and donations made to the council for that purpose. The bill would specify the entities eligible to apply for grant funding and identify specific information to be included in the grant application. The bill would require preference for funding to be given to entities with certain characteristics, including those that participate in the development of a local, youth-centered, coordinated entry system. The bill would require grant funds to be used both to provide supportive services, as specified, and to establish or expand housing programs. The bill would require a grant recipient to submit data and annual progress reports to the council and agree to meet quality improvement goals, accept technical assistance, and submit to annual site monitoring visits by the council, as specified. The bill would require the council, by January 10, 2021, and each January 10 thereafter, to submit a report to the Legislature on the data received from grant recipients.