Division Of Youth Corrections Monetary Incentives Award Program

The bill authorizes the division of youth corrections in the department of human services (division) to establish, at its discretion, a youth corrections monetary incentives award program (program). The purpose of the program is to provide monetary awards and incentives for academic, social, and psychological achievement to juveniles who were formerly committed to the division to assist and encourage them in moving forward in positive directions in life. If the division does establish a program, it shall devise, in collaboration with a selected nonprofit organization (nonprofit), appropriate participation criteria and criteria for awarding individual scholarships to deserving juveniles. The criteria may include that a juvenile in the program maintains the highest grades possible during each academic term and makes continual progress in therapeutic or other programs, if applicable, during each academic term. The criteria may also require that scholarship money awarded to a juvenile may only be used for educational or other expenses approved as necessary and valid to the juvenile's continued improvement by the division and the nonprofit. If the division establishes a program it shall use a request for proposals process to contract with a nonprofit. The division and the nonprofit are authorized to accept and expend monetary and in-kind gifts, grants, and donations on behalf of the program. Such money must be used to provide scholarships and other incentive awards to the juveniles in the program. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)