Sen. Libby bill introduces bill to support youth homeless shelters
AUGUSTA — On Thursday, Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, introduced a bill to help youth homeless shelters better serve people in their care. LD 1076, “An Act To Support the Operations of Youth Shelters in Maine,” was the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature’s Committee on Health and Human Services.
“There are a variety of reasons why a young person may find themselves homeless and in need of the services Maine’s youth shelters provide. Helping them get back on their feet and into stable housing is a complex task, and the dedicated workers in our state to help at-risk youth deserve our support,” said Sen. Libby. “This bill is the result of collaboration with three youth shelters in Maine, finding ways to address their most pressing needs, so they can better help with youth in their care.”
LD 1076 would expand the amount of time a minor can spend at an emergency shelter from 30 days to 90 days, which would give shelters more time to find safe and stable housing for the minor. The bill would allow a minor to spend up to 30 days in a shelter without first notifying or receiving permission from the child’s guardian, which would help the minor direct the mediation process between themselves and their family, leading to better outcomes. The bill also increases state funding for homeless youth shelters from $2 million annually to $2.5 million annually, which represents a restoration of the funds shelters received prior to 2005.
“Once families are aware that the intended outcome of a shelter stay is a return home and resolution of family conflict, and that child protective reports are rare and only made in the case of severe abuse and neglect as opposed to family conflict, they are much more likely to give consent for the shelter stay. It will also reduce the number of first-time homeless children who end up in unsafe situations because guardian consent was not obtained in the very short allowable time frame,” said Chris Bicknell, executive director of New Beginnings Inc. in Lewiston.
“LD 1076 will provide critical funding support to help Maine’s youth shelters keep the doors open, lights on, and remain fully staffed. Maine’s youth shelters and the staff that operate them serve as first responders for some of our most vulnerable youth and young adults in the state,” said Leah McDonald, teen services director for Preble Street in Portland. “The work done by these shelters is life-saving and transformative, but it is getting harder and harder for youth shelters to raise the funds needed to keep the doors open and hire the skilled workers needed to care for youth and young adults. While the operating costs of running a shelter have risen exponentially, the funding sources most shelters rely on have not. LD 1076 will provide a critically needed increase in funding allocation for these services.”
“Allowing more time and funding for youth shelters in the state would effectively increase the quality of rapport that can be built with youth and their support systems, allowing chronically homeless youth to have the time they need to build the bridges they need to support their transition into housing,” said Hanna Falkie, outreach coordinator for Shaw House in Bangor.
The bill faces further action in committee.
