Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill draft was prepared for the
Joint Legislative Council's Special Committee on Review of Emergency Detention and
Admission of Minors Under Chapter 51.

The bill creates a pilot program to assist eligible offenders in county correctional
facilities. The pilot program will assist the offenders in obtaining certain benefits upon
their release from the facility to help reduce recidivism after release. Under the bill, an
"eligible offender" means an incarcerated person who was previously eligible for or who
may, upon release, become eligible for, social security disability insurance (SSDI),
supplemental security income (SSI), or medical assistance (MA), including any
applicable MA-related program. Under the bill, a "county correctional facility" means
a county jail, house of correction, or rehabilitation facility, whether operated by one
county or more than one county. Also, under the bill, a county correctional facility may
include a state-local shared correctional facility.

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The bill directs the office of justice assistance (OJA) to seek funding for the pilot
program and, after at least $300,000 in funding has been obtained, to make grants to up
to four counties to administer the pilot program. The bill provides that grants made to
counties may not supplant existing local resources.

Under the bill, a county may be eligible for a grant award if the county's pilot
program will:

1. Identify eligible offenders in county correctional facilities who wish to apply for
the targeted benefit programs.

2. Provide individualized assistance to the offenders in applying for the targeted
benefit programs to allow the offender to receive the benefits immediately upon the date
of the offender's release.

3. Include coordination among the county, law enforcement, the department of
corrections (DOC), the department of health services (DHS), and the social security
administration to reduce application processing times and increase application success
rates.

4. Operate for at least 2 years and include performance outcome measurements
and data collection to allow for the evaluations that are required under the bill.

The bill also allows OJA to establish additional eligibility requirements, criteria,
and procedures that a county must meet in order to be eligible for the program. OJA must
collaborate with DOC and DHS in establishing eligibility criteria, selecting grantees,
determining amounts awarded, and administering the grant program generally. The bill
expressly provides that OJA is not required to promulgate administrative rules in
establishing criteria for the grant program.

Under the bill, a county that receives a grant for a pilot program must create an
oversight committee to advise the county in administering and evaluating the pilot
program, consisting of: (1) a representative of the county; (2) the county sheriff or his or
her designee; (3) a representative of the county human services department, social
services department, or community programs department; (4) one or more
representatives from private service organizations; (5) one or more consumers with
program eligibility experience; and (6) other members to be determined by the county.
Under the bill, a "consumer with program eligibility experience" means an individual who
previously obtained eligibility for SSDI or SSI, as applicable, and MA or an applicable
MA-related program, or a member of the family of an individual who previously obtained
eligibility for those programs. The bill provides that DOC and DHS may participate in
the activities of the oversight committee and must provide consultation services to the
oversight committee.

The bill allows 2 or more counties to administer a joint pilot program. The bill
provides that counties applying jointly must submit a written agreement specifying each
county department's role in the program, and if a joint pilot program is created, the
oversight committee must consist of representatives from each county.

The bill requires pilot program grants to be awarded on a calendar year basis, and
grantees must get notice of funding no later than September 1 of the year preceding the
year for which the grant will be made.

Under the bill, a county that receives a grant for a pilot program must comply with
state audits. In addition, the county, in collaboration with DOC, DHS, and the oversight
committee, must conduct a preliminary evaluation of the pilot program as of the
conclusion of the first year, and a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program as of the
conclusion of the second year. Both evaluations must provide an assessment of the pilot
program's operations, including its success at achieving the goals of the program as

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outlined in the bill. The preliminary evaluation must be submitted in writing to OJA and
each member of the oversight committee by the February 15 following the conclusion of
the first year. The comprehensive evaluation must be submitted in writing to the same
recipients by the February 28 following the conclusion of the second year.

Under the bill, by the March 15 following each year in which a pilot program is in
operation, OJA must, in collaboration with DOC and DHS, submit a report to the
legislature summarizing the results of all pilot program evaluations and including
recommendations regarding how the program should be structured in the future.

The bill specifies that most of its provisions would take effect the day after its
publication as an act; however, the requirement that OJA award grants to counties to
administer the pilot program would not take effect until after OJA receives at least
$300,000 in funding for the program.