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<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="9.5-113.2" title_number="9.5" title_name="Division of Early Childhood Development" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Established">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Foster youth” means an individual who:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Is at least 16 years old and under the age of 22 years; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>Is in out–of–home care under the responsibility of the State; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Was in out–of–home care under the responsibility of the State on the individual’s 18th birthday.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Program” means the Youth Transitioning From Foster Placement to Successful Adulthood Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a Youth Transitioning From Foster Placement to Successful Adulthood Program in the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the Program is to remove certain application barriers for parenting foster youth and increase eligibility access to the Child Care Scholarship Program for the foster youth’s child.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall administer the Program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Program shall begin on or before January 1, 2026.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Department shall remove barriers in the Child Care Scholarship Program application process for foster youth in the Program by removing the following requirements:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Proof of a foster youth’s employment or enrollment in an education or career training program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The name of the other parent of the foster youth’s child;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A written authorization from a parent if the parent is not residing in the same household as the child; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Application information, including income, that relates to a foster youth’s foster parents rather than to the foster youth.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Department of Human Services shall make referrals to the Department regarding the Program.</text>
  </level>
</section>
