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<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="4-304" title_number="4" title_name="Social Services" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Provisions">
  <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 in out–of–home care under the responsibility of the State; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>is an adult under the age of 26 years; and</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 Foster Youth Summer Internship Program established under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Secretary shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>develop and implement a Foster Youth Summer Internship Program with the assistance of the Department of Budget and Management and in consultation with the local directors of local departments of social services; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>coordinate with State agencies to establish internships in State agencies that are open to participants in the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Program is to provide foster youth with training and experience through internships in agencies within the Executive Branch of State government.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Program shall be established in multiple regions of the State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Internships under the Program may be paid or unpaid.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A State agency participating in the Program may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>specify requirements for internship applicants; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>select its interns from among the available applicants.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>To be eligible to participate in an internship under the Program, an individual must be a foster youth at least 15 years old.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>On or before October 1, 2019, the Secretary, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall report to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and the House Appropriations Committee of the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the number of foster youth participating in the Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the location and type of internships in the Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>efforts to recruit eligible individuals to participate in the Program; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>factors that affect Program participation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
