D.C. Act 25-700. Youth Mentorship Through Community Engagement Amendment Act of 2024.

AN ACT

To establish a professional youth mentorship and family engagement program to enhance well-being and teach essential life skills; and to create community service leave for eligible District government employees to volunteer as a tutor or mentor to a student.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Youth Mentorship Through Community Engagement Amendment Act of 2024".

TITLE I. YOUTH MENTORSHIP AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.

Sec. 101. Definitions.

For the purposes of this title, the term:

(1) "Adverse childhood experience" or "ACE" means stressful or traumatic events that occur in childhood, including incidents of violence, abuse, neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community, housing instability, substance abuse, mental illness, family involved in the criminal justice system, and having a family member die or attempt suicide.

(2) "At-risk" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 102(2A) of the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula for Public Schools and Public Charter Schools and Tax Conformity Clarification Amendment Act of 1998, effective March 26, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-207; D.C. Official Code § 38- 2901(2A)).

(3) "Child safety" means the protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.

(4) "Nonprofit" means an organization or institution that is exempt from federal income tax under the provisions of 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) and that meets the requirements of Chapter 4 of Title 29.

(5) "Protective factor" means characteristics or conditions at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that are associated with a lower likelihood of negative life outcomes or promote positive outcomes.

(6) "Risk factor" means characteristics or conditions at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that are associated with a higher likelihood of negative life outcomes.

(7) "Youth" means an individual under the age of 18.

Sec. 102. Establishment of the Thrive Mentorship Program.

(a) There is established the Thrive Mentorship Program ("Program"), which shall be administered by the Department of Human Services ("DHS").

(b) The Program shall provide long-term professional mentoring to youth who either have an adverse childhood experience or who are at-risk, with the goal of enhancing youth well-being, empowering youth to develop essential life skills, and guiding youth to make informed and healthy decisions.

(c) DHS shall have the authority to issue grants to nonprofits or community-based organizations to provide professional youth mentoring in the Program; provided, that the grant funds shall be used for the following purposes:

(1) Development and planning of the mentorship program;

(2) Employment of professional mentors to deliver dedicated support and services to youth and their families;

(3) Criminal background checks for applicants seeking professional mentor positions;

(4) Professional mentor training and ongoing professional development;

(5) Program materials and educational resources tailored to the unique needs of the mentee;

(6) Communication tools for coordinating mentor-mentee meetings, whether online or in person;

(7) Employment of supervisors for professional mentors to provide guidance and feedback on mentorship activities; and

(8) Generation of annual performance reports.

Sec. 103. Services provided by a professional mentor.

(a) Each youth mentee ("mentee") in the Program shall be paired with a professional mentor, and each professional mentor shall meet with each mentee for at least 3 hours per week, subject to the availability of the mentee, for a period of at least 3 years or until the mentee withdraws from the program.

(b) Professional mentors in the Program shall:

(1) Be a full-time employee dedicated to mentoring and providing comprehensive support to youth and their families, including in the home, school, and community settings;

(2) Develop mentoring plans for each mentee that shall adhere to evidence-based practices and be individualized to meet the specific needs of each mentee, taking into consideration the mentee's personal experiences, risk factors, goals, and cultural background;

(3) Actively engage caregivers in youth-centered strategies to build protective factors and promote prosocial behavior, strengthen community connections, and support the holistic well-being of the entire family.

Sec. 104. Mentorship requirements.

(a) Before serving youth, professional mentors in the Program shall:

(1) Pass criminal background checks pursuant to section 203 of the Child and Youth, Safety and Health Omnibus Amendment Act of 2004, effective April 13, 2005, (D.C. Law 15-353; D.C. Official Code § 4-1501.03), and any additional background checks, testing, or requirements determined by DHS;

(2) Complete training, which shall include:

(A) Child safety risks and preventative measures;

(B) Trauma-informed approaches to mentoring services;

(C) Culturally informed, sensitive, and inclusive practices;

(D) Positive relationship development through evidence-based practices for youth;

(E) Collaborative goal setting to achieve personal, academic, or behavioral goals with mentees;

(F) Advocacy within schools, community, and child welfare systems for the needs and rights of mentees; and

(G) Family engagement strategies and relationship building with caregivers to encourage family involvement in the mentoring process.

(b) Professional mentors shall complete ongoing professional development annually during their participation in the Program as directed by DHS.

Sec. 105. Reporting Requirements.

(a) DHS shall, without disclosing personally identifiable information of any mentees, submit to the Council an annual report on the Program with the following metrics:

(1) The number of mentees enrolled in the Program by year;

(2) Each mentee's duration of participation in the Program;

(3) Each mentee's school attendance by year;

(4) Each mentee's grade point average by year;

(5) The number of mentees suspended or expelled from school during the program;

(6) The number of mentees involved in the juvenile justice system during the program;

(7) School feedback on the mentee's social and emotional development;

(8) Caregiver satisfaction through an assessment survey;

(9) Mentee and mentor satisfaction through an assessment survey;

(10) High school graduation rate of currently or formerly participating mentees; and

(11) The number of students enrolled in postsecondary education or who secured a job placement within 6 months of high school graduation.

TITLE II. COMMUNITY SERVICE LEAVE FOR DISTRICT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

Sec. 201. Section 1203 of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-139; D.C. Official Code § 1-612.03), is amended by adding a new subsection (s) to read as follows:

"(s)(1) An employee shall be eligible to receive community service leave if the employee:

"(A) Is currently employed by the District full-time;

"(B) Has been employed satisfactorily completed their probationary period; and

"(C) Obtains approval from the employee's supervisor and employing agency before scheduling community service leave.

"(2) Eligible District government employees may receive a maximum of 52 hours of community service leave per calendar year, to be credited to employees on January 1 of each year.

"(3) Community service leave shall not:

"(A) Carry over from one calendar year to the next; or

"(B) Result in financial compensation if unused upon an employee's separation.

"(4) The employee's agency may require reasonable documentation that leave is being used in accordance with the purpose of this act.

"(5) For the purposes of this subsection, "community service leave" means leave that an eligible employee may take for the purpose of mentoring or tutoring a District student either at a school in the District or with a community-based organization located in the District.

"(6) The availability of community service leave may be temporarily suspended at an agency due to critical staffing needs; provided, that such suspension shall be for the shortest period possible, and communicated to employees in writing in advance of the suspension and shall contain:

"(A) The period for which the suspension is effective; and

"(B) Identification of the operational challenges that necessitates the suspension.".

TITLE III. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

Sec. 301. Applicability

(a) This act shall apply upon the date of inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.

(c)(1) The Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register.

(2) The date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of this act.

Sec. 302. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 303. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)).