Overview
The following are programmatic requirements for the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA), according to the Commonwealth’s enacted budgetary language for the fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
| Fiscal Year | OCA’s Programmatic Requirements from Enacted Budgetary Language |
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| 2020 | Not less than $100,000 shall be used to ensure effective cross-agency coordination of early childhood and school-aged student wellness efforts to address barriers to student academic success, including but not limited to access to social services, mental health and behavioral health resources . . . not less than $225,000 shall be expended for the establishment of the Worcester Trauma and Resilience Collaborative to educate young people in the city of Worcester who have experienced adverse childhood experiences. |
| 2021 | Not less than $100,000 shall be used to ensure effective cross-agency coordination of early childhood and school-aged student wellness efforts to address barriers to student academic success, including, but not limited to, access to social services, mental health and behavioral health resources . . . not less than $300,000 shall be expended on a pilot program to provide housing support services to transition age youth that are aging out of the care or custody of the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Youth Services; provided further, that such services shall include, but not be limited to, staff support through case management and the provision of direct housing services . . . not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the continued operation of the Worcester Trauma and Resilience Collaborative to support young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences. |
| 2022 | Not less than $300,000 shall be expended on a pilot program to provide housing support services to transition age youth that are aging out of the care or custody of the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Youth Services; provided further, that such services shall include, but not be limited to, staff support through case management and the provision of direct housing services . . . not less than $100,000 shall be used to ensure effective cross-agency coordination of early childhood and school-aged student wellness efforts to address barriers to student academic success, health and safety, including, but not limited to, access to social services, mental health and behavioral health resources information sharing that ensures confidentiality, clear communication and addresses barriers to effective monitoring of students who are in the legal custody of the department of children and families, including coordination of mandated reporter responsibilities; provided further, that not later than December 1, 2021, the Office of the child advocate shall report to the joint committee on children families and persons with disabilities on its efforts . . . not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for the establishment and operation of a state center on child [wellbeing] and trauma . . . not less than $300,000 shall be expended for the continued operation of the Worcester Trauma and Resilience Collaborative to support young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences. |
| Date published: | October 7, 2024 |
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