SB 951 - This act creates the "Community Partnership Program" to provide certain services to those persons eligible for benefits distributed by the Division of Family Services and who elect to participate. Those persons who elect to participate will enter into contractual agreements with charitable organizations to distribute their benefits and provide services to help the recipients meet their needs. Services may include education, transportation, child care, etc. The contracts may be cancelled upon a 30 day notice to all parties.

Charitable organizations may impose certain lifestyle restrictions on the recipients as a condition for receiving these services, except that they cannot force the recipients to attend a religious service or perform an illegal act. Charitable organizations must be in existence for a period of at least one year, establish and maintain a system to address grievances, allow audits, and are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, religion, or national origin. Charitable organizations may also charge those persons who participate a fee to cover any overhead costs. However, the fee charged may not exceed 10% of the moneys to be distributed.

The act also creates the Community Partnership Program Fund for the program which consists of the moneys that would ordinarily go to those who participate in terms of benefits, and an additional sum of ten percent of the total transferred from the savings in the overhead costs.

This act will take effect upon approval of federal block grant funding or a federal waiver to implement the program.
JON HAGLER