A. A “family and youth resources program” may be created in any public school in the state. Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the department shall accept applications for grants from public schools in which eighty percent of the students are eligible for the free or reduced-fee lunch program to fund their program.

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B. The purpose of the program is to provide an intermediary for students and their families at public schools to access social and health care services. The goal of the program is to forge mutual long-term relationships with public and private agencies and community-based, civic and corporate organizations to help students attain high academic achievement by meeting certain nonacademic needs of students and their families.

C. A program shall include the employment of a resource liaison, who shall:

(1)     assess student and family needs and match those needs with appropriate public or private providers, including civic and corporate sponsors;

(2)     make referrals to health care and social service providers;

(3)     collaborate and coordinate with health and social service agencies and organizations through school-based and off-site delivery systems;

(4)     recruit service providers and business, community and civic organizations to provide needed services and goods that are not otherwise available to a student or the student’s family;

(5)     establish partnerships between the school and community organizations such as civic, business and professional groups and organizations; and recreational, social and after-school programs such as boys’ and girls’ clubs and boy and girl scouts;

(6)     identify and coordinate age-appropriate resources for students in need of: (a) counseling, training and placement for employment;

(b) drug and alcohol abuse counseling; (c) family crisis counseling; and

(d) mental health counseling;

(7)     promote family support and parent education programs; and

(8)     seek out other services or goods a student or the student’s family needs to assist the student to stay in school and succeed.

D. A public school or group of public schools that has received a grant to establish a family and youth resources program may continue to be eligible for funding if its percentage of students eligible for the free or reduced-fee price lunch program drops below eighty percent, so long as it maintains an average of eighty percent or more for any three-year period.