HB 700

Abstract

Certain individuals in foster care, in the custody of the Department of Social Services, or considered a special needs adoption; parameters of higher education grants; point of contact for support and guidance. Expands to include each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth the requirement to provide grants to certain individuals who were in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or were considered a special needs adoption; adds mandatory education and general fees and, in the case of baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, the cost of room and board to the amount of such grants; and makes eligible for such grants any individual who meets certain other eligibility criteria and was in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or was considered a special needs adoption at any time after he turned 14. Current law requires such an individual to have been in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or considered a special needs adoption at the time that his high school diploma or equivalency examination certificate was awarded. The bill also requires each public institution of higher education to identify at least one employee of the institution to serve as a point of contact for each enrolled student who was in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or was considered a special needs adoption in order to provide such student with support and guidance, including support and guidance relating to financial aid and any associated applications or other required paperwork.

Certain individuals in foster care, in the custody of the Department of Social Services, or considered a special needs adoption; parameters of higher education grants; point of contact for support and guidance. Adds the cost of room and board to the amount of the grants required to be provided by comprehensive community colleges to certain individuals who were in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or were considered a special needs adoption; expands such requirement to include all associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth; and makes eligible for such grants any individual who meets certain other eligibility criteria and was in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or was considered a special needs adoption at any time after he turned 14. Current law requires such an individual to have been in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or considered a special needs adoption at the time that his high school diploma or equivalency examination certificate was awarded. The bill also requires each public institution of higher education to identify at least one employee of the institution to serve as a point of contact for each enrolled student who was in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or was considered a special needs adoption in order to provide such student with support and guidance, including support and guidance relating to financial aid and any associated applications or other required paperwork.