eligibility

eligibility Sec. 312. (a) To be eligible for assistance under this part, an applicant shall propose to establish, strengthen, or fund an existing or proposed runaway house, a locally controlled facility providing temporary shelter, and counseling services to juveniles who have left home without permission of their parents or guardians. (b) In order to qualify for assistance under this part, an applicant shall submit a plan to the Secretary meeting the following requirements and including the following information. Each house— (1) shall be located in an area which is demonstrably frequented by or easily reachable by runaway youth; (2) shall have a maximum capacity of no more than twenty children, with a ratio of staff to children of sufficient portion to assure adequate supervision and treatment; (3) shall develop adequate plans for contacting the child’s parents or relatives (if such action is required by State law) and assuring the safe return of the child according to the best interests of the child, for contacting local government officials pursuant to informal arrangements established with such officials by the runaway house, and for providing for other appropriate alternative living arrangements; 88 Stat. 1131 (4) shall develop an adequate plan for assuring proper relations with law enforcement personnel, and the return of runaway youths from correctional institutions; (5) shall develop an adequate plan for aftercare counseling involving runaway youth and their parents within the State in which the runaway house is located and for assuring, as possible, that aftercase services will be provided to those children who are returned beyond the State in which the runaway house is located; (6) shall keep adequate statistical records profiling the children and parents which it serves, except that records maintained on individual runaway youths shall not be disclosed without parental consent to anyone other than another agency compiling statistical records or a government agency involved in the disposition of criminal charges against an individual runaway youth, and reports or other documents based on such statistical records shall not disclose the identity of individual runaway youths; (7) shall submit annual reports to the Secretary detailing how the house has been able to meet the goals of its plans and reporting the statistical summaries required by paragraph (6); (8) shall demonstrate its ability to operate under accounting procedures and fiscal control devices as required by the Secretary; (9) shall submit a budget estimate with respect to the plan submitted by such house under this subsection; and (10) shall supply such other information as the Secretary reasonably deems necessary.