HB 878 -- Family Investment Trust Board

Co-Sponsors:  Gunn, Gaw

This bill creates a 16 member "Family Investment Trust Board" to
advise the Governor and General Assembly on statewide issues
concerning children, youth, and families, implementation of the
federal welfare reform legislation, and creation of a strategic
plan to encourage community-based delivery of services.  The
Governor appoints the members of the board, which is to include
representatives from state agencies, the private sector, and the
General Assembly.  The bill includes a sunset date of December
31, 2000, for the board.

The specific duties of the board are outlined and include:

(1)  Establishing statewide, regional and local outcomes to
improve the delivery system for children, youth, and families
through greater collaboration among state departments;

(2)  Establishing criteria and guidelines to establish regional
and local organizational structures and partnerships, such as
Caring Communities, to provide area-specific services;

(3)  Reviewing and making recommendations regarding state plans,
and budget requests, programs, and services of state agencies;

(4)  Reviewing and approving or disapproving plans, programs,
and budgets of regional and local organizational structures and
partnerships;

(5)  Evaluating federal fiscal policy changes related to
services for children, youth, and families;

(6)  Recommending state budget, policy or organizational changes
needed to facilitate a streamlined, coordinated cost-effective
delivery system that provides services close to where families
live and children attend school, and that provides community
involvement and program accountability;

(7)  Developing a delivery system for services which allows the
pooling of resources from state departments and programs, to
allow services to be tailored to meet local needs.  The state
and federal programs which may be reviewed for possible
inclusion in the pooling of funds are listed;

(8)  Submitting an annual report by December 31 of each year, to
the Governor and the General Assembly; and

(9)  Meeting and working with the Workforce Development Policy
Board.

Funding and staffing for the Family Investment Trust Board are
assigned to the Division of Budget and Planning within the
Office of Administration; the costs for the board are to be
allocated among the affected departments and programs.

This bill also repeals statutes authorizing specific councils
and committees, including the Missouri Job Training Joint
Legislative Oversight Committee, and the Missouri Training and
Employment Council.