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Advocate

Help us pass important legislation and raise awareness for homeless youth.

Last Legislative Session, SB 94 passed due to a coalition of homeless youth advocates and members of the General Assembly. Click on the following link to read the bill:  http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/116803.pdf.

The Runaway Youth Safety Act

The Georgia General Assembly passed The Runaway Youth Safety Act which allows service providers to serve homeless youth under age 18. In the past, runaway and homeless youth under age 18 had difficulty accessing services. The new law allows service providers a 72 hour window to work with homeless and runaway youth under age 18. All service providers must notify a child’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the child’s location and general state of well-being as soon as possible. If a provider suspects child abuse or neglect, the provider must submit an abuse report to DFCS. Should a child not reveal the parent, guardian, or legal custodian, or if the responsible parties cannot be reached, providers must contact DFCS within 72 hours of the child’s acceptance of services. To serve runaway and homeless youth under age 18, agencies must  receive a Certificate of Registration from the Office of Residential Child Care (ORCC). 

You, too, can be a part of the process.  Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Leslee Purpura, lpurpura@covenanthouse.org, or fill out our volunteer form and let us know this is where you want to get involved.