Section 24-906.03 - [Not funded.] Establishment of the Director of Emerging Adult Services(a) There is established the position of Director of Emerging Adult Services ("Director") within the Office of the City Administrator. The primary role of the Director shall be to coordinate and lead the overall implementation of this act and citywide efforts to meet the unique needs of emerging adults in the District.(b) The Director shall:(1) Within one year after the applicability date of section 33 of the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024, passed on 2nd reading on March 5, 2024 (Enrolled version of Bill 25-345), develop a comprehensive strategic plan ("strategic plan") to meet the unique needs of emerging adults and assess the implementation of this act in the District, which shall be submitted to the Mayor and Council, updated every 4 years, and include the following: (A) An assessment of:(i) The educational, workforce development, housing, behavioral and physical health care, and family needs of emerging adults and youth offenders before commitment, while in District or federal care or custody, and upon re-entry;(ii) Diversion programs for persons at risk of becoming youth offenders; and(iii) The availability of a continuum of developmentally appropriate, community-based services for youth offenders before commitment, while in District care or custody, and upon reentry;(B) Strategies and a plan to:(i) Involve emerging adults in community decision-making processes;(ii) Engage and support LGBTQ and other marginalized emerging adults;(iii) Expand alternatives to incarceration for emerging adults involved in the criminal justice system;(iv) Ensure effective treatment and services focused on rehabilitation and preventing recidivism; and(v) Foster collaboration among government agencies, community-based organizations, and families to support emerging adults; and(C) An outreach plan by the District to committed youth offenders and their families in District or federal care or custody to identify needs for services and plan for reentry;(2) Consult community-based organizations providing services and supports that are developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, healing-centered, and restorative to inform the strategic plan;(3) Oversee the implementation of the strategic plan and ensure alignment with the goals and objectives of this act;(4) Coordinate inter-agency services, programs, and initiatives to meet the diverse needs of emerging adults in the District;(5) Collaborate with public safety, criminal justice, and youth services agencies, including the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services, Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, District of Columbia Public Schools, United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, and CSOSA, to enhance services for emerging adults;(6) Engage with the community, emerging adults, and youth offenders to gather feedback, assess needs, and promote transparency and inclusivity in decision-making; and(7) Publish a data table on a publicly accessible website that protects any PII from disclosure and displays the total number of emerging adults, the services and programming used by emerging adults, and the outcomes of the services and programming.(c) Within 6 months after the applicability date of section 33 of the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024, passed on 2nd reading on March 5, 2024 (Enrolled version of Bill 25-345), the Director shall submit an initial report to the Mayor and Council that includes: (1) Proposed performance metrics and associated data to measure the progress of the strategic plan and the implementation of this act;(2) Protocols for reporting and frequency of reporting, including how the Director will collect data from District and federal agencies;(3) Strategies for engaging agencies, as provided in subsection (b)(5) of this section, on a coordinated effort to support emerging adults; and(4) Outreach plans for engaging with the community and involving emerging adults and their families in the decision-making processes.(d) Within 3 years after the applicability date of section 33 of the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024, passed on 2nd reading on March 5, 2024 (Enrolled version of Bill 25-345), and every 2 years thereafter, the Director shall submit an interim report to the Mayor and Council that includes, at the minimum:(1) The state of emerging adults in the District and the challenges that they are experiencing;(2) An analysis of the implementation of this act pursuant to the metrics provided in subsection (c)(1) of this section;(3) Progress made in achieving the goals and objectives outlined in the strategic plan pursuant to the metrics provided in subsection (c)(1) of this section;(4) A description of the Director's coordination efforts and specific initiatives with District agencies, community-based organizations, and the community undertaken during the preceding 2 years to meet the unique needs of emerging adults and the implementation of this act;(5) Challenges faced during the preceding 2 years and explanations for how each challenge was resolved or why it is ongoing;(6) Budgetary requirements and programming needs necessary for the successful execution of the strategic plan; and(7) Recommendations for future actions, policy changes, or resource allocations based on the findings of the fiscal year.(e) There is established an Advisory Council to the Director of Emerging Adults ("Advisory Council") to guide and assist the Director in fulfilling the Director's duties.(f) The Advisory Council shall:(1) Be part of the interview decision-making process for hiring the Director;(2) Provide expert guidance, recommendations, and feedback to the Director on matters related to emerging adults' needs and the implementation of this act; and(3) Meet with the Director on a quarterly basis.(g) The Advisory Council shall consist of the following 7 members: (1) Two emerging adults appointed by the Council;(2) One representative from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, appointed by the Mayor;(3) One representative from the State Office of Career and Technical Education, appointed by the Mayor;(4) One representative from the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, appointed by the Mayor;(5) One representative from the Department of Human Services, appointed by the Mayor; and(6) One representative, appointed by the Council, from a community-based organization with experience providing:(A) Physical and behavioral health services to emerging adults;(B) Victim services for emerging adults; or(C) Juvenile and criminal justice system services for emerging adults.(h)(1) Initial appointments to the Advisory Council shall be made within 60 days after the applicability date of section 33 of the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024, passed on 2nd reading on March 5, 2024 (Enrolled version of Bill 25-345).(2) The Mayor and Chairman of the Council shall each designate one co-chair for the Advisory Council from among the members.(3) All Advisory Council members shall serve without compensation and may be reappointed.(4) Members of the Advisory Council shall serve a 3-year term, or until a successor has been appointed; except, that:(A) Of the Mayor's initial appointments, two members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, one member shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, and one member shall be appointed for a term of one year; and(B) Of the Council's initial appointments, one member shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, and one member shall be appointed for a term of one year.(i) Three Advisory Council members shall constitute a quorum.(j) For the purposes of this section, the term: (1) "Community-based organization" means a nonprofit organization that is representative of the District or significant segments of the District and provides social, educational, or related services to individuals in the community.(2) "Court" means the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.(3) "CSOSA" means the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency.(4) "Emerging adult" means an individual between the ages of 18 through 24.(5) "LGBTQ" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2(2) of the Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs Act of 2006, effective April 4, 2006 (D.C. Law 16-89; D.C. Official Code § 2-1381(2)).(6) "PII" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2a(7) of the District of Columbia Commission for Women Act of 1978, effective March 10, 2023 (D.C. Law 24-303; D.C. Official Code § 3-701.01(7)).Added by D.C. Law 25-175,§ 33, 71 DCR 002732, eff. 6/8/2024.