Programs shall provide, at a minimum, all of the following services:

(a) (1) Acquisition, rehabilitation, acquisition and rehabilitation, or construction of housing and related facilities to be used for the purpose of providing home ownership for disadvantaged persons, residential housing for homeless individuals and very low income families, or transitional housing for persons who are homeless, ill, deinstitutionalized, or who have disabilities or special needs.

(2) Rehabilitation or construction of community facilities owned by public agencies or nonprofit entities.

(b) (1) Integrated education and job training services and activities or an equally divided basis, with 50 percent of participants’ time spent in classroom-based instruction, counseling, and leadership development instruction, and 50 percent of participants’ time spent in experiential training on the construction site.

(2) The education component described in paragraph (1) shall include basic skills instruction, secondary education services, and other activities designed to lead to the attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent. The curriculum for this component shall include math, language arts, vocational education, life skills training, social studies related to the cultural and community history of the participants, leadership skills, and other topics at the discretion of the program. Bilingual services shall be available for individuals with limited-English proficiency. A program shall have a goal of a minimum teacher-to-participant ratio of one teacher for every 18 participants.

(3) The job training component described in paragraph (1) shall involve work experience and skills training apprenticeships related to construction and rehabilitation activities described in subdivision (a). The process of construction shall be coupled with skills training and with close onsite supervision by experienced trainers. The curriculum for this component shall contain a set of locally agreed upon skills and competencies that are systematically taught, with participants’ mastery assessed individually on a regular, ongoing basis. Safety skills shall be taught at the outset. A program shall have a goal of a minimum trainer-to-participant ratio of one trainer for every seven participants. This component shall be coordinated to the maximum extent feasible with preapprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities.

(4) Assistance in attaining postsecondary education and in obtaining financial aid shall be made available to participants prior to graduation from the program.

(c) Counseling services designed to assist participants in positively participating in society, including all of the following, as necessary: outreach, assessment, and orientation; individual and peer counseling; life skills training, drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention; and referral to appropriate drug rehabilitation, medical, mental health, legal, housing, and other community services and resources. A program shall have a goal of a minimum counselor-to-participant ratio of one counselor for every 28 participants.

(d) (1) Leadership development training that provides participants with meaningful opportunities to develop leadership skills, including decisionmaking, problem solving, and negotiating. A program shall encourage participants to develop strong peer group ties that support their mutual pursuit of skills and values.

(2) Each program shall establish a youth council in which participants are afforded opportunities to develop public speaking and negotiating skills, and management and policymaking participation in specific aspects of the program.

(e) Each participant shall be provided with a training subsidy, living allowance, or stipend of not less than eight dollars ($8) per hour for the time spent at the worksite in construction training. For those participants who receive public assistance, this training subsidy, living allowance, or stipend shall not affect housing benefits, medical benefits, child care benefits, or CalFresh benefits, to the extent consistent with federal law. The training subsidy, living allowance, or stipend may be distributed in a manner that offers incentives for good performance.

(f) Full-time participation in a program shall be offered for a period of not less than 6 months and not more than 24 months.

(g) A concentrated effort shall be made to find construction, construction-related, or nonconstruction jobs for all graduates of the program who have performed well. The job training curriculum shall provide participants with basic preparation for seeking and maintaining a job. Followup counseling and assistance in job seeking shall also be provided to participants for a period of 12 months following graduation from the program.

(h) A program serving 20 or more participants is required to have a full-time director responsible for the coordination of the requirements of this article.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 227, Sec. 24. (AB 1400) Effective January 1, 2012.)