As used in the Fostering Connections Act:

A. "eligible adult" means an individual who meets the eligibility criteria for participation in the fostering connections program;

B. "foster care maintenance payment" means a payment for the care and support of an eligible adult, which payment rate is established through legislative appropriation and is based on the age and needs of the eligible adult;

C. "host home" means a setting in an eligible adult's former foster home or in another residence in which an eligible adult:

(1) shares a residence with another adult or adults; and

(2) agrees to meet the basic expectations established by the:

(a) eligible adult;

(b) other adult or adults sharing the residence; and

(c) department;

D. "supervised independent living setting" means an age-appropriate setting that the department approves for placement of an eligible adult, which setting:

(1) conforms to federal requirements for supervised independent living settings; and

(2) may be a single or shared residence, including:

(a) a host home;

(b) a college dormitory or other post-secondary education or training housing; or

(c) the home of a parent of the eligible adult;

E. "transition plan" means a written, individualized plan developed collaboratively between the department and the eligible adult that identifies the:

(1) eligible adult's needs, strengths and goals in the areas of safety, housing, education, employment or income, health and mental health, local opportunities for mentors and continuing support services; and

(2) activities, responsibilities and time frames for addressing the goals specified in the transition plan;

F. "voluntary services and support agreement" means a written agreement, binding on the parties to the agreement, between the department and an eligible adult, which agreement specifies, at a minimum, the legal status of the eligible adult and the rights and obligations of the eligible adult and the department while the eligible adult is participating in the fostering connections program; and

G. "young adult" means an individual who is at least eighteen years of age and who is under twenty-one years of age.

History: Laws 2019, ch. 149, § 2.

Effective dates. — Laws 2019, ch. 149 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 14, 2019, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.