(a) The department shall license a youth homelessness prevention center as a group home pursuant to this section. A youth homelessness prevention center shall meet all of the following requirements:

1. (1) The center shall offer short-term, 24-hour, nonmedical care and supervision and personal services to youth who voluntarily enter the center. As used in this paragraph, “short-term” means no more than 90 consecutive days from the date of admission.

2. (2) The center shall serve homeless youth, youth at risk of homelessness, youth exhibiting status offender behavior, and runaway youth.

   1. (A) “Homeless youth” means a youth 12 to 17 years of age, inclusive, or 18 years of age if the youth is completing high school or its equivalent, who is in need of services and without a place of shelter.
   2. (B) “Runaway youth” means a youth 12 to 17 years of age, inclusive, or 18 years of age if the youth is completing high school or its equivalent, who absents themself from home or place of legal residence without the permission of their family, legal guardian, or foster parent.

   3. (C) “Youth at risk of homelessness” means a youth 12 to 17 years of age, inclusive, or 18 years of age if the youth is completing high school or its equivalent, to whom one or more of the following circumstances apply:

      1. (i) Identification as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ).
      2. (ii) Financial stress, including, but not limited to, stress due to their own or family loss of income, low income, gambling, or change of family circumstances.
      3. (iii) Housing affordability stress or housing crisis, including, but not limited to, pending evictions or foreclosures of the current home, or rental or mortgage arrears.
      4. (iv) Inadequate or inappropriate dwelling conditions, including, but not limited to, accommodations that are unsafe, unsuitable, or overcrowded.
      5. (v) Loss of previous housing accommodation.
      6. (vi) Relationship or family breakdown.
      7. (vii) Child abuse, neglect, or living in an environment where children are at risk of child abuse or neglect.
      8. (viii) Sexual abuse.
      9. (ix) Domestic or family violence.
      10. (x) Nonfamily violence.
      11. (xi) Mental health issues or other health problems.
      12. (xii) Problematic alcohol, drug, or substance use.
      13. (xiii) Employment difficulties or unemployment.
      14. (xiv) Problematic gambling.
      15. (xv) Transitions from custodial and care arrangements, including, but not limited to, out-of-home care, independent living arrangements for children under 18 years of age, or health and mental health care facilities or programs.
      16. (xvi) Discrimination, including, but not limited to, racial discrimination.
      17. (xvii) Disengagement with school or other education and training.
      18. (xviii) Involvement in, or exposure to, criminal activities.
      19. (xix) Antisocial behavior.
      20. (xx) Lack of family or community support.
      21. (xxi) Staying in boarding housing for 12 weeks or more without security of tenure.
   4. (D) “Youth exhibiting status offender behavior” means a youth 12 to 17 years of age, inclusive, or 18 years of age if the youth is completing high school or its equivalent, who persistently or habitually refuses to obey the reasonable and proper orders or directions of their parents, guardian, or custodian, or who is beyond the control of that person, or who violates an ordinance of a city or county establishing a curfew based solely on age.
3. (3) The center shall have a maximum capacity of 25 youths.
4. (4) The center shall have a ratio of one staff person to every eight youths. For purposes of this paragraph, a volunteer may be counted in the staff-to-youth ratio if the volunteer has satisfied the same training requirements as a paid center staff member and other requirements set forth in regulations, and a paid center staff member is present during the time the volunteer is on duty.
5. (5) Bunk beds may be permitted in the center, but shall not consist of more than two tiers.
6. (6) The center shall be owned and operated on a nonprofit basis by a private nonprofit corporation, a nonprofit organization, or a public agency.

(e) The center shall establish procedures to assist youth in securing long-term stability that includes all of the following:

1. (1) Reconnecting the youth with their family, legal guardian, or nonrelative extended family members when possible to do so.
2. (2) Coordinating with appropriate individuals, local government agencies, or organizations to help foster youth secure a suitable foster care placement.

(h) A youth homelessness prevention center shall collect and maintain all of the following information in a monthly report, in a format specified by the department, and make the report available to the department upon request:

1. (1) Total number of youth served per month.
2. (2) Age of each youth served.
3. (3) Length of stay of each youth served.
4. (4) Number of times a youth accesses the center and services at the center.