12.510 Office for Faith-Based and Community Nonprofit Social Services established -- Mission -- Principles -- Duties.

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Page 1 of 2 12.510 Office for Faith-Based and Community Nonprofit Social Services established -- Mission -- Principles -- Duties. (1) The Office for Faith-Based and Community Nonprofit Social Services is established in the Office of the Governor. The office shall be administered by a staff person designated by the Governor and shall have sufficient staff as required to implement the provisions of KRS 12.500 to 12.520. (2) The office shall have primary responsibility to establish policies, priorities, and practices in the executive branch to enable and expand social service programs of faith-based and community nonprofit organizations to the extent permitted by law. (3) The office and all state government agencies that administer social service programs supported by government funding shall adhere to the following principles: (a) Government funding for social service programs shall be distributed in the most effective and efficient manner possible; (b) No organization shall be discriminated against on the basis of religion, religious practices, or beliefs in the administration or distribution of government funding for social service programs; (c) No faith-based or community nonprofit organization providing social service programs in whole or in part with government funding shall discriminate against beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries on the basis of religion, religious practices, beliefs, or refusal to hold a religious belief or to participate in a religious practice, or as otherwise provided by law; (d) All programs involving government funding to faith-based and nonprofit community organizations for social service programs shall be implemented in accordance with the United States Constitution, the Constitution of Kentucky, and all amendments thereto. Organizations that engage in religious worship, religious instruction, and proselytization that receive government funding for social service programs shall offer those social service programs separately in time and location, and participation in such religious activities by any beneficiary or potential beneficiary of a government-funded social service program shall be strictly voluntary; (e) Faith-based and nonprofit community organizations that receive government funding may retain their autonomy, expression, or religious character and may continue practicing or expressing religious beliefs. Organizations may use existing facilities, in accordance with paragraph (d) of this subsection, without removing or altering religious icons, art, scripture, or symbols and may retain religious terms in its name and other documents governing the organization. Government funding shall not be used to support inherently religious activities, including but not limited to worship, religious instruction, and proselytizing; and (f) Faith-based and nonprofit community organizations that receive government funding for social service programs shall comply with the same requirements as any other entity that receives government funding for social service programs is subject to, including but not limited to timely progress and final Page 2 of 2 reports, audits, inspection of premises, recordkeeping and accounting practices, program evaluation, and outcome studies. (4) The office shall: (a) Develop and implement policies affecting faith-based and community nonprofit organizations to increase the capacity of those organizations to provide social services through executive action, legislative proposals, administrative regulations, and government and private funding; (b) Review and coordinate policies affecting the opportunities for government funding for social service programs by faith-based and other community nonprofit organizations throughout all related agencies of state government; (c) Implement and coordinate public education activities to increase faith-based and community nonprofit social service program initiatives through volunteerism, special projects, pilot or demonstration projects, and public- private partnerships; (d) Encourage private charitable giving to support faith-based and community nonprofit organizations and social service programs; (e) Provide information and legal education to state and local public officials and policymakers to improve opportunities for government funding for social service programs by faith-based and community nonprofit organizations; (f) Provide education, training, and technical assistance to increase the capacity and expertise of faith-based and community nonprofit organizations to effectively manage government-funded social service programs; and (g) Provide training and technical assistance to enable faith-based and community nonprofit organizations to conduct program evaluation and outcome studies on social services provided with government funding. Effective: June 20, 2005 History: Created 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 137, sec. 3, effective June 20, 2005.