42 U.S.C. § 12655l — Living allowance

(a) Full-time service: (1) Living allowance required -- Each participant^* in a full-time youth corps program funded under this division must get a living allowance. It must be at least as much as the average yearly allowance VISTA volunteers get under section 4955. (2) Limitation on Federal share -- This division's money, section 12571's money, and any other federal money together cannot pay for more than 85 percent of that VISTA average allowance. (3) Maximum living allowance -- No matter the source, a participant's total yearly living allowance cannot go above 200 percent of the VISTA average. (4) Waiver or reduction of living allowance -- The Corporation^* can waive or lower the requirement in paragraph (1) if a program shows that (A) the requirement conflicts with the program's goals, and (B) the allowance it will pay is still enough to cover food, housing, and transportation costs in that area. (5) Exemption -- Paragraph (1)'s requirement does not apply to any program that already existed on September 21, 1993.

(b) Reduction in existing program benefits: (1) In general -- This section does not force a program that existed on November 16, 1990, to cut any stipend, salary, or living allowance it already pays, as long as the amount above what this section requires comes from non-federal money. (2) Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 -- Under that law, a residential youth corps program funded by this division counts as an "organized camp."

(c) Health insurance: Along with the living allowance, program agencies are encouraged -- though not required -- to provide health insurance to full-time participants who don't already have access to it.

(d) Facilities, services, and supplies: (1) In general -- A program agency may take a reasonable amount out of a participant's allowance to cover the cost of room and board at a residential facility. That deducted money must go into a rollover account used only to pay for participants' room and board. (2) Evaluation -- Before setting those deduction amounts, the agency must first study what room and board actually costs. (3) Duties of program agency -- An agency may provide housing, quarters, and meals. It must provide limited and emergency medical care, transportation from administrative offices to work sites, accommodations for participants with disabilities, and other appropriate services, supplies, and equipment. (4) Other Federal agencies -- (A) The Corporation may give a program agency services, facilities, supplies, and equipment -- including any surplus food and equipment available from other federal programs. (B) Whenever it can, the Corporation should arrange with the Secretary^* of Defense for a nearby military base to provide logistical support, such as temporary tent centers, supplies, and equipment. (5) Health and safety standards -- The Corporation and program agencies must set standards and enforcement rules to protect participants' health and safety, matching applicable federal, state^*, and local standards.