Department of Child Protection Services; require to create certain transition-aged youth aftercare housing program.

HB 473 requires Mississippi's Department of Child Protection Services to establish a housing program for young adults aged 18-24 who were previously in foster care after age 16. The program provides emergency housing and supportive services to help these individuals maintain stable housing, aligning with federal homelessness definitions. It mandates the department to create rules, dedicate annual funding, and use state or federal resources (like Chafee Program funds) without discrimination based on race, gender, or disability. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, directly supporting vulnerable former foster youth transitioning to adulthood.