Chapter 9 - Community Juvenile Services Boards
CHAPTER 9 - COMMUNITY JUVENILE SERVICES BOARDS
14-9-101. Short title.
This act shall be known as the "Community JuvenileServices Act".
14-9-102. Purpose.
(a) The purpose and intent of this act is to:
(i) Establish, maintain and promote the development of juvenileservices in communities of the state aimed at allowing early identification anddiversion of children at risk of entry into the juvenile court system andpreventing juvenile delinquency; and
(ii) Allow decisions regarding juvenile services to be made atthe local level.
14-9-103. Definitions.
(a) As used in this act:
(i) "Account" means the community juvenile servicesblock grant account created by this act;
(ii) "Community board" means a community juvenileservices board providing juvenile services under this act;
(iii) "Department" means the department of familyservices;
(iv) "Juvenile services" means programs or servicesprovided to children at risk of coming under the jurisdiction of the juvenilecourt. Programs or services may include:
(A) Needs screening and evaluation;
(B) Treatment planning and follow-up;
(C) Case management;
(D) Family preservation services;
(E) Mental health treatment;
(F) Substance abuse treatment;
(G) Mentor and tracker services;
(H) Community service and restitution programs;
(J) Out-of-home placement;
(K) Remedial education services;
(M) Pretrial diversion programs and graduated sanctions.
(v) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, 2.
(vi) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, 2.
(vii) "This act" means W.S. 14-9-101 through 14-9-108.
14-9-104. Account created.
There is created the juvenile services block grant accountinto which shall be deposited all funds appropriated by the legislature for thepurposes of this act.
14-9-105. Community juvenile services boards.
(a) A county may, in accordance with the Wyoming Joint PowersAct, enter into an agreement with one (1) or more counties, any or all citieswithin the county or counties, and any or all school districts within thecounty or counties, to form a joint powers board to serve as a communityjuvenile services board under this act. The board shall include representationfrom the following entities within the jurisdictional boundaries of thecommunity juvenile services board:
(i) A representative of local field offices of the departmentof family services;
(ii) A representative of local public health;
(iii) A representative from the local school districts;
(iv) A representative from prosecuting attorneys' offices;
(v) A representative from local police departments andsheriff's offices;
(vi) Representatives from the boards of county commissioners;
(vii) A representative from a local or regional mental health orsubstance abuse provider;
(viii) A representative from the public defender's office;
(ix) Any other professional the board of county commissioners orjoint powers board may appoint, who has particular knowledge or expertise inchildren or young adult services.
14-9-106. Community boards; powers and duties.
(a) A community board may:
(i) Receive funds from any source;
(ii) Employ staff using any available funds;
(iii) Expend funds to provide directly, or to contract for,juvenile services.
(b) Subject to this act, a community board shall:
(i) Review existing community juvenile services within itsjurisdiction;
(ii) Develop a community juvenile services strategic plan andprovide for periodic review of the plan;
(iii) Ensure that the community board's system of juvenileservices provides for:
(A) Use of a uniform screening instrument;
(B) Assessments of referred children by licensed professionalswho may include medical, mental health, social service and educationalpersonnel;
(C) Clear and comprehensive procedures to facilitate referralsof youth and families of youth needing services by:
(I) School districts;
(II) Law enforcement;
(III) Licensed mental health care providers;
(IV) Licensed health care providers;
(V) A court;
(VI) The department of family services;
(VII) Community youth organizations;
(VIII) Families of youth needing services;
(IX) Self-referred youth.
(D) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, 2.
(iv) Ensure that juvenile services funded under this act areestablished and maintained;
(v) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 57, 2.
(c) The community board shall not provide any services to anychild without first obtaining written consent from the child's parent orguardian unless participation in the program or service offered by thecommunity board is a condition of court ordered probation or suspension ofsentence. A court of limited jurisdiction may authorize the community board toprovide services to a child if, after a hearing, the court finds that thechild's parent or guardian unreasonably refused to provide written consent forthe child to receive services.
14-9-107. Department of family services to administer block grantprogram; powers and duties.
(a) The department of family services in cooperation with thedepartment of health and education shall administer a community juvenileservices block grant program to assist communities to develop and maintainjuvenile services.
(b) The departments of education, family services and healthshall promulgate reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out thepurposes of this act including rules relating to:
(i) Grant application procedures;
(ii) Grant eligibility;
(iii) Procedures for distributing block grants;
(iv) Research based strategies;
(v) Graduated sanctions and intervention levels for alljuveniles.
14-9-108. Grant eligibility; allocation of funds.
(a) To qualify for a grant under this act, an applicant shall:
(i) Be created as a community board as provided by W.S.14-9-105;
(ii) Submit a grant application;
(iii) Receive certification from the department of familyservices that the strategic plan developed by the community board addresses thepurposes of this act;
(iv) Develop a system approved by the department for:
(A) Central intake and assessment of juveniles with an initialpoint of contact established within the community;
(B) The development or adoption of criteria for juvenilediversion, short-term detention and longer-term shelter care services,including standards for assessments, admissions, twenty-four (24) hour intakes,predispositional detentions and shelter care standards;
(C) The development of a continuum of nonsecure services,including early intervention, diversion, community service and other sanctionswhich may include citations, counseling, parenting education, day treatment andaftercare following twenty-four (24) hour placements; and
(D) The identification of other funding sources for localjuvenile services.
(b) Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 8, 2.
(c) Services for juveniles under this section shall be paidcooperatively by the departments of family services, health and education tothe providers of those services.
(d) Systems approved by the department under this section shallprovide for confidential proceedings and records.