An assessment of community needs and assets shall be submitted prior to the development of the strategic plan to a task force with representation from the Departments of Family Services, Health, Education, and the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice. The task force shall review the community assessment to determine if the assessment is comprehensive and complete as outlined by the community assessment guidelines below. The community assessment may occur through the Community Juvenile Services Board. The assessment will provide baseline information for planning community services and the subsequent community strategic plan. The Departments of Family Services, Health and Education shall make technical assistance available in the assessment and planning process upon request. Opportunity for public participation shall occur and be documented during the assessment and planning process.
(a) Community assessment shall include: - (i) Definition of target population (at-risk youth) to be served and service population demographics within the geographic region of the CJSB;
- (ii) Process used to identify the needs and assets of the community. Including but not limited to current law enforcement and prosecution policies, case processing, arrest/referral, diversion, detentions screening, detention hearing, case filing, adjudication, predisposition, disposition, and transition/aftercare;
- (iii) Identification of the criminal justice system problems and their scope, including:
- (A) A population profile for the CJSB geographic region, including but not limited to location, population characteristics, social and economic characteristics and trends;
- (B) Juvenile detention population profile including but not limited to trends in detention use, admissions/booking data, demographic profile, and cause of detention;
- (C) Risk and protective factors including but not limited to why juveniles end up in the criminal justice system and resources available within the jurisdiction that serve to prevent juveniles from entering the juvenile justice system;
- (D) Policies, practices and protocols across the case flow process for all systems working with the at-risk youth; and
- (E) Information regarding all at-risk youth within the criminal justice system of the CJSB geographic region, including diversion, sentence or adjudication information, and placement profiles.
- (iv) Outline of basic requirements of local service systems, including:
- (A) Proposed single entry process to assure uniform and objective procedures and service access for at-risk youth and families at first contact with system;
- (B) Implementation plan for the standardized screening/assessment process adopted by the Department of Family Services to guide service decisions;
- (C) A defined case management structure to ensure service continuity;
- (D) A service delivery network with the capacity to provide full range of needed services; and
- (E) Flexibility in service design to enable the most effective provision of services to at-risk youth based upon individual's assessed need.
- (v) A method to determine geographic service areas and boundaries;
- (vi) Coordination with the criminal justice system and other child/youth/family serving systems to ensure legal responsibilities are upheld and that children and families receive quality services;
- (vii) Agreements among participating service agencies;
- (viii) Impact of local, state and federal laws and regulations; and
(b) Community Planning may reflect the unique nature of each community but shall include, at a minimum, the following: - (ii) Values, Mission and Philosophy;
- (iii) Organizational Structure and Community assessment;
- (v) Objectives and Outcome Measures;
- (vi) Strategies and Output Measures; and
(c) Strategic Plan. The community assessment and planning should culminate in the development of a strategic plan. The strategic planning process should provide for the opportunity for public input and describe how the public was included and who was included. Strategic plans shall be submitted to the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice and the Department of Family Services. Those entities eligible for funding pursuant to Chapter Two (2) of these rules, shall have their strategic plans forwarded to the Task Force for funding determination. Strategic plans shall include a system that addresses the following: - (i) Central intake and assessment for juveniles with an initial point of contact established within the community. The assessment shall be the assessment tool designated by the Department of Family Services, Juvenile Services Division. Twenty-four (24) hour intake services shall be provided to assist law enforcement in making initial custody decisions and to assist in making appropriate recommendations regarding needed services;
- (ii) The community must establish a detention standard, reach an agreement on who should be detained and for what reasons, and outline a community process for the use of detention. More focused detention criteria is designed to separate low-risk youth (those who could be safely returned home) from higher risk youth (those who should be securely detained). Criteria for juvenile diversion and detention including:
- (A) Criteria for determining when at-risk youth should be assessed;
- (B) Criteria for determining who shall be admitted to detention;
- (C) How twenty four (24) hour intakes will be processed; and
- (D) Criteria for determining who needs shelter care.
- (iii) Continuum of non-secure services, including early intervention, diversion, community services and other sanctions which may include citations, counseling, parenting education, day treatment, and aftercare following placements. These services should be provided to at-risk youth within the CJSB geographic region throughout the process of their involvement to include early intervention, transition from the family/school/community to out-of-home placement and transition back to the family/school/community from an out-of-home placement, support while in a secure setting and aftercare following placements. Non-secure services should be monitored for efficacy in reducing the youth's risk of future involvement in criminal activity and increasing protective factors for the youth and his/her family.
- (iv) Identification of criteria for notification and involvement of parents/guardians.
- (v) Identification of other funding sources and operational costs for local juvenile services.
- (vi) Provision for confidential proceedings and records.
- (vii) Strategic plan implementation updates shall be forwarded to the Department of Family Services and the State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice on a quarterly basis. The Department of Family Services shall make this data available to the Departments of Health and Education.