HF 2206

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/03/2014 03:29pm

A bill for an act
relating to juvenile protection; modifying timeline for juvenile treatment
screening teams to screen juveniles; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section
260C.157, subdivision 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 260C.157, subdivision 3, is amended to
read:

Subd. 3.

Juvenile treatment screening team.

(a) The responsible social services
agency shall establish a juvenile treatment screening team to conduct screenings and
prepare case plans under this chapter, chapter 260D, and section 245.487, subdivision 3.
Screenings shall be conducted within deleted text begin 15 deleted text end new text begin ten new text end days of a request for a screening. The team,
which may be the team constituted under section 245.4885 or 256B.092 or Minnesota
Rules, parts 9530.6600 to 9530.6655, shall consist of social workers, juvenile justice
professionals, persons with expertise in the treatment of juveniles who are emotionally
disabled, chemically dependent, or have a developmental disability, and the child's parent,
guardian, or permanent legal custodian under Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 260C.201,
subdivision 11, or section 260C.515, subdivision 4. The team may be the same team as
defined in section 260B.157, subdivision 3.

(b) The social services agency shall determine whether a child brought to its
attention for the purposes described in this section is an Indian child, as defined in section
260C.007, subdivision 21, and shall determine the identity of the Indian child's tribe, as
defined in section 260.755, subdivision 9. When a child to be evaluated is an Indian child,
the team provided in paragraph (a) shall include a designated representative of the Indian
child's tribe, unless the child's tribal authority declines to appoint a representative. The
Indian child's tribe may delegate its authority to represent the child to any other federally
recognized Indian tribe, as defined in section 260.755, subdivision 12.

(c) If the court, prior to, or as part of, a final disposition, proposes to place a child:

(1) for the primary purpose of treatment for an emotional disturbance, a
developmental disability, or chemical dependency in a residential treatment facility out
of state or in one which is within the state and licensed by the commissioner of human
services under chapter 245A; or

(2) in any out-of-home setting potentially exceeding 30 days in duration, including a
postdispositional placement in a facility licensed by the commissioner of corrections or
human services, the court shall ascertain whether the child is an Indian child and shall
notify the county welfare agency and, if the child is an Indian child, shall notify the Indian
child's tribe. The county's juvenile treatment screening team must either: (i) screen and
evaluate the child and file its recommendations with the court within 14 days of receipt
of the notice; or (ii) elect not to screen a given case and notify the court of that decision
within three working days.

(d) The child may not be placed for the primary purpose of treatment for an
emotional disturbance, a developmental disability, or chemical dependency, in a residential
treatment facility out of state nor in a residential treatment facility within the state that is
licensed under chapter 245A, unless one of the following conditions applies:

(1) a treatment professional certifies that an emergency requires the placement
of the child in a facility within the state;

(2) the screening team has evaluated the child and recommended that a residential
placement is necessary to meet the child's treatment needs and the safety needs of the
community, that it is a cost-effective means of meeting the treatment needs, and that it
will be of therapeutic value to the child; or

(3) the court, having reviewed a screening team recommendation against placement,
determines to the contrary that a residential placement is necessary. The court shall state
the reasons for its determination in writing, on the record, and shall respond specifically
to the findings and recommendation of the screening team in explaining why the
recommendation was rejected. The attorney representing the child and the prosecuting
attorney shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard on the matter.

(e) When the county's juvenile treatment screening team has elected to screen and
evaluate a child determined to be an Indian child, the team shall provide notice to the
tribe or tribes that accept jurisdiction for the Indian child or that recognize the child as a
member of the tribe or as a person eligible for membership in the tribe, and permit the
tribe's representative to participate in the screening team.

(f) When the Indian child's tribe or tribal health care services provider or Indian
Health Services provider proposes to place a child for the primary purpose of treatment
for an emotional disturbance, a developmental disability, or co-occurring emotional
disturbance and chemical dependency, the Indian child's tribe or the tribe delegated by
the child's tribe shall submit necessary documentation to the county juvenile treatment
screening team, which must invite the Indian child's tribe to designate a representative to
the screening team.