2020 Minnesota Statutes

245.4885 SCREENING FOR INPATIENT AND RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.

Subdivision 1.Admission criteria.

(a) Prior to admission or placement, except in the case of an emergency, all children referred for treatment of severe emotional disturbance in a treatment foster care setting, residential treatment facility, or informally admitted to a regional treatment center shall undergo an assessment to determine the appropriate level of care if public funds are used to pay for the services.

(b) The responsible social services agency shall determine the appropriate level of care for a child when county-controlled funds are used to pay for the child's services or placement in a qualified residential treatment facility under chapter 260C and licensed by the commissioner under chapter 245A. In accordance with section 260C.157, a juvenile treatment screening team shall conduct a screening before the team may recommend whether to place a child in a qualified residential treatment program as defined in section 260C.007, subdivision 26d. When a social services agency does not have responsibility for a child's placement and the child is enrolled in a prepaid health program under section 256B.69, the enrolled child's contracted health plan must determine the appropriate level of care. When Indian Health Services funds or funds of a tribally owned facility funded under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Public Law 93-638, are to be used, the Indian Health Services or 638 tribal health facility must determine the appropriate level of care. When more than one entity bears responsibility for coverage, the entities shall coordinate level of care determination activities to the extent possible.

(c) The responsible social services agency must make the level of care determination available to the juvenile treatment screening team, as permitted under chapter 13. The level of care determination shall inform the juvenile treatment screening team process and the assessment in section 260C.704 when considering whether to place the child in a qualified residential treatment program. When the responsible social services agency is not involved in determining a child's placement, the child's level of care determination shall determine whether the proposed treatment:

(1) is necessary;

(2) is appropriate to the child's individual treatment needs;

(3) cannot be effectively provided in the child's home; and

(4) provides a length of stay as short as possible consistent with the individual child's need.

(d) When a level of care determination is conducted, the responsible social services agency or other entity may not determine that a screening under section 260C.157 or referral or admission to a treatment foster care setting or residential treatment facility is not appropriate solely because services were not first provided to the child in a less restrictive setting and the child failed to make progress toward or meet treatment goals in the less restrictive setting. The level of care determination must be based on a diagnostic assessment that includes a functional assessment which evaluates family, school, and community living situations; and an assessment of the child's need for care out of the home using a validated tool which assesses a child's functional status and assigns an appropriate level of care. The validated tool must be approved by the commissioner of human services. If a diagnostic assessment including a functional assessment has been completed by a mental health professional within the past 180 days, a new diagnostic assessment need not be completed unless in the opinion of the current treating mental health professional the child's mental health status has changed markedly since the assessment was completed. The child's parent shall be notified if an assessment will not be completed and of the reasons. A copy of the notice shall be placed in the child's file. Recommendations developed as part of the level of care determination process shall include specific community services needed by the child and, if appropriate, the child's family, and shall indicate whether or not these services are available and accessible to the child and family.

(e) During the level of care determination process, the child, child's family, or child's legal representative, as appropriate, must be informed of the child's eligibility for case management services and family community support services and that an individual family community support plan is being developed by the case manager, if assigned.

(f) When the responsible social services agency has authority, the agency must engage the child's parents in case planning under sections 260C.212 and 260C.708 unless a court terminates the parent's rights or court orders restrict the parent from participating in case planning, visitation, or parental responsibilities.

(g) The level of care determination, and placement decision, and recommendations for mental health services must be documented in the child's record, as required in chapter 260C.

[See Note.]

Subd. 1a.Emergency admission.

Effective July 1, 2006, if a child is admitted to a treatment foster care setting, residential treatment facility, or held for emergency care by a regional treatment center under section 253B.05, subdivision 1, the level of care determination must occur within five working days of admission.

Subd. 2.Qualifications.

Level of care determination of children for treatment foster care, residential, and inpatient services must be conducted by a mental health professional. Where appropriate and available, culturally informed mental health consultants must participate in the level of care determination. Mental health professionals providing level of care determination for treatment foster care, inpatient, and residential services must not be financially affiliated with any nongovernment entity which may be providing those services.

Subd. 3.Individual placement agreement.

The county board shall enter into an individual placement agreement with a provider of residential treatment services to a child eligible for county-paid services under this section. The agreement must specify the payment rate and terms and conditions of county payment for the placement.

Subd. 4.

[Repealed, 1993 c 337 s 20]

Subd. 5.Summary data collection.

The county board shall annually collect summary information on the number of children screened, the age and racial or ethnic background of the children, the presenting problem, and the screening recommendations. The county shall include information on the degree to which these recommendations are followed and the reasons for not following recommendations. Summary data shall be available to the public and shall be used by the county board and local children's advisory council to identify needed service development.

History:

1989 c 282 art 4 s 51; 1990 c 568 art 5 s 26,27; 1991 c 292 art 6 s 23-25; 1995 c 207 art 8 s 11; 1999 c 139 art 4 s 2; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 9 s 17; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 11 s 11; 1Sp2005 c 4 art 2 s 4-6; 2009 c 167 s 5; 2009 c 174 art 1 s 2,3; 2010 c 303 s 1,2; 1Sp2020 c 2 art 5 s 2

NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 1 by Laws 2020, First Special Session chapter 2, article 5, section 2, is effective September 30, 2021. Laws 2020, First Special Session chapter 2, article 5, section 2, the effective date.