Senate Bill NO. 2893

By Representative(s) Committee

SECTION 1. The purpose of this act is to study the need for a comprehensive system of a multidisciplinary continuum of care and services for compulsory-school-age children including, but not limited to, in-home treatment, therapeutic foster care, community-based programs and residential therapeutic facilities for compulsory-school-age children who have been suspended or expelled from a local school district for serious and chronic misconduct or who have been voluntarily placed in a facility by the child's parent(s) or guardian(s). This study shall be known as the Juvenile Health Recovery Study.

SECTION 2. The Juvenile Health Recovery Study shall be conducted by a Juvenile Health Recovery Study Board consisting of the following fourteen (14) members:

(a) The Attorney General;

(b) The Executive Director of the Division of Medicaid;

(c) The Executive Director of the Department of Human Services;

(d) The Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health;

(e) The State Superintendent of Education;

(f) The Executive Director of the State Department of Health;

(g) The Governor;

(h) The Executive Director of the Magnolia Bar;

(i) The Executive Director of the Primary Health Care Association;

(j) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Black Social Workers; and

(k) Four (4) persons appointed by the chairman, of whom three (3) shall have special expertise in working with children and youth special needs.

The Chairman of the House Juvenile Justice Committee and the Senate Juvenile Justice Committee shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members of the study board.

The Juvenile Health Recovery Study Board shall meet upon the call of the Attorney General not later than thirty (30) days after passage of this act. The Attorney General shall serve as chairman of the board. A vice chairman who shall serve as secretary of the board shall also be selected by the membership of the board. Board members may designate other appropriate representatives of their offices to attend and fully act for and on behalf of the board members.

SECTION 3. The Juvenile Health Recovery Study Board shall study and make recommendations concerning the following powers and responsibilities:

(a) Rules and regulations as necessary to implement and administer a Juvenile Health Recovery Program;

(b) Develop a long-term comprehensive plan for implementation of a coordinated array of Juvenile Health Recovery Programs, which may include in-home treatment, therapeutic foster care, community-based programs, regional family resource and youth services centers, rescue centers and residential therapeutic facilities;

(c) Location for five (5) pilot Juvenile Health Recovery Programs, one (1) to be in each of the five (5) Mississippi congressional districts;

(d) The need for the establishment or utilization of existing local interagency coordinating entities and multidisciplinary assessment and planning (MAP) teams as local advisory councils for each Juvenile Health Recovery Program. Such local advisory councils may assist in the coordination and provision of services to the children, and shall consist of the local school superintendent, local law enforcement officers, the director of the regional mental health/retardation center, school guidance counselors, and other members as deemed appropriate by the board;

(e) The study shall include research on the program to determine a cost/benefit analysis of the program upon full implementation, in comparison to the incarceration of such children in correctional institutions, and other costs including crime, human and social services and legal services.

SECTION 4. The Juvenile Health Recovery Study Board shall study and make recommendations concerning the operation of the Juvenile Health Recovery Programs by February 1, 2000, to the Mississippi Legislature.

SECTION 5. The Juvenile Health Recovery Programs shall serve compulsory-school-age children as defined in Section 39-13-91 who have been identified as having a disability as defined in 20 USCS 1401 et seq. and 34 CFR 300 and who have been recommended by their superintendent of schools for expulsion or suspension. The Juvenile Health Recovery Study Board shall make recommendations on the establishment of regulations consistent with 34 CFR 300 for the admission, programming and return of these children to the education program of their local school district.

SECTION 6. This act which establishes a Juvenile Health Recovery Study and a Juvenile Health Recovery Study Board are repealed from and after July 1, 2000.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.

AN ACT TO STUDY THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONTINUUM OF CARE AND SERVICES FOR COMPULSORY-SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN EXPELLED OR SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL FOR SERIOUS AND CHRONIC MISCONDUCT; TO ESTABLISH THE JUVENILE HEALTH RECOVERY STUDY BOARD TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING JUVENILE HEALTH RECOVERY PROGRAMS; TO STUDY THE NEED FOR LOCAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATING ENTITIES IN THE PLANNING; TO DEFINE THOSE CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICE AT THE CENTERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.