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A.  The purpose of the children and youth planning boards is to assist in the assessment, alignment, coordination, prioritization, and measurement of all available services and programs that address the needs of children and youth.  This includes children and youth at risk for, or identified with, social, emotional, or developmental problems, including but not limited to educational failure, abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, juvenile or parental mental illness, juvenile or parental substance abuse, poverty, developmental disabilities and delinquency.  The boards are intended to encourage collaborative efforts among local stakeholders for assessing the physical, social, behavioral, and educational needs of children and youth in their respective communities and for assisting in the development of comprehensive plans to address such needs.  The infrastructure for planning is intended to be data-driven in order to select appropriate evidence-based programs which will maximize available resources.

B.  The legislature authorizes the establishment of children and youth planning boards to assist in the development, implementation, and operation of services which encourage positive development, diversion of children and youth from the criminal justice and the foster care system, reduction in the commitments of youth to state institutions, and providing community response to the growing rate of juvenile delinquency.  The coordination and implementation of services shall include but are not limited to prevention, early intervention, diversion, alternatives to home displacement, alternatives to incarceration, and treatment services.  Through such boards, the state intends to foster and promote a continuum of community-based services and systems reflecting service integration at the state and community or local levels.

C.  The role of the Children’s Cabinet shall be to facilitate the creation of children and youth planning boards by offering guidance and technical assistance to local communities and governing authorities including but not limited to resource identification, needs assessments, monitoring and performance evaluation, strategic planning and other forms of assistance and support.

Added by Acts 1978, No. 300, §1; Acts 1990, No. 696, §1; Acts 2004, No. 555, §1.