52-2-301. State policy. The legislature declares that it is the policy of this state:

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(1)to provide for and encourage the development of a stable system of care, including quality education, treatment, and services for the high-risk children of this state with multiagency service needs, to the extent that funds are available;

(2)to serve high-risk children with multiagency service needs either in their homes or in the least restrictive and most appropriate setting for their needs in order to preserve the unity and welfare of the family, whenever possible, and to provide for their care and protection and mental, social, and physical development;

(3)to serve high-risk children with multiagency service needs within their home, community, region, and state, whenever possible, and to use out-of-state providers as a last resort;

(4)to provide integrated services to high-risk children with multiagency service needs;

(5)to contain costs and reduce the use of high-cost, highly restrictive, out-of-home placements;

(6)to increase the capacity of communities to serve high-risk children with multiagency service needs in the least restrictive and most appropriate setting for their needs by promoting collaboration and cooperation among the agencies that provide services to children;

(7)to prioritize available resources for meeting the essential needs of high-risk children with multiagency service needs; and

(8)to reduce out-of-home and out-of-community placements through a children’s system of care account to fund in-state and community-based services that meet the needs of high-risk children with multiagency service needs in the least restrictive and most appropriate setting possible.