(1) The purpose of the System of Care Advisory Council is to improve the effectiveness and efficacy of state and local systems of care that provide services to youth by providing a centralized and impartial forum for statewide policy development and planning.

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(2) The primary duty of the council is to develop and maintain a state system of care policy and a comprehensive, long-range plan for a coordinated state system of care that encompasses public health, health systems, child welfare, education, juvenile justice and services and supports for mental and behavioral health and people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The plan must include, but need not be limited to, recommendations regarding:

(a) Capacity, utilization and types of state and local systems of care and services and supports;

(b) Implementation of in-home behavioral health services, crisis and transition services, therapeutic foster care, in-home family support services and the integration of those services with existing programs of residential services for individuals with behavioral health needs and intellectual developmental disabilities;

(c) Appropriate use of existing systems of care and services and supports;

(d) Whether additional services and supports are necessary to address gaps in coverage;

(e) Methods for assessing the effectiveness of systems of care and services and supports in reducing juvenile dependency or delinquency;

(f) Methods of reducing risk of future juvenile dependency or delinquency;

(g) The effective utilization of the local system of care governance structure;

(h) Guidelines for partner agency core values and guiding principles; and

(i) Guidelines that ensure cultural competence in the provision of services and supports by:

(A) Implementing uniform standards to allow local system of care teams to describe the culturally responsive services and supports available in a system of care.

(B) Providing youth and families with understandable and effective system of care services in a manner compatible with their disabilities, cultural beliefs and practices, literacy skills and language.

(C) Developing and implementing a process to review practices accepted by diverse communities.

(D) Identifying ways to continually improve culturally competent system of care services and implementing a statewide system of care that reflects culturally competent practices.

(3) Other duties of the council are to:

(a) Conduct joint studies on any matter within the jurisdiction of the council by agreement with the Oregon Youth Authority, the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Health Authority, the Department of Education, coordinated care organizations and any other state agencies, boards or commissions;

(b) Provide oversight of the implementation of the services described in subsection (2)(b) of this section by the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Youth Authority and the Department of Human Services and to provide periodic updates on the agencies’ implementation to the Legislative Assembly;

(c) Provide recommendations to the Director of the Oregon Health Authority, the Director of the Oregon Youth Authority, the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Director of Human Services as necessary for the agencies to maintain and strengthen the systems of care;

(d) Make recommendations to the Director of the Oregon Health Authority, the Director of the Oregon Youth Authority, the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Director of Human Services to reduce barriers to implementation of systems of care;

(e) Continually monitor and update the Children’s System Data Dashboard described in ORS § 418.981, with a specific focus on the number of youth placed in hotels, out-of-state placements, emergency department boarding, congregate care facilities, shelter care or Oregon Youth Authority custody; and

(f) Award grants from funds appropriated by the Legislative Assembly to the council or from funds otherwise available from any other source, for the purpose of supporting local system of care governance and for carrying out the recommendations in the council’s plan developed under subsection (2) of this section.

(4)(a) On or before January 1 of every fourth year, the council shall update its plan under subsection (2) of this section and submit the plan to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to youth, and to the Governor.

(b) On or before September 15 of each year, the council shall submit a report in the manner provided in ORS § 192.245 to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to youth, and to the Governor, describing how the council is meeting its goals and any remaining barriers to access to services and supports. The report may include recommendations for legislation, including recommendations for changes to the council structure, composition and operating processes.

(c) On or before December 31 of each odd-numbered year, the council, the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority shall submit a joint report in the manner described in ORS § 192.245 to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to youth, describing moneys appropriated to or otherwise made available to the department, the authority or the council in the preceding biennium for the purpose of providing, or providing access to, the services and supports described in subsection (2)(b) of this section. The report must include an accounting of the expenditures made by the department, the authority and the council and of any moneys remaining unspent at the close of the biennium.

(5) The council may:

(a) Apply for and receive gifts and grants from any public or private source.

(b) Submit proposals for legislative measures at the time and in the manner prescribed in ORS § 171.130 and 171.133.

(c) Adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section.

(6) The council shall submit an agency request budget at the time and in the manner prescribed under ORS § 291.208.

(7)(a) All agencies of state government are directed to assist the council in the performance of the duties of the council and, to the extent permitted by laws relating to confidentiality, to furnish information and advice that the members of the council consider necessary to perform the duties of the council.

(b) At the council’s request, a participating state agency shall provide the council with the agency’s proposed budget form, prior to the agency’s submission of the form to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services under ORS § 291.208, for the council’s review. The council may make recommendations to the agency or, if appropriate, the department regarding the agency’s proposed expenditures for services and supports necessary to implement the council’s policy recommendations under this section.

(8) The council and participating state agencies shall, where applicable, enter into interagency agreements to:

(a) Provide staff and resources to assist the council in carrying out the council’s duties;

(b) Share computer systems and technologies, to the extent allowed by law;

(c) Collect and analyze data related to the state system of care and the performance of the council’s duties; or

(d) Investigate the effectiveness of the council’s proposals and recommendations under this section.

(9) Moneys that are appropriated to or otherwise made available to the council or the Oregon Health Authority for the purpose of supporting the duties of the council may not be expended except as directed by the council. [2019 c.616 § 3; 2021 c.670 § 3; 2023 c.293 § 2]

See note under 418.976.

Section 3, chapter 293, Oregon Laws 2023, provides:

The System of Care Advisory Council shall first update the plan described in ORS § 418.979 (2) and submit the plan required under ORS § 418.979 (4)(a) no later than January 1, 2026, and January 1 of every fourth year thereafter. [2023 c.293 § 3]

[2009 c.540 § 3; repealed by 2019 c.616 § 7]