TITLE 20

STATE PRISON AND COUNTY JAILS

CHAPTER 5

JUVENILE CORRECTIONS ACT

20-511A.  Mental health assessments and plans of treatment. (1) A judge of any court shall order the department of health and welfare to submit appropriate mental health assessments and a plan of treatment for the court’s approval if at any stage of a proceeding under this chapter or the child protective act, chapter 16, title 16, Idaho Code, a judge has reason to believe, based upon the record and proceedings of the court or upon an affidavit of a party, state or county agency or any person having physical custody of the juvenile or juvenile offender, that he or she:

(a)  Is suffering a substantial increase or persistence of a serious emotional disturbance as defined in section 16-2403, Idaho Code, which impairs his or her ability to comply with the orders and directives of the court, or which presents a risk to his or her safety or well-being or the safety of others; and

(b)  Such condition has not been adequately addressed with supportive services and/or corrective measures previously provided to the juvenile, or the juvenile’s needs with respect to the serious emotional disturbance are not being met or have not been met.

(2)  The court may convene a screening team consisting of representatives from the department of health and welfare, county probation, local school officials, teen early intervention specialists as provided for under section 16-2404A, Idaho Code, the department of juvenile corrections and/or other agencies or persons designated by the court to review the plan of treatment and provide written recommendations to the court. Parents and guardians of the juvenile or juvenile offender, if available, shall be included in the screening team and consulted with regard to the plan of treatment.

(3)  If the court, after receiving the mental health assessment and plan of treatment submitted by the department of health and welfare and any recommendations from the screening team, determines that additional information is necessary to determine whether the conditions set forth in subsections (1)(a) and (1)(b) of this section are present, or to determine an appropriate plan of treatment for the juvenile or juvenile offender, the court may order an evaluation and/or recommendations for treatment to be furnished by a psychiatrist, licensed physician or licensed psychologist, with the expenses of such evaluation and/or recommendations to be borne by the department of health and welfare.

(4)  If the court concludes that the conditions set forth in subsections (1)(a) and (1)(b) of this section are present, the plan of treatment, as approved by the court, shall be entered into the record as an order of the court. The department of health and welfare shall provide mental health treatment as designated by the approved plan of treatment. If in-patient or residential treatment is required as part of the plan of treatment, the court shall hold a hearing on whether to order such treatment unless the hearing is waived by the juvenile or juvenile offender and his or her parents or guardians. The court may order parents, legal guardians or custodians to adhere to the treatment designated in the plan of treatment. Representatives from the department of health and welfare, county probation, local school officials, teen early intervention specialists as provided for under section 16-2404A, Idaho Code, the department of juvenile corrections and/or other agencies or persons designated by the court shall attend case review hearings as scheduled by the court.

(5)  All costs associated with assessment and treatment shall be the responsibility of the parents of the juvenile or juvenile offender according to their ability to pay based upon the sliding fee scale established pursuant to section 16-2433, Idaho Code. The financial obligation of the family shall be determined after consideration of all available payment and funding sources including title XIX of the social security act, as amended, all available third party sources, and parent resources according to any order for child support under chapter 10, title 32, Idaho Code. Services shall not be conditioned upon transfer of custody or parental rights.

History:

[20-511A, added 2005, ch. 223, sec. 1, p. 699; am. 2007, ch. 309, sec. 4, p. 873; am. 2012, ch. 19, sec. 11, p. 49.]