Colorado § 19-2.5-302 - Local juvenile services planning committee - creation - duties - identification and notification of dually identified crossover youth.

§ 19-2.5-302. Local juvenile services planning committee - creation - duties - identification and notification of dually identified crossover youth.

(1) If all of the boards of commissioners of each county or the city council of each city and county in a judicial district agree, there may be created in the judicial district a local juvenile services planning committee that is appointed by the chief judge of the judicial district or, for the second judicial district, the presiding judge of the Denver juvenile court, from persons recommended by the boards of commissioners of each county or the city council of each city and county within the judicial district. The committee, if practicable, must include, but need not be limited to, a representative from a county department of human or social services, a local school district, a local law enforcement agency, a local probation department, the division of youth services, private citizens, the district attorney's office, the public defender's office, a community mental health representative, and a representative of the concerns of municipalities. The committee, if created, shall meet as necessary to develop a plan for the allocation of resources for local juvenile services within the judicial district for the fiscal year. The committee is strongly encouraged to consider programs with restorative justice components when developing the plan. The state department of human services shall approve the plan. A local juvenile services planning committee may be consolidated with other local advisory boards pursuant to section 24-1.7-103.

(1.5) If all of the boards of commissioners for Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties agree, on and after November 1, 2024, there is created in the twenty-third judicial district a local juvenile services planning committee that is appointed initially by the administrative judge of the twenty-third judicial district from persons recommended by the boards of commissioners of such counties. After January 7, 2025, the chief judge of the twenty-third judicial district shall appoint members of the committee. If practicable, the committee must include the members identified in subsection (1) of this section. The committee has the duties specified in subsection (1) of this section.

(2) The plan must provide for the management of dually identified crossover youth. The plan must contain descriptions and processes to include:

(a) A process for the identification of dually identified crossover youth at the earliest reasonable point of contact;

(b) A method for collaborating and exchanging information with other judicial districts, including with the collaborative management program described in section 24-1.9-102 and consistent with the data-sharing policies of the collaborative management program;

(c) A process for promptly communicating information about the youth's crossover status between the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and to notify each other of the new involvement in the respective system or information that may aid in the identification of dually identified crossover youth. The following parties should be notified of a youth's status as a dually identified crossover youth if applicable: Public defenders, district attorneys, local juvenile services planning committee coordinators, human or social services department representatives, probation representatives, juvenile court representatives, parents, and guardians ad litem.

(d) A process for identifying the appropriate services or placement-based assessment for a dually identified crossover youth;

(e) A process for sharing and gathering information in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and county policy;

(f) A process for the development of a single case management plan and identification of the lead agency for case management purposes and the engagement of dually identified crossover youth and their caregivers;

(g) A process that facilitates the sharing of assessments and case planning information and includes policies around sharing information with other judicial districts;

(h) A process for a multidisciplinary group of professionals to consider decisions that include youth and community safety, placement, provision of needed services, alternatives to detention and commitment, probation, parole, permanency, education stability, and case closure; and

(i) A requirement that dually identified crossover youth placed in a secure detention facility who are deemed eligible for release by the court be placed in the least restrictive setting whenever possible to reduce the disparity between dually identified crossover youth and nondually identified crossover youth in secure detention.

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added with relocations, (SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 574, § 2, effective October 1. L. 2024: (1.5) added, (HB 24-1212), ch. 8, p. 20, § 2, effective February 27.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 19-2-211 as it existed prior to 2021.