Maine § 19132. - Duties of the cabinet

§ 19132.. Duties of the cabinet

The cabinet shall collaborate to create, manage and promote coordinated policies, finances, programs and service delivery systems to support children, youth and families consistent with the purposes of this chapter. To accomplish these purposes, the cabinet shall carry out the following duties:   [PL 2019, c. 450, §7 (AMD).]

1.  Regional children's cabinets.  Appoint regional children's cabinets to ensure that the purposes of this chapter are implemented at the regional and local levels;

2.  Subcommittees. 

3.  Coordinated funding; collaboration.  Coordinate funding, grants and budgets among the departments of the cabinet related to child, youth and family services in order to carry out the purpose of this chapter, collaborate to share resources, remove barriers and support innovative initiatives, prevention and best practices that address health and behavioral problems in children and youth;

4.  Data collection, planning and policy development.  Determine effective data sources to allow analysis leading to integrated and innovative approaches to identified priority areas of need of the cabinet and conduct long-range planning and policy development leading to a more effective public and private service delivery system;

5.  Coordinated service delivery. 

6.  Assessment. 

7.  Policy and program review.  Update policies, statutes, rules and programs to ensure consistency across all departments in addressing the cabinet's priority areas;

8.  Communication.  Broadly and transparently communicate the work of the cabinet through a variety of mechanisms;

9.  Program implementation and oversight.  Initiate, implement and oversee programs, policies and services consistent with the purposes of this chapter;

10.  Maine Children's Cabinet Early Childhood Advisory Council.  Oversee the Maine Children's Cabinet Early Childhood Advisory Council, established under section 24051, and direct a representative of the cabinet to meet at least once yearly with the Maine Children's Cabinet Early Childhood Advisory Council and consult with one or more state-designated groups representing youth issues regarding goals selected by the Maine Children's Cabinet Early Childhood Advisory Council; and

11.  Coordination across state agencies.  Establish a working group that includes the Department of Corrections and the Department of Health and Human Services to promote coordinated policies, finances, programs and service delivery systems to support juveniles involved in the juvenile justice system. The working group shall conduct a review of other states in regard to best practices and organizational structures for juvenile justice services.