Secured residential care centers for children and youth and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

Under current law, DOC may license a child welfare agency to operate an SRCCCY. Such a license is valid for up to two years. Under the bill, DCF can license a county department or a child welfare agency to operate an SRCCCY. An entity licensed to operate an SRCCCY under the bill may hold in secured custody up to 12 juveniles who have been adjudged delinquent and are under a correctional placement under the Juvenile Justice Code. The bill grants county departments that oversee child welfare the same authority that DOC has under current law to supervise juveniles who are placed in an SRCCCY.

Under the bill, an SRCCCY is generally required to meet the same statutory standards as DCF licensees for shelter care facilities, group homes, child welfare agencies, and residential care centers for children and youth. The bill also grants DCF the authority to promulgate rules establishing the minimum requirements for licensing and operation of an SRCCCY, in consultation with DOC, and authorizes DCF to establish uniform reimbursement rates for services that are offered at an SRCCCY.

Under current law, if a juvenile who has been placed in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth under the supervision of a county department violates a condition of his or her placement, the juvenile can be transferred to a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility and placed under the supervision of DOC. This bill allows a juvenile in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth to be transferred to an SRCCCY and to remain under the supervision of the county department. Under current law, if a juvenile who has been placed in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth under the supervision of DOC violates a condition of his or her placement, the juvenile can be transferred to a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility and remains under the supervision of DOC. Under this bill, if a juvenile who has been placed in a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth under the supervision of DOC violates a condition of his or her placement, the juvenile can be transferred to a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility or an SRCCCY and remains under the supervision of DOC in either placement.