As Amended
SEC. 43-21-321. Health screening required upon admission to juvenile detention center; development of written procedures for admission; programs and services.
(1) All juveniles shall undergo a health screening within one (1) hour of admission to any juvenile detention center, or as soon thereafter as reasonably possible. Information obtained during the screening shall include, but shall not be limited to, the juvenile's:
(a) Mental health;
(b) Suicide risk;
(c) Alcohol and other drug use and abuse;
(d) Physical health;
(e) Aggressive behavior;
(f) Family relations;
(g) Peer relations;
(h) Social skills;
(i) Educational status; and
(j) Vocational status.
(2) If the screening instrument indicates that a juvenile is in need of emergency medical care or mental health intervention services, the detention staff shall refer those juveniles to the proper health care facility or mental health service provider for further evaluation, as soon as reasonably possible.
(3) All juveniles shall receive a thorough orientation to the center's procedures, rules, programs and services. The intake process shall operate twenty-four (24) hours per day.
(4) The directors of all of the juvenile detention centers shall amend or develop written procedures for admission of juveniles who are new to the system. These shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Determine that the juvenile is legally committed to the facility;
(b) Make a complete search of the juvenile and his possessions;
(c) Dispose of personal property;
(d) Require shower and hair care, if necessary;
(e) Issue clean, laundered clothing, as needed;
(f) Issue personal hygiene articles;
(g) Perform medical, dental and mental health screening;
(h) Assign a housing unit for the juvenile;
(i) Record basic personal data and information to be used for mail and visiting lists;
(j) Assist juveniles in notifying their families of their admission and procedures for mail and visiting;
(k) Assign a registered number to the juvenile; and
(l) Provide written orientation materials to the juvenile.
(5) All juvenile detention centers shall provide or make available the following minimum services and programs:
(a) An educational program;
(b) A visitation program with parents and guardians;
(c) Private communications with visitors and staff;
(d) Counseling;
(e) Continuous supervision of living units;
(f) Medical service;
(g) Food service;
(h) Recreation and exercise program; and
(i) Reading materials.
(6) Programs and services shall be initiated for all juveniles once they have completed the admissions process.
(7) Programs and professional services may be provided by the detention staff, youth court staff or the staff of the local or state agencies, or those programs and professional services may be provided through contractual arrangements with community agencies.
(8) Persons providing the services required in this section must be qualified or trained in their respective fields.
(9) All directors of juvenile detention centers shall amend or develop written procedures to fit the programs and services described in this section.
SOURCES: Laws, 2002, ch. 602, § 1, HB 974, eff from and after July 1, 2002.