Section 214-RICR-10-00-1.20 - Services for Youth Exhibiting Wayward/Disobedient BehaviorA. The Department is responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and monitoring a program that offers appropriate assessment and treatment services to families and children prior to the filing of a wayward/disobedient petition in Family Court.B. Children and Youth Not Involved with the Department 1. When a parent or guardian wishes to file a complaint alleging that a child in his or her care, who is not active with the Department, is wayward by virtue of disobedient behavior, he/ she contacts the local police department in the city or town in which he/ she resides.2. The local law enforcement agency will, after reviewing the matter, immediately refer the family for community-based assessment and treatment services.3. If the family is referred for community-based services, the law enforcement agency ensures that the following are completed:a. The parent or guardian must sign the Documentation of Services (Filing Procedure for Wayward/Disobedient Charges in Family Court).b. The signed form (Form #197) is then given to the parent.c. The parent/guardian must contact the designated agency for an initial screening/assessment and provide the community-based service provider approved by the Department with the form.4. After the family initiates contact, the agency will do the following: a. Arrange an intake/assessment meeting with the family and child to take place within one week of parental request.b. Determine if there have been any prior interventions.c. Complete a current assessment of the family problems and develop a plan to assist the family's functioning.d. Engage the family in a course of treatment/intervention and/or refer them to a more appropriate agency. If the family is referred to another agency, the referring agency will continue to monitor the case.5. If a family has engaged in recent service delivery without success, the approved community-based agency must complete an assessment with full consideration of the family's previous treatment history. The approved agency will determine if there are any other services available in the community that may be effective in treating the family.6. If the interventions of the approved community-based agency are successful, there is no need for further police involvement.7. If, however, after the approved agency has made sufficient contact and determined that the family issues require court involvement and/or the child is unresponsive to the service delivery, the agency will: a. Document the intervention and make recommendations on the Form #197 to the parent(s) or guardian(s).b. Provide to the parent(s) or guardian(s) the Form #197, which contains a summary report of interventions and recommendations.c. The parent(s) or guardian(s) may choose to bring the Form #197 back to the police to pursue the filing of a wayward/disobedient petition.d. Maintain a confidential record in accordance with its agency policy. C. Children Active with the Department with No Legal Status1. If a parent wishes to file a wayward/disobedient petition and the Department concurs, the assigned Department worker will assist the parent by documenting on the Form #197 that assessment and services have been attempted and have not been successful.2. Parents can take the completed Form #197 to their local police Department to pursue the filing of the wayward/disobedient petition.214 R.I. Code R. 214-RICR-10-00-1.20
Adopted effective 12/27/2018