Office of Juvenile Services; programs and treatment services; individualized treatment plan; placement; procedure; case management and coordination process; funding utilization; intent; evidence-based services, policies, practices, and procedures; report; contents; Executive Board of Legislative Council; powers.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-407
in effect43-407. Office of Juvenile Services; programs and treatment services; individualized treatment plan; placement; procedure; case management and coordination process; funding utilization; intent; evidence-based services, policies, practices, and procedures; report; contents; Executive Board of Legislative Council; powers.
(1) The Office of Juvenile Services shall design and make available programs and treatment services through youth rehabilitation and treatment centers. The programs and treatment services shall be evidence-based and based upon the individual or family evaluation process using evidence-based, validated risk and needs assessments to create an individualized treatment plan. The treatment plan shall be developed within fourteen days after admission and provided to the committing court and interested parties. The court may, on its own motion or upon the motion of an interested party, set a hearing to review the treatment plan.
(2) A juvenile may be committed by a court to the Office of Juvenile Services for placement at a youth rehabilitation and treatment center operated and utilized in compliance with state law pursuant to a hearing described in subdivision (1)(b)(iii) of section 43-286. The office shall not change a juvenile's placement except as provided in this section. If a juvenile placed at a youth rehabilitation and treatment center is assessed as needing inpatient or subacute substance abuse or behavioral health residential treatment, the Office of Juvenile Services may arrange for such treatment to be provided at the Hastings Regional Center or may transition the juvenile to another inpatient or subacute residential treatment facility licensed as a treatment facility in the State of Nebraska and shall provide notice of the change in placement pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. Except in a case requiring emergency admission to an inpatient facility, the juvenile shall not be discharged by the Office of Juvenile Services until the juvenile has been returned to the court for a review of his or her conditions of probation and the juvenile has been transitioned to the clinically appropriate level of care. Programs and treatment services shall address:
(a) Behavioral impairments, severe emotional disturbances, sex offender behaviors, and other mental health or psychiatric disorders;
(b) Drug and alcohol addiction;
(c) Health and medical needs;
(d) Education, special education, and related services;
(e) Individual, group, and family counseling services as appropriate with any treatment plan related to subdivisions (a) through (d) of this subsection. Services shall also be made available for juveniles who have been physically or sexually abused;
(f) A case management and coordination process, designed to assure appropriate reintegration of the juvenile to his or her family, school, and community. This process shall follow individualized planning which shall begin at intake and evaluation. Structured programming shall be scheduled for all juveniles. This programming shall include a strong academic program as well as classes in health education, living skills, vocational training, behavior management and modification, money management, family and parent responsibilities, substance abuse awareness, physical education, job skills training, and job placement assistance. Participation shall be required of all juveniles if such programming is determined to be age and developmentally appropriate. The goal of such structured programming shall be to provide the academic and life skills necessary for a juvenile to successfully return to his or her home and community upon release; and
(g) The design and delivery of treatment programs through the youth rehabilitation and treatment centers as well as any licensing or certification requirements, and the office shall follow the requirements as stated within Title XIX and Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act, as such act existed on January 1, 2020, the Special Education Act, or other funding guidelines as appropriate. It is the intent of the Legislature that these funding sources shall be utilized to support service needs of eligible juveniles.
(3) When the Office of Juvenile Services has arranged for treatment of a juvenile as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the office shall file a report and notice of placement change with the court and shall send copies of the notice to all interested parties, including any parent or guardian of the juvenile, at least seven days before the placement of the juvenile is changed from the order of the committing court. The court, on its own motion or upon the filing of an objection to the change by an interested party, may order a hearing to review such change in placement and may order the change be stayed until the completion of the hearing. When filing a report and notice of placement change pursuant to this subsection, or upon a court order to set a hearing to review a change in placement or stay a change in placement pursuant to this subsection, the office may file a motion for immediate change of placement pursuant to subsection (4) of section 43-408.
(4)(a) The Office of Juvenile Services shall provide evidence-based services and operate the youth rehabilitation and treatment centers in accordance with evidence-based policies, practices, and procedures. On December 15 of each year, the office shall electronically submit to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a comprehensive report of the evidence-based services, policies, practices, and procedures by which such centers operate, and efforts the office has taken to ensure fidelity to evidence-based models. The report may be attached to preexisting reporting duties. The report shall include at a minimum:
(i) The percentage of juveniles being supervised in accordance with evidence-based practices;
(ii) The percentage of state funds expended by each respective department for programs that are evidence-based, and a list of all programs which are evidence-based;
(iii) Specification of supervision policies, procedures, programs, and practices that were created, modified, or eliminated; and
(iv) Recommendations of the office for any additional collaboration with other state, regional, or local public agencies, private entities, or faith-based and community organizations.
(b) Each report and executive summary shall be available to the general public on the website of the office.
(c) The Executive Board of the Legislative Council may request the Consortium for Crime and Justice Research and Juvenile Justice Institute at the University of Nebraska at Omaha to review, study, and make policy recommendations on the reports assigned by the executive board.
Laws 1994, LB 988, § 14; Laws 1997, LB 882, § 11; R.S.Supp.,1997, § 83-925.06; Laws 1998, LB 1073, § 39; Laws 2007, LB542, § 4; Laws 2013, LB561, § 29; Laws 2014, LB464, § 27; Laws 2020, LB1148, § 12; Laws 2020, LB1188, § 6; Laws 2021, LB273, § 3.
Source: Nebraska Legislature (nebraskalegislature.gov)URL: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=43-407Fetched: 10/20/2026