KRS § 605.020 — KY Code / Title LI / Chapter 605 / Section 605.020
605.020 Supervision of court-designated workers -- Training -- Data collection, tracking, and reporting -- Graduated response protocol -- Complaint form
Status: in_force

605.020 Supervision of court-designated workers -- Training -- Data collection,

tracking, and reporting -- Graduated response protocol -- Complaint form.

(1) Standards for the employment of court-designated workers shall be set by the

Administrative Office of the Courts.

(2) If the Administrative Office of the Courts contracts with a public agency for the

provision of the court-designated worker or workers, the contract shall specify that

it is for the services, in part or in whole, of named personnel of that agency and no

others. Personnel of a public agency under contract to the Administrative Office of

the Courts selected as court-designated workers shall be selected in the manner set

forth in the contract by and between the public agency and the Administrative

Office of the Courts; shall be under the control of the Administrative Office of the

Courts and the court to which they are assigned; and shall be subject to the same

powers, duties, and restrictions as are court-designated workers employed by the

Administrative Office of the Courts.

(3) Court-designated workers, whether employed by the Administrative Office of the

Courts or by a public agency under contract to the Administrative Office of the

Courts, may be disciplined or removed from the position of court-designated worker

in the manner specified in the:

(a) Personnel policies for employees of the Administrative Office of the Courts or

the personnel policies of the contract agencies as approved by the

Administrative Office of the Courts; and

(b) Contract by and between the public agency and the Administrative Office of

the Courts.

(4) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall not contract with private

corporations, persons, or agencies for the services of court-designated workers.

(5) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall provide training to all court-

designated workers in:

(a) The administration of evidence-based screening instruments and, for some

workers as appropriate, the administration of risk and needs assessments;

(b) Identification of appropriate services for children and families;

(c) Techniques for diversion agreement implementation and supervision;

(d) Identifying and understanding the issues that led to the filing of a complaint,

which may include recognition of signs of trauma, disability, behavioral,

mental health, or substance abuse issues, in order to determine appropriate

referrals; and

(e) Juvenile justice research, best practices, and any other subject deemed

appropriate and available.

(6) (a) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall collect and track data, and

provide an annual report to the oversight council created in KRS 15A.063

containing the following information:

1. The number and type of complaints received by each court-designated

worker;

2. The outcome of each complaint, including whether a referral was made

to the county attorney or the Department for Community Based

Services;

3. The number of children committed to the Department for Community

Based Services pursuant to KRS Chapter 620 who were originally

charged with status offenses under KRS Chapter 630 or whose cases

were amended from status to dependency, neglect, and abuse; and

4. Whether a child who successfully completed a diversion agreement was,

within one (1) year following completion of the agreement, adjudicated

a public offender or convicted in the adult court of a criminal offense.

(b) Personally identifiable information of the court-designated worker shall not be

provided but shall be retained by the Administrative Office of the Courts to

address the need for additional staff training or other appropriate action.

(7) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall develop a graduated response

protocol, consisting of a continuum of responses from the least restrictive to the

most restrictive, for court-designated workers to utilize in response to violations of

the terms of a diversion agreement.

(8) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall collaborate with the Justice and

Public Safety Cabinet and provide technical assistance to judicial districts in

implementing the fiscal incentive program established in KRS 15A.062.

(9) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall act as the fiscal agent to receive funds

awarded pursuant to KRS 15A.062.

(10) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall, by regulation, establish a form

complaint to be used in filing all complaints with the court-designated worker. The

form shall contain the requirements of KRS 610.020, and if the complaint is filed by

a school district, shall require that the director of pupil personnel state that he or she

documented the home conditions of the student and the intervention strategies

attempted, as required by KRS 159.140, and that he or she attempted to conduct a

conference with the child and a parent.