2023 Utah Code › Title 67 - State Officers and Employees › Chapter 5b - Children's Justice Center Program › Section 102 - Children's Justice Center -- Requirements of center -- Purposes of center.

Effective 5/14/2019
67-5b-102.
Children's Justice Center -- Requirements of center -- Purposes of center.
(1)
(a) There is established the Children's Justice Center Program to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, intergovernmental response to child abuse victims in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.
(b) The attorney general shall administer the program.
(c) The attorney general shall:
(i) allocate the funds appropriated by a line item pursuant to Section 67-5b-103;
(ii) administer applications for state and federal grants and subgrants;
(iii) maintain an advisory board that is associated with the program to comply with requirements of grants that are associated with the program ;
(iv) assist in the development of new centers;
(v) coordinate services between centers;
(vi) contract with counties and other entities for the provision of services;
(vii)
(A) provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation to centers; and
(B) ensure that any training described in Subsection (1)(c)(vii)(A) complies with Title 63G, Chapter 22, State Training and Certification Requirements; and
(viii) provide other services to comply with established minimum practice standards as required to maintain the state's and centers' eligibility for grants and subgrants.
(2)
(a) The attorney general shall establish Children's Justice Centers, satellite offices, or multidisciplinary teams in Beaver County, Box Elder County, Cache County, Carbon County, Davis County, Duchesne County, Emery County, Grand County, Iron County, Juab County, Kane County, Salt Lake County, San Juan County, Sanpete County, Sevier County, Summit County, Tooele County, Uintah County, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington County, and Weber County.
(b) The attorney general may establish other centers, satellites, or multidisciplinary teams within a county and in other counties of the state.
(3) The attorney general and each center shall:
(a) coordinate the activities of the public agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and the delivery of services to child abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
(b) provide a neutral, child-friendly program, where interviews are conducted and services are provided to facilitate the effective and appropriate disposition of child abuse cases in juvenile, civil, and criminal court proceedings;
(c) facilitate a process for interviews of child abuse victims to be conducted in a professional and neutral manner;
(d) obtain reliable and admissible information that can be used effectively in child abuse cases in the state;
(e) maintain a multidisciplinary team that includes representatives of public agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and in the delivery of services to child abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
(f) hold regularly scheduled case reviews with the multidisciplinary team;
(g) coordinate and track:
(i) investigation of the alleged offense; and
(ii) preparation of prosecution;
(h) maintain a working protocol that addresses the center's procedures for conducting forensic interviews and case reviews, and for ensuring a child abuse victim's access to medical and mental health services;
(i) maintain a system to track the status of cases and the provision of services to child abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
(j) provide training for professionals involved in the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and in the provision of related treatment and services;
(k) enhance community understanding of child abuse cases; and
(l) provide as many services as possible that are required for the thorough and effective investigation of child abuse cases.
(4) To assist a center in fulfilling the requirements and statewide purposes as provided in Subsection (3), each center may obtain access to any relevant juvenile court legal records and adult court legal records, unless sealed by the court.
Amended by Chapter 246, 2019 General Session