2023 Tennessee Code › Title 37 - JUVENILES (§§ 37-1-NEW — 37-11-103) › Chapter 5 - DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES (§§ 37-5-101 — 37-5-608) › Part 6 - MULTI-LEVEL RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (§§ 37-5-601 — 37-5-608) › Section 37-5-605 - Annual report - Collection and maintenance of data

(a)
No later than October 1, 2007, the department shall submit to the governor, the health and welfare committee of the senate, the civil justice committee of the house of representatives, and the judiciary committee of the senate a report on the first full year of the demonstration program. No later than October 1, 2008, and each year thereafter until this part is implemented in all areas of the state, the department shall provide an annual report evaluating the demonstration project to the same parties. Upon request, all persons and groups to whom the annual report is distributed shall be entitled to receive a detailed explanation of the procedures used to evaluate the system and shall be given the raw data used to support the report. Outcomes to be evaluated in each of these reports shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1)
The safety of children under the program compared with children served under chapter 1, part 4 or part 6 of this title, in light of the following and other factors that may provide useful information about the effectiveness of the program for its purposes:
(A)
The number of cases processed under the program, by types of risks and needs addressed;
(B)
The number of cases referred for proceedings under chapter 1 of this title, by type;
(C)
The number of final dispositions of cases in the current reporting year by disposition as follows:
(i)
Closed on initial review;
(ii)
Closed after assessment;
(iii)
Closed after assessment and referral for available community-based public or private services;
(iv)
Numbers and types of cases in which the department proceeded under chapter 1 of this title, after the initial review; and
(v)
Numbers and types of cases in which there were reports of harm or sexual abuse under chapter 1, part 4 or part 6 of this title, with respect to children in a family considered or served under this part;
(D)
The extent to which the program has reduced the incidence of children who are subjected to harm or sexual abuse that would require a report under chapter 1, part 4 or part 6 of this title, or who otherwise would become eligible for services under chapter 1 of this title;
(E)
To whom reports of harm or sexual abuse were determined to show that there had been no harm or sexual abuse or that those reports were invalid; and
(F)
The type and amount of community-based public or private services received by families;
(2)
The timeliness of response by the department under the program;
(3)
The timeliness of services provided to children and families under the program;
(4)
The level of coordination with public and private community-based service providers to ensure community-based services are available to the public through the program;
(5)
The cost effectiveness of the program with respect to the department, available community-based public and private service resources, and law enforcement and judiciary resources that might otherwise have become involved in the cases; and
(6)
The effectiveness of the program in enhancing the welfare of children and keeping families together.
(b)
Upon implementation of the multi-level response system in any area, the department shall ensure that all data necessary for compliance with this section is collected and maintained.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 64, s 39, eff. 3/29/2021.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 345, s 49, eff. 5/10/2019.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 236, s 27, eff. 4/19/2013.
Acts 2005, ch. 391, § 6; 2011 , ch. 410, § 3(aa).