Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 214 - DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES › Chapter 10 - GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT › Subchapter 00 - N/A › Part 1 - General Administration and Management › Section 214-RICR-10-00-1.20 - Services for Youth Exhibiting Wayward/Disobedient Behavior

Current through June 14, 2024
A. 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.