§352D-7  Youth services centers; creation. 
(a)  Beginning July 1, 1991, the office of youth services shall create,
develop, and operate youth service centers throughout the State including one
or more in each county.  This may be done either directly or by contract with
private parties.  Delinquency prevention shall be a primary objective of these
centers.  The population eligible for services at the centers would be all
youths in need of services.  Centers would also develop individualized intake
capabilities, program plans, delivery of services, and a comprehensive referral
network.  The objectives of the youth service centers shall be to:



(1)  Develop and implement programs in delinquency
prevention;



(2)  Provide a wider range of informal dispositions, particularly
alternatives to the juvenile justice system;



(3)  Develop an improved system of intake, assessment,
and follow-up for youths; and



(4)  Provide better coordination of juvenile justice
and nonjuvenile justice services in order to reduce overlaps and gaps in
services.



(b)  Each center shall:



(1)  Be responsible for coordinating all services,
justice system or nonjustice system, both public and private, to the youth
referred to it; and



(2)  Be responsive to the needs of its immediate
community and offer an array of services that are tailored to the needs of its
constituents.



(c)  Every youth referred to a youth services
center shall, as soon as possible, be appropriately placed with service
provider and provided services.  The center shall develop procedures which will
insure that appropriate service providers are available on a twenty-four hour
basis for each youth.  The center may contract with such service providers for
such services.



(d)  Each youth service center shall maintain a
registry of every youth referred to it and shall monitor and supervise the
follow-up services that are provided to the youth.  Each center shall be
primarily responsible to insure that the youth is fully diverted from the
juvenile justice system. [L 1989, c 375, pt of §1; am L 2001, c 253, §2]