§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 oneor more in each county.  This may be done either directly or by contract withprivate parties.  Delinquency prevention shall be a primary objective of thesecenters.  The population eligible for services at the centers would be allyouths in need of services.  Centers would also develop individualized intakecapabilities, program plans, delivery of services, and a comprehensive referralnetwork.  The objectives of the youth service centers shall be to:

(1)  Develop and implement programs in delinquencyprevention;

(2)  Provide a wider range of informal dispositions, particularlyalternatives 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 justiceand nonjuvenile justice services in order to reduce overlaps and gaps inservices.

(b)  Each center shall:

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

(2)  Be responsive to the needs of its immediatecommunity and offer an array of services that are tailored to the needs of itsconstituents.

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

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