The County Children's Policy Councils
The county councils review the needs of children in their counties and how local agencies and departments can work together more efficiently and effectively to serve the children in their area. These local teams submit an annual report to the Department of Children's Affairs by July 1 of each year on local services provided to children, local needs of children, and recommendations of the county children's policy council based on data from the previous fiscal year ending September 30. These local resource guides shall be used by the State Children's Policy Council in compiling a state resource guide which is distributed to the general public and to agencies and organizations serving children.
Members include:
- A juvenile court judge in each county;
- the county director of the Department of Human Resources;
- a county representative of the Department of Mental Health;
- a county representative of the Department of Youth Services;
- a county representative of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Medicaid Agency, the Department of Public Safety, and the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, provided they have a physical presence in the county;
- the county superintendent of education and any city superintendent of education in the county;
- the county chief juvenile probation officer;
- a representative of the county health department; the district attorney;
- local legislators;
- the chair of the county commission;
- the sheriff;
- and at least seven persons to be appointed by the county children's policy council from the community including, but not limited to, state and local government officials, practicing attorneys, community organizations, business and industry, and representatives of any other agencies or organizations providing services to families and children in the county.
The juvenile court judge presiding over the county children's policy council will serve as chair, but may nominate another member to serve as chair. All members of the county children's policy council shall serve on the county children's policy council for two years and until their successors are appointed, except those who serve by virtue of holding a designated office. The county children's policy council shall be convened at least once each quarter at the call of the chair.
The duties of the county Children’s Policy Council include:
- Reviewing the needs of children ages 0 to 19
- Reviewing the responsibilities assigned each agency by law
- Determining areas of responsibility and identifying area of duplication and/or conflict between agencies
- Identifying local resources
- Developing a local resource guide to services available to children which shall include procedural information concerning how to access such local services
- Articulating and communicating to the local community the needs of children
- Submitting an annual report and needs assessment