Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 32 No. 36, September 8, 2006 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

63D-1: Intake ~~Probation~~

63D-1.003 Preliminary Screening.

(1) The juvenile probation officer (JPO) or contracted intake screener shall conduct a preliminary screening on all youth charged with a criminal or delinquent offense, using the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT), which is the department-approved screening instrument. The PACT uses a series of risk factors that may indicate the presence of a substance abuse or mental health problem. The PACT is completed while screening a youth for detention eligibility, or during the initial intake conference if the youth was detention screened after hours. The Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT) (8-27-06) is incorporated, and is available from the Assistant Secretary for Probation and Community Corrections at 2737 Centerview Dr., Suite 105, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3100.

(2) The PACT screening instrument is in the Juvenile Justice Information System (JJIS) web-based forms package and is scored automatically to determine the need for further assessments. The screening instrument must be completed in the JJIS. All juvenile assessment centers shall have access to JJIS. If there is no access to JJIS at the time of the screening or intake conference, the PACT screening instrument may be completed and scored by hand. However, the screening instrument must be entered in JJIS within 24 hours after the screening.

(3) The JPO or contracted intake screener administering the PACT screening instrument shall use the score on the PACT screening instrument to determine whether a referral for further assessment or immediate attention must be made. The screener must refer youths directly to the designated assessment provider(s) for the comprehensive assessment.

(4) If the youth is to be released to his or her parents, the parents must be informed of the results of the PACT screening instrument and must be given information as to the location of the comprehensive assessment provider, the appointment time if one could be made, and the importance of delivering the youth for the follow-up appointment to complete any subsequent mental health or substance abuse assessment or any assessment of suicide risk.

(a) When the Suicide Ideation scale of the PACT screening instrument indicates further assessment is needed, or other information obtained at intake/admission suggests potential suicide risk, the youth must be immediately referred by the JPO or Juvenile Assessment Center screener for an assessment of suicide risk and a comprehensive assessment. The assessment of suicide risk must be conducted within 24 hours unless the youth becomes unavailable. The JPO shall explain to the parent or responsible family member the importance of the assessment and the need to complete the assessment within 24 hours.

(b) If the PACT screening instrument score or treatment history indicates the need for further mental health or substance abuse assessment, the youth must be referred for comprehensive assessment.

(5) The screen is predominantly a self-report tool, and youth sometimes supply inaccurate information about themselves or their situation. The person conducting the PACT screening should use their own observations and those of collateral sources such as parents, agency staff, law enforcement or other informed persons who have knowledge of the youth’s behavior and condition. The PACT screening might calculate that no follow-up referral for further assessment is needed. Personal observations or collateral contacts can indicate that the youth’s response is a denial of a problem area. In those cases, despite the PACT screening instrument findings, a referral for further assessment must be recommended and contacts documented in writing.

(6) For detained youth, the PACT screening instrument results must be forwarded to the detention center where the youth is detained. The JPO shall provide written notification to the detention center in the detention screening packet of the need for crisis intervention for any youths who are indicated as at-risk for suicide attempts on the suicide screening, and shall notify the detention center of the need for referral to the center’s mental health professional for any youths who are indicated as in need of further mental health or substance abuse evaluation as noted on the PACT mental health summary.The JPO must ensure that the detention center is informed of any youth who are to be detained and who are identified by the screening instrument, or identified through special circumstances or collateral information, as in need of crisis intervention/treatment or referral for assessment of suicide risk. The JPO is responsible for ensuring that detention staff are informed of the need for a referral for comprehensive assessment for detained youths.

(7) In all cases in which the PACT screening instrument screens the youth as needing further assessment, a referral shall be made by the JPO or intake screener and a copy of the PACT screening instrument results will be sent to the designated assessment contracted agent within the circuit. The JPO must verbally advise the youth and family of the requirement for further assessment and provide a copy of the referral. ~~The JPO must encourage the youth and family to cooperate with any further evaluations indicated by the PACT screening.~~

(8) If there is no indication of a substance abuse or mental health problem, the youth has no further involvement with the substance abuse and mental health screening process. The JPO must place the completed screening instrument results in the youth’s file.

Specific Authority 985.21, 985.405 F.S. Law Implemented 985.21(1)(a)4.c. and (4)(a) F.S. History—New__________.

63D-1.004 Comprehensive Assessment.

(1) A comprehensive assessment may be completed using either:

(a) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH-2 and SAMH-3) process in which an instrument specifically created by the Department of Children and Families is administered to youth in the DJJ system who, as a result of the preliminary screening process, are identified as having risk factors that require further evaluation, or

(b) an equivalent department-approved instrument.

(c) SAMH-2 (DJJ/PP Form 36, June 2000) and SAMH-3 (DJJ/PP Form 37, June 2000) are incorporated and available from the Assistant Secretary for Probation and Community Corrections at 2737 Centerview Dr., Suite 105, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3100.

(2) If there is a need for comprehensive assessment and the youth is not detained, the JPO must contact the designated assessment provider directly. If the attempt to schedule the assessment is not successful, the attempt shall be documented and the JPO shall inform ~~or have~~ the parents to make ~~the initial~~ contact within two working days of the screening interview to schedule an appointment for the youth.

(3) The JPO must forward a copy of the completed PACT screening instrument results to the designated comprehensive assessment provider and place another copy in the youth’s file.

(4) The JPO shall assist the youth and family in complying with follow-up evaluations by providing directions, copies of documents and referrals to support service providers, if necessary.

(5) Required comprehensive assessments shall be administered in timely fashion, as follows:

(a) The designated contracted agents who perform comprehensive assessments must conduct a comprehensive assessment or equivalent department-approved assessment on all youths referred as a result of intake screening. Providers who perform comprehensive assessments shall conduct an in-depth assessment of the youth gathering information from interviews with the youth and from collateral sources.

(b) The designated comprehensive assessment provider must complete the comprehensive assessment or equivalent department-approved instrument within ten (10) calendar days on youths in secure detention. The designated comprehensive assessment provider must complete the comprehensive assessment or equivalent department-approved instrument within fourteen (14) calendar days on youths not in secure detention. Time frames for completion may be modified by order of the court.

(c) Anytime a provider takes longer than 14 days to complete a comprehensive assessment, the JPO or contracted intake screener shall notify the chief probation officer who shall notify ~~and~~ the Department of Children and Families District Program Administrator. ~~shall be informed and~~ The Chief Probation Officer shall request the District Program Administrator to develop a plan ~~developed~~ to improve performance or change providers.

Specific Authority 985.21, 985.405 F.S. Law Implemented 985.21(1)(a)4.d. and (4)(a) F.S. History—New__________.

63D-1.005 Documentation.

(1) After the comprehensive assessment or equivalent department-approved instrument is completed, the designated contracted agents who perform comprehensive assessments must complete the SAMH-2, which provides summary results and outlines recommendations for the disposition of the case, for all youths referred for comprehensive assessment or treatment.

(a) Options include recommendations regarding treatment in a substance abuse or mental health setting, further in-depth evaluation to determine appropriate treatment response, or termination of substance abuse/mental health involvement.

(b) In some rare situations, a youth’s problems may appear to be complex or his/her symptoms so confusing that an additional evaluation may be required before an appropriate recommendation for treatment can be made. If the designated contracted agents who perform comprehensive assessments determine that a more in-depth ~~such an~~ evaluation is necessary, a referral for further in-depth evaluations must be made prior to making a specific treatment recommendation.

(2) The designated contracted agents who perform comprehensive assessments must forward the original comprehensive assessment or equivalent department-approved instrument and SAMH-2 form to the JPO.

(a) The designated comprehensive assessment provider must retain a copy of the comprehensive assessment or equivalent department-approved instrument and SAMH-2 form in the assessment provider client file. The JPO must keep the SAMH-2 form in the youth’s file.

(b) When completing the Preliminary Disposition Report (PDR), the JPO must incorporate the findings of the comprehensive assessment recommendation and attach the comprehensive assessment summary to the PDR. The JPO must not attempt to summarize or interpret the comprehensive assessment summary or any subsequent evaluation in the PDR.

(c) All individuals involved in the comprehensive assessment process shall comply with the confidentiality requirements of s. 985.04, Florida Statutes.

(3) If a PDR is required and the results have not been received from the designated assessment provider within seven (7) working days of the date the PDR must be submitted, the JPO must contact the contracted agents and request a comprehensive assessment or inquire as to why the results have not been received. If the youth and family have not participated in the evaluation ~~been cooperative~~, the JPO must contact the family by telephone or in writing and inform them of their obligation to participate in the evaluation ~~intervene and encourage them to cooperate~~.

(4) If the SAMH-2 form is not received after diligent efforts, the JPO must document that fact in the PDR, and all efforts made to obtain the results.

(a) The JPO must notify the chief probation officer, through his/her supervisor, who will report in writing the noncompliance of the designated assessment provider to the district Department of Children and Family Services Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Program Office contract manager.

(b) The JPO must also document (chronologically) this information in the chronological section of the case file.

(5) When the comprehensive assessment is received, the JPO will forward the assessment to the detention center for youths held in secure detention.

(6) The JPO is responsible for ensuring that youths are referred for a predisposition comprehensive evaluation when residential commitment disposition is anticipated or recommended. The purpose of the comprehensive evaluation is to collect sufficient information about the youth’s medical, academic, psychological, behavioral and sociological needs to ensure an effective match between these needs and the service capacity provided by the residential commitment program.

(7) The JPO is responsible for ensuring that comprehensive assessments are forwarded to the provider(s) contracted to provide comprehensive evaluations. This ensures that data and information provided through the comprehensive assessment is not needlessly duplicated, but is included in the comprehensive evaluation.

Specific Authority 985.21, 985.405 F.S. Law Implemented 985.21(1) and (4) F.S. History—New__________.