§ 49-5-151 — Implementation of part; duties

It shall be the duty of the council to arrange for the implementation of this part as follows: (1) To assist local governments and private service agencies in the development of community based programs and to provide information on the availability of potential funding sources and to provide whatever assistance may be requested in making application for needed funding; (2) To approve yearly program evaluations and to make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning continuation funding that might be supported by that evaluation; (3) To approve program evaluation standards by which all programs developed under the provisions of this part may be objectively evaluated. Such standards as may be developed for the purpose of program evaluation shall be in addition to any current standards as may be applicable under the existing authority of the department. Minimum operating standards as well as program evaluation standards as may be needed for new program models designed to fulfill the intent of this part may be developed at the discretion of the council; (4) To develop a formula for funding on a matching basis community based services as provided for in this part. This formula may be based upon a county's or counties' relative ability to fund community based programs for children and youth. Local governments receiving state matching funds for programs under the provisions of this part must maintain the same overall level of effort that existed at the time of the filing of the county assessment of youth needs with the council; (5) To provide yearly program evaluation of the effectiveness of delinquency and other prevention programs and community based services developed or supported under provisions of this part; (6) To develop a program to coordinate the resources of state government within the appropriate departments to provide technical assistance to local areas within the state to assist them in planning delinquency and other prevention programs and community based services for youth, including but not limited to the following: (A) Study local youth needs; (B) Gather data on children within the jurisdiction of the state systems; (C) Evaluate resources for providing services or care to these children; (D) Provide information about various program models which might be appropriate in relation to the needs of children and youth; (E) Help in planning for evaluation; and (F) Provide such other assistance as may be appropriate; (7) To encourage the development of delinquency and other prevention programs and community based services by private groups so that: (A) Such programs can be responsive to local needs; (B) Local leadership and private groups can be responsible for their programs; (C) Programs which meet state standards can be assisted by state and federal funding; and (D) Available private funds can be appropriately utilized along with available state and federal funds; (8) To provide for the development of programs which have a plan for evaluation from the beginning so that successful program models can be replicated as appropriate; and (9) To provide for the development of delinquency and other prevention programs and community based services under public auspices where there is no local private leadership.