§ 81-3136 — Department of Health and Human Services; develop model for alternative response to reports of child abuse or neglect; contents; report

(1)
It is the intent of the Legislature that the alternative response to reports
of child abuse or neglect model developed pursuant to subsection (2) of this
section be implemented in designated sites under the Child Protection and Family Safety Act no earlier
than July 2014.
(2) The Department of Health and Human Services shall convene
interested stakeholders and families to develop a model for alternative response
to reports of child abuse or neglect under the act. The model shall include:
(a) Methodology for determining the location of sites for
initial implementation of alternative response;
(b) An estimate of the percentage of reports of child abuse
or neglect eligible for alternative response;
(c) Eligibility criteria for alternative response;
(d) The process to determine eligibility for alternative
response;
(e) The assessment protocol and tools to be used for alternative
response;
(f) The role of child abuse and neglect investigative teams
and child abuse and neglect treatment teams in implementation sites;
(g) How, with whom, and what alternative response data will
be shared;
(h) The criteria and process for transition of families from
an alternative response to a traditional investigation;
(i) The criteria and process for families who refuse an alternative
response;
(j) The plan to address the continuum of services needed
for families receiving an alternative response;
(k) An overview of critical training elements for both staff
who implement and stakeholders involved with alternative response implementation;
(l) A description of the evaluation component;
(m) The relationship of alternative response to Title IV-E
waiver applications of the Department of Health and Human Services under the
federal Social Security Act;
(n) A plan to communicate and update interested stakeholders
and families with regard to the alternative response planning process;
(o) The identification of statutory and policy changes necessary
to implement the alternative response model, including a procedure that provides
that reports of child abuse and neglect which receive an alternative response
shall not receive a formal determination and the subject of the report shall
not be entered into the central registry of child protection
cases maintained pursuant to section 28-718 ;
(p) A budget for implementing and sustaining an alternative
response model;
(q) The mechanisms of oversight and accountability in the
alternative response model; and
(r) A determination of how alternative response service providers
will be selected.
(3) The Department of Health and Human Services shall provide
the model developed under subsection (2) of this section in a report to the
Nebraska Children's Commission by November 1, 2013, for the commission's review.
The Nebraska Children's Commission shall electronically submit the report
and review to the Legislature by December 15, 2013.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 2013, LB561, § 71; Laws 2014, LB853, § 50. Cross References: Child Protection and Family Safety Act, see section 28-710.