1. (a) Interdivisional staffings.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) When a youth is receiving services from the Department of Human Services and has serious and complex needs that make placements difficult, a caseworker can refer the youth for an interdivisional staffing.
      2. (B) The purpose of an interdivisional staffing is threefold:

2. (i) To improve treatment/case planning to more appropriately address the youth’s needs;

   1. (ii) To provide assistance and support to the Division of Children and Family Services field staff, direct services staff, and other stakeholders involved with the youth and family; and

      1. (iii)
3. (a) (a) To attempt to resolve the youth’s issues before referring him or her to the Child Case Review Committee (CCRC).

4. (b) (b) An interdivisional staffing must take place before a CCRC is held.

   1. (2) Youth referred for interdivisional staffings include, but are not limited to, youth who:

      1. (A) Are in Department of Human Services custody and have significant trouble being placed due to multiple, more serious and/or complex needs or who are at risk of coming into Department of Human Services custody due to multiple, more serious, and/or complex needs;
      2. (B) Have cases needing clarification as to which Department of Human Services division has primary responsibility for the case; and/or
      3. (C) Have cases needing intensive coordination between Department of Human Services divisions, service providers, and/or other community partners in order to connect the youth with appropriate services and supports in an effort to help youth reach permanency.

   2. (3) An interdivisional staffing is comprised of the following individuals:

      1. (A) A representative from the following Department of Human Services divisions:

         1. (i) The Division of Children and Family Services;
         2. (ii) The Division of Youth Services;
         3. (iii) The Division of Medical Services;
         4. (iv) The Division Developmental Disabilities Services;
         5. (v) The Division of Aging Adult and Behavioral Health Services; and
         6. (vi) The Office of Chief Counsel;
      2. (B) A representative of the Department of Education, Special Education Unit (as needed); and

      3. (C) Specialized Placement Unit (SPU) Manager, whose responsibilities include:

         1. (i) Coordinating the interdivisional staffings;
         2. (ii) Managing contract; and
         3. (iii) Providing technical assistance.

   3. (4) Additional interdivisional staffing participants may include:

      1. (A) Division of Children and Family Services representatives who act as referral coordinators within their agencies;
      2. (B) The designated caseworker for the youth and family;
      3. (C) Appropriate service providers; and/or
      4. (D) Other stakeholders needed to develop a suitable plan of service to meet the youth’s needs (e.g., parents/relatives, attorney ad litem, CASA, etc.).

5. (b) Child Case Review Committee.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) If an interdivisional staffing does not result in finding appropriate services and supports for the youth within Arkansas, then a Child Case Review Committee (CCRC) shall be called.
      2. (B) The CCRC serves as the gatekeeper for out-of-state placements for youth receiving services from the Department of Human Services.
      3. (C) The CCRC is only for out-of-state placements.
      4. (D) Before a case can be reviewed by the CCRC, the case must first be reviewed in an interdivisional staffing.
      5. (E) The SPU Manager serves as the CCRC Coordinator.

   2. (2) Youth referred to CCRC include, but are not limited to, youth who:

      1. (A) Are in Department of Human Services custody and have significant trouble being placed due to multiple, more serious and/or complex needs;
      2. (B) Have cases that, despite coordination between Department of Human Services divisions, cannot be assigned as the primary responsibility of one (1) particular division;
      3. (C) Have accessed appropriate in-state resources, but have not had measurable success with those resources;
      4. (D) Have identified needs that cannot be met by the available resources in Arkansas; and
      5. (E) Are recommended to receive treatment out-of-state.

   3. (3) The CCRC is comprised of the following members:

      1. (A) Secretary of the Department of Human Services (chair) or designee;

      2. (B) The directors or designees of the following Department of Human Services Divisions:

         1. (i) The Division of Children and Family Services;
         2. (ii) The Division of Youth Services;
         3. (iii) The Division of Medical Services;
         4. (iv) The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services;
         5. (v) The Division of Aging Adult and Behavioral Health Services; and
         6. (vi) The Office of Chief Counsel;
      3. (C) A representative of the Department of Education, Special Education (as needed); and

      4. (D) CCRC Coordinator (Specialized Placement Unit Manager), whose responsibilities include:

         1. (i) Coordinating the CCRC meetings;
         2. (ii) Managing contracts; and
         3. (iii) Providing technical assistance.

   4. (4) Additional committee members may include:

      1. (A) Division representatives who act as referral coordinators within their agencies;
      2. (B) The designated caseworker for the youth and family;
      3. (C) Appropriate service providers; and
      4. (D) Others needed to develop a suitable plan of service to meet the youth’s needs.

   5. (5)

      1. (A) The SPU Manager will notify divisions when they have a case on the agenda.
      2. (B) Each committee member is expected to attend the meeting or send a designee with the authority to make decisions for their division.
      3. (C) Decisions will be made by majority vote with the chair breaking any tie votes.
      4. (D) Dates will be established for the CCRC to be updated on the status of the plan implementation.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "01/2014"