1. (a) The Division of Youth Services and its providers shall follow state and federal law as applicable to Absent Without Leave (AWOL) youths from Division of Youth Services residential facilities.

2. (b) When a youth that is committed to the Division of Youth Services goes AWOL from his or her placement, the contracted provider shall:

   1. (1) Immediately notify the Division of Youth Services on-call personnel; and

   2. (2) Provide the following information:

      1. (A) Name of youth;
      2. (B) Photograph of the youth;
      3. (C) Committing county;
      4. (D) Residential county of the youth;
      5. (E) Location of the youth at the time of the escape;
      6. (F) Time and date of escape;
      7. (G) General direction the youth was headed;
      8. (H) Accomplices inside or outside the facility;
      9. (I) When staff became aware of the escape;
      10. (J) The means or method of escape used by the youth, if known;
      11. (K) Description of the youth’s clothing; and
      12. (L) Any other information that may help in the capture of the youth.

3. (c)

   1. (1) The facility director shall ensure proper staff supervision of youth by employees.
   2. (2) Case management or administration shall notify direct care staff of any abnormal occurrences among youth.
4. (d) All employees shall be alert to the risk of youth attempting to escape during movement or transportation of youth throughout the facility.
5. (e) Any employee who suspects an AWOL attempt or observes an AWOL shall notify the facility administration.

6. (f)

   1. (1) Pursuit of the escaping youth must begin immediately.
   2. (2) All staff may be utilized in searches for escaped youth.

7. (g) The Division of Youth Services on-call personnel shall:

   1. (1) Notify the Division of Youth Services on-call administrator immediately; and
   2. (2) Initiate the request for completion and submission of a pick-up order to the Division of Arkansas State Police and subsequent law enforcement personnel.

8. (h) The Director of the Division of Youth Services, or his or her designee, shall notify the Department of Human Services Chief of Communications and Community Engagement or his or her designee to release the identifying and descriptive information of the AWOL youth to the general public if the youth:

   1. (1) Is committed to the Division of Youth Services for an offense that would be a felony if the offense were committed by an adult;
   2. (2) Poses a serious threat to public safety or a member of the public; or

   3. (3) Is at a heightened risk of harm if he or she is not apprehended immediately due to his or her:

      1. (A) Age;
      2. (B) Disability;
      3. (C) Medical condition;
      4. (D) Mental capacity; or
      5. (E) Other emergency circumstance; or
   4. (4) Is committed to the Division of Youth Services under extended juvenile jurisdiction.

9. (i)

   1. (1) The director, assistant directors, and the department communications team shall:

      1. (A) Review the identifying and descriptive information and Arkansas Code § 9-28-215; and
      2. (B) Notify each facility to send out notifications via the Rave Alert system.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Within one (1) hour of the AWOL, the youth’s parents or guardians shall be notified by the facility director or assistant facility director.
      2. (B) All attempts at notification shall be documented in the JJIS.

   3. (3)

      1. (A) The Division of Youth Services on-call administrator shall notify the Division of Youth Services legal unit.
      2. (B)

10. (i) The Division of Youth Services Legal Unit shall notify the committing juvenile court of the AWOL within twenty-four (24) hours.

    1. (ii) The Legal Unit shall send the following information:
11. (a) (a) Copy of the RS-10; and
12. (b) (b) Copy of the Division of Arkansas State Police pick-up order.

13. (j)

    1. (1) After the AWOL attempt or AWOL has occurred, the primary staff involved shall:

       1. (A) Complete a Division of Youth Services incident report; and
       2. (B) Submit a complete written report to the shift supervisor for data entry into the JJIS by the end of shift.
    2. (2) The facility director or assistant facility director shall ensure that all aspects of the Division of Youth Services incident reporting policy have been followed.

14. (k) All AWOL attempts and AWOLs shall be reported to the Division of Youth Services Internal Affairs Investigator and the Division of Youth Services Monitoring Unit for investigation of the circumstances of the escape.

    1. (l) Once the youth is apprehended:

    2. (1) The case coordinator shall notify the:

       1. (A) Parents or guardians of the youth; and
       2. (B) The Division of Youth Services Legal Unit; and
    3. (2) The Division of Youth Services Legal Unit shall send written notification to the committing court.

Codification Notes: “JJIS” means Juvenile Justice Information System.