1. (a) The Department shall serve children in the juvenile services system with programming that:

   1. (1) ensures the safety of the community and the children served;
   2. (2) holds delinquent children accountable to victims and communities;
   3. (3) assists children to develop competencies to become successful members of society;
   4. (4) delivers services on a regional basis through at least four operational regions;

   5. (5)

      1. (i) ensures that each committed facility owned by the Department serves no more than 48 children at one time; and
      2. (ii) ensures that each committed facility licensed by the Department serves no more than 48 children at one time, unless the Secretary finds good cause for a committed facility licensed by the Department to serve more than 48 children at one time;
   6. (6) uses detention and committed facilities that are operationally separate from each other and that do not share common program space, including dining halls and educational or recreational facilities; and

   7. (7) provides females with a range and quality of services and programs to meet their specific needs, including:

      1. (i) diversion programs;
      2. (ii) community detention services and programs; and
      3. (iii) reentry services and programs.

2. (b) A region shall:

   1. (1) include at least one secure facility used solely for children pending court disposition and children awaiting placement after disposition;
   2. (2) except for specialized services as provided in subsection (c) of this section, include a number of committed facilities estimated to be necessary to diagnose, care for, train, educate, and properly rehabilitate every child from the region in the custody of the Department; and

   3. (3) include a nonpublic facility only if the Department determines that the facility:

      1. (i) has provided or will efficiently and effectively provide adequate care for the children placed in the facility; and
      2. (ii) has demonstrated or will demonstrate a record of success based on standards promulgated by the Department.
3. (c) The Department may place a child into a committed facility outside the child's region if a determination is made by the Department that specialized services for the child require the placement in the best interests of the child.

Added by Acts 2007, c. 498, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2007. Amended by Acts 2010, c. 280, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2017, c. 653, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017; Acts 2017, c. 654, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017.