PURPOSE: Classification criteria shall provide broad guidelines for adequately assessing the individual need for services and appropriate placement for each youth committed to Division of Youth Services.

1. (1) A medical, psychological, and social history shall be developed for each youth by the service coordinator. Areas to be considered in developing this history are listed as follows:

   1. (A) Medical History. Special medical needs shall be evaluated to determine if such needs can be met by Division of Youth Services (DYS). If the needs can be met by DYS, then they should be identified, treated, and explained in meaningful terms as to the impact they may have on the treatment process;
   2. (B) Psychological History. If a youth’s psychological history reveals the need for additional assessment, the following areas may be evaluated through formal or informal testing:
   3. 1. Intellectual functioning;
   4. 2. Educational achievement;
   5. 3. Screening for organic impairment;
   6. 4. Drug abuse screening; and
   7. 5. Behavioral observation and personal interview. This information shall be gathered through personal contact with parents, guardians, teachers, juvenile court staff, and relevant others. This will assist the service coordinators in their efforts to properly match the youth with the service category to which they may be assigned; and

   8. (C) Social History.

      1. 1. An evaluation of relevant past history

should include retrieval and evaluation of any pertinent information in social histories, court records, school files, etc.

1. 2. An evaluation of the present environ-

ment should include pertinent information concerning home, school, and community conditions having an effect on classification.

1. (2) After developing an adequate individual history, the service coordinator should determine services most appropriate as itemized in the following Division of Youth Services

2. (DYS) continuum:

   1. (A) Community-Based. Services provided with supervision to maintain the youth in their own home or community placement;
   2. (B) Community-Based Residential. When community-based services do not meet the needs of the youth, community-based residential services are provided in DYS group homes or non-DYS group home settings such as, special contractual residential services; and
   3. (C) Moderate/Secure Residential Treatment. When community-based or community-based residential services do not meet the needs of the youth or the community, services are provided to the youth in an appropriate moderate/secure residential treatment facility.
3. (3) To be eligible for community-based services as provided in subsections (2)(A) and

4. (B) of this rule, the youth must meet the following guidelines:

   1. (A) Have the ability to acceptably control themselves in an open community environment where supervisory controls are minimal;
   2. (B) Be willing to participate in a community program; and
   3. (C) Prior or committing offenses cannot be such that community reaction to the youth’s immediate return to the community would negate any benefit the child might receive from community placement.

5. (4) General guidelines for classification and initial assignment of youth to a moderate/secure residential treatment facility are listed as follows:

   1. (A) There are no known community services presently available that will effectively provide for the youth’s needs;
   2. (B) Direct intervention through residential treatment would increase the likelihood of successful community placement; and
   3. (C) General community safety issues have been considered.

AUTHORITY: sections 219.036 and 660.017, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed Dec. 30, 1975, effective Jan. 9, 1976. Amended: Filed Feb. 10, 2000, effective Aug. 30, 2000. Amended: Filed April 18, 2018, effective Nov. 30, 2018. *Original authority: 219.036, RSMo 1975, amended 1993 and 660.017, RSMo 1993, amended 1995.