HLS 12RS-3411 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 129
BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER
COURTS: Requests that certain enumerated state agencies implement recommendations
related to the Informal Families in Need of Services process
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Department of Children and Family2
Services, the Department of Health and Hospitals, the Department of Education, the3
Governor's Children's Cabinet, and the office of juvenile justice within the4
Department of Public Safety and Corrections, to implement the recommendations5
related to the Informal Families in Need of Services (FINS) process made by the6
Families in Need of Services Commission in its report issued February 10, 2012, and7
as set forth in this Resolution and to report to the legislature and the Juvenile Justice8
Reform Act Implementation Commission on the accomplishments and status of9
implementation of the recommendations no later than March 1, 2013.10
WHEREAS, in Louisiana, young people who are designated as "Families in Need11
of Services" (FINS) youth for committing acts that are deemed legal offenses only when12
committed by children, such as truancy, repeatedly violating school rules, running away,13
ungovernable behavior, or other "status offenses", which are not criminal acts, can be14
petitioned to court, and processed in the juvenile justice system under Title VII of the15
Children's Code; and16
WHEREAS, an "informal process" is included in Title VII which requires each court17
to appoint an intake officer to facilitate the establishment of a voluntary informal family18
services plan between the family and providers of needed services; and19 HLS 12RS-3411 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, a body of research, practice, and legislation demonstrates the benefits1
and successes associated with treating status offenders in immediate, voluntary, and2
community-based services outside of the juvenile justice system; and3
WHEREAS, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 44 of the 2011 Regular Session of4
the Legislature requested the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court to create a FINS5
Commission to study and issue recommendations regarding the FINS system; and6
WHEREAS, the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court created the FINS7
Commission, and the commission issued its report on February 10, 2012; and8
WHEREAS, the FINS Commission made numerous recommendations, many of9
which may be implemented by policy and procedure changes initiated by the Louisiana10
Supreme Court, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Health11
and Hospitals, the Department of Education, the Governor's Children's Cabinet, and the12
office of juvenile justice within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.13
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby14
urge and request the Louisiana Supreme Court Families in Need of Services Assistance15
Program (FINSAP) and the Governor's Children's Cabinet to enter into a memorandum of16
understanding for the purpose of sharing information related to status offending youth and17
their families, to include all relevant data, resource mapping of all current resources or18
services offered, and the related fiscal costs of serving status offending youth and their19
families.20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that FINSAP and the Governor's Children's Cabinet21
should execute a memorandum of understanding prior to August 1, 2012, for the purpose of22
sharing information related to status offending youth and their families.23
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP and the Louisiana Behavioral24
Health Partnership (LBHP) should work jointly to develop clear linkages for referral for25
assessment and treatment.26
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should develop a clear and27
consistent set of written criteria and protocols to be used in every office in the state to28
determine whether a referred child or family is eligible for Informal FINS services or should29
be referred to another agency, including a determination that the presenting behavior rises30 HLS 12RS-3411 ORIGINAL
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to the level of status offending behavior, a determination that a referring entity has taken1
appropriate steps to provide services prior to referral and can provide documentation that2
these steps have been taken, and that children or families currently being served by the3
juvenile justice or child welfare system are not accepted for Informal FINS.4
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should develop a clinical screening5
and, when needed, assessment process to identify needs.6
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP and Governor's Children's Cabinet7
should facilitate coordination of local Informal FINS offices with local children and youth8
planning boards to conduct resource mapping, including services available through the9
LBHP and other sources.10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should, in collaboration with the11
Governor's Children's Cabinet, ensure the development of an array of basic services most12
youth who engage in status offending behavior and their family's need, including brief13
strategic problem-solving interventions, crisis response, and respite services.14
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should develop the ability to refer15
youth who have committed a status offense to agencies for specialized services when16
needed, including shelter care, mental health, substance abuse, and family therapies.17
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should establish timeliness and18
quality outcome thresholds, as set forth in the FINS Commission report issued on February19
10, 2012.20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should develop a required referral21
form, for use in all offices, documenting that all referring entities have utilized all22
appropriate and available resources prior to referring a child or family to Informal FINS.23
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should, in collaboration with the24
Governor's Children's Cabinet make, enhancements to its data collection system in order to25
provide relevant referral data that can better ensure future FINS activities.26
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should require data collection and27
reporting by all local offices that adequately describes the Informal FINS population and28
adequately evaluates the effectiveness of Informal FINS in meeting its stated objectives.29 HLS 12RS-3411 ORIGINAL
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should develop a basic set of1
required youth Informal FINS outcomes that will be tracked through the program's enhanced2
data collection system.3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the FINSAP should annually document and4
report information related to the Informal FINS process to the Governor's Children's Cabinet5
and the Juvenile Justice Reform Act Implementation Commission, including statewide and6
parish specific data on the number of referrals, the number of intakes, type of risk areas7
identified, number of cases open beyond ninety days, number of youth afforded respite care8
or runaway shelter (including length of stay), number of youth and families not petitioned9
to formal FINS, number of youth not adjudicated delinquent within six months of the FINS10
closure, number of status offenses only youth placed in detention, and the number of youth11
not expelled from school.12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Department13
of Children and Family Services, the Department of Health and Hospitals, the Department14
of Education, the Governor's Children's Cabinet, and the Department of Public Safety and15
Corrections, office of juvenile justice, shall submit a report to the Legislature of Louisiana16
and the Juvenile Justice Reform Act Implementation Commission on the accomplishments17
and status of implementation of the recommendations as applicable to each agency as tasked18
in the FINS Commission report no later than March 1, 2013.19
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the20
Louisiana Supreme Court, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department21
of Health and Hospitals, the Department of Education, the Governor's Children’s Cabinet22
and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of juvenile justice.23
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Leger HCR No. 129
Requests that the La. Supreme Court, the Dept. of Children and Family Services, the Dept.
of Health and Hospitals, the Dept. of Education, the Governor's Children's Cabinet, and the
office of juvenile justice implement the recommendations related to the informal Families
in Need of Services process made by the Families in Need of Services Commission in its
report issued Feb. 10, 2012. HLS 12RS-3411 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 129
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Requires the enumerated entities report to the legislature and the Juvenile Justice Reform
Act Implementation Commission on the accomplishments and status of implementation of
the recommendations no later than March 1, 2013.