Section 12-15-509 Executive Council to Adopt Allocation Guidelines; Granting Role of State Team; Eligible Recipients; Prerequisites to Maintaining Funding; Penalty for Noncompliance; Reporting Requirement.

(a) The Executive Council of the State Team shall adopt policies and procedures relating to the allocation of available resources for providing services for multiple needs children; for granting funds for programs and services on individuals; and for monitoring, evaluating, and reviewing services provided by programs where funds are provided. Funds available to provide services for multiple needs children may be allocated by the State Team: (1) To counties, or groups of counties, based on detailed proposals, for establishing new, needs-based local services or expanding existing programs. (2) To provide treatment for individual children. (3) For other activities consistent with the purposes of this article. (b) The State Team, with approval of the Executive Council, shall determine the amount and duration of grants made for new programs provided for one or more counties. The State Team shall also determine the amount of funding to be awarded and the duration in individual cases where local resources have been exhausted. The State Team may select projects which meet the criteria and are compatible with the purposes of the multiple needs children program for financial awards. (c) In order to remain eligible for continued grant funding, a recipient shall substantially comply with the standards and administrative regulations defining program effectiveness which shall be promulgated by the Executive Council of the State Team. Each recipient shall participate in an evaluation to determine local and state program effectiveness. The form of this evaluation shall be a part of the promulgated policies and procedures. (d) Continued grant funding shall be based on demonstrated effectiveness in providing services to meet the identified needs. (e) If it is determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a participating county team is not complying with its plan or the minimum standards, the State Team shall give 30 days’ written notice to the participating entity. If the State Team finds that a participating entity is not complying with its plan or the established minimum standards, the State Team shall require the entity to provide a letter of intent as to how and when specific deficiencies identified will be corrected. If no letter is submitted to the State Team within the time limit specified, or if the deficiencies are not corrected within 45 days after the letter has been submitted to the entity, the funding may be suspended in part or in whole until compliance is achieved. (f) A quarterly report shall be submitted to the Alabama Children’s Policy Council showing the awards initiated by the State Team during the quarter and the cumulative totals for each new services awards and awards for each special project. An annual report shall also be compiled.