§ 43-425. Community and Family Reentry Process; created; juvenile committed to youth rehabilitation and treatment center; family team meetings; individualized reentry plan; risk-screening and needs assessment; probation officer; duties; Office of Probation Administration; duties.

(1) The Community and Family Reentry Process is hereby created. This process is created in order to reduce recidivism and promote safe and effective reentry for the juvenile and his or her family to the community from the juvenile justice system. (2) While a juvenile is committed to a youth rehabilitation and treatment center, family team meetings shall be conducted in person or via videoconferencing at least once per month with the juvenile's support system to discuss the juvenile's transition back to the community. A juvenile's support system should be made up of any of the following: The juvenile himself or herself, any immediate family members or guardians, informal and formal supports, the juvenile's guardian ad litem appointed by the court, the juvenile's probation officer, Office of Juvenile Services personnel employed by the facility, and any additional personnel as appropriate. Once developed, individualized reentry plans should be discussed at the family team meetings with the juvenile and other members of the juvenile's support system and shall include discussions on the juvenile's placement after leaving the facility. The probation officer and the Office of Juvenile Services personnel should discuss progress and needs of the juvenile and should help the juvenile follow his or her individual reentry plan to help with his or her transition back to the community. (3) Within sixty days prior to discharge from a youth rehabilitation and treatment center, or as soon as possible if the juvenile's remaining time at the youth rehabilitation and treatment center is less than sixty days, an evidence-based risk screening and needs assessment should be conducted on the juvenile in order to determine the juvenile's risk of reoffending and the juvenile's individual needs upon reentering the community. (4) Individualized reentry plans shall be developed with input from the juvenile and his or her support system in conjunction with a risk assessment process. Individualized reentry plans shall be finalized thirty days prior to the juvenile leaving the youth rehabilitation and treatment center or as soon as possible if the juvenile's remaining time at the center is less than thirty days. Individualized reentry plans should include specifics about the juvenile's placement upon return to the community, an education transition plan, a treatment plan with any necessary appointments being set prior to the juvenile leaving the center, and any other formal and informal supports for the juvenile and his or her family. The district probation officer and Office of Juvenile Services personnel shall review the individualized reentry plan and the expected outcomes as a result of the plan with the juvenile and his or her support system within thirty days prior to the juvenile's discharge from the center. (5) The probation officer shall have contact with the juvenile and the juvenile's support system within forty-eight hours after the juvenile returns to the community and continue to assist the juvenile and the juvenile's support system in implementing and following the individualized reentry plan and monitoring the juvenile's risk through ongoing assessment updates. (6) The Office of Probation Administration shall: (a) Establish an evidence-based reentry process that utilizes risk assessment to determine the juvenile's supervision level upon return to the community; (b) Establish supervision strategies based on risk levels of the juvenile and supervise accordingly, with ongoing reassessment to assist in determining eligibility for release from probation; (c) Develop a formal matrix of graduated sanctions to be utilized prior to requesting the county attorney to file for probation revocation; and (d) Provide training to its workers on risk-based supervision strategies, motivational interviewing, family engagement, community-based resources, and other evidence-based reentry strategies. History: Laws 2013, LB561, § 54; Laws 2014, LB464, § 29; Laws 2020, LB1188, § 11.