Sec 36-3433. Annual budget; request and allocation

A. The department shall annually include in its budget request a separate appropriations request for the comprehensive behavioral health service system for children. The request shall be based on the annual plan and assessment studies from the division. All behavioral health services provided for children by the division shall be included in the request.

B. In preparing its budget request the division shall:

1. Identify that no less than twenty per cent of the total amount of appropriations requested be set aside for prevention and early identification programs.

2. Allocate up to five per cent of the total appropriations requested for evaluation of the system.

3. Establish priorities for allocation of funding which include:

(a) Outpatient services.

(b) Secure residential services for seriously emotionally disturbed children.

(c) Residential services for children with substance abuse problems.

(d) Partial care and day treatment services.

(e) Emergency services including crisis shelter, crisis stabilization and emergency inpatient hospitalization.

4. Consider the special needs of rural and urban areas of the state and the special needs of cultural and ethnic groups requiring services.

C. The division may modify the priorities identified in subsection B of this section based on the results of the division's needs assessments and resource assessments and shall include the justification for modifications in its annual plan required pursuant to section 36-3432. No monies allocated for evaluation under subsection B, paragraph 2 of this section shall be used for design and implementation of a management information system.

D. Subject to legislative appropriation, the division shall establish as a goal an annual increase of total children's service system capacity by ten per cent annually.

(L90, Ch. 403, sec. 8. Eff. until 7/1/16)