Sec. 12. (a) The following definitions apply throughout this section:

(1) "Pilot county" means a county selected under subsection (d).

(2) "Voluntary preventative program" refers to a voluntary preventative program under section 11 of this chapter.

(b) The supreme court may establish a pilot program to assist juvenile court judges in five (5) Indiana counties in establishing voluntary preventative programs under section 11 of this chapter for:

(1) at-risk children who are not:

(A) the subject of proceedings over which a juvenile court has jurisdiction; or

(B) participating in a diversionary program or a program of informal adjustment; and

(2) families of children described in subdivision (1).

(c) A pilot program established under subsection (a) may provide assistance that includes:

(1) providing grants to the juvenile court in a pilot county for use in establishing and maintaining a voluntary preventative program;

(2) gathering data and consulting with:

(A) schools;

(B) government; and

(C) business and community leaders;

in a pilot county to determine the needs of children in the county;

(3) assisting in developing and coordinating programs and services offered under the voluntary preventative program; and

(4) engaging in continuing outreach to schools in a pilot county to:

(A) inform schools of the availability of services provided under the voluntary preventative program; and

(B) encourage schools to consider referral of at-risk students to the voluntary preventative program as an adjunct or alternative to disciplinary action by the school.

(d) The five (5) counties selected for participation in a pilot program established under subsection (a) should include:

(1) at least one (1) predominantly urban county; and

(2) at least one (1) predominantly rural county;

selected in collaboration with the department, the office of the secretary of family and social services, the department of education, and the governor's workforce cabinet established under IC 4-3-27.

(e) Nonjudicial state, county, and local governmental bodies, including:

(1) the department;

(2) the department of education;

(3) the office of the secretary of family and social services;

shall assist the supreme court as needed to implement a pilot program established under subsection (a).

(f) If the Indiana supreme court establishes a pilot program under this section, the office of judicial administration shall issue a report to the legislative council:

(1) for delivery not later than December 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which a pilot program is established under subsection (a);

(2) prepared in collaboration with:

(A) the department;

(B) the office of the secretary of family and social services; and

(C) the department of education; and

(3) providing information regarding the pilot program, which may include the following:

(A) An enterprise level assessment of:

(i) wraparound services provided to at-risk children and families of at-risk children in the pilot counties; and

(ii) identified gaps in the services described in item (i).

(B) A recommended framework and roadmap for:

(i) improving coordination of; and

(ii) a systematic, integrated approach in delivering;

the services described in clause (A), including the feasibility of further implementation or expansion of the services.

(C) Suggested metrics for measuring the success of the pilot program that are aligned with strategic goals, including specific accountability mechanisms.

As added by P.L.41-2019, SEC.1.