Sec. 11. The board has the following duties:

(1) Oversee the implementation of the recommendations made by the commission on disproportionality in youth services, including the ongoing review and evaluation of recommended programs, practices, and procedures described in the report as mandated by P.L.234-2007.

(2) Suggest policy, program, and legislative changes related to services provided to members of a vulnerable population to accomplish the following:

(A) Enhance the quality of and access to services with positive outcomes for vulnerable populations.

(B) Reduce disproportionality of young persons of color in youth services by changing or eliminating policies that contribute to poor outcomes for young persons of color.

(3) Oversee and coordinate the review, evaluation, and development of consistent statewide standards for the use of risk and needs assessment tools that are culturally sensitive and promote objectivity in decision making at service delivery points in systems serving members of a vulnerable population.

(4) Work collaboratively within and across state and local agencies to create a central data warehouse to serve as a statewide system for standardized, disaggregated, race specific data collection that has rapid accessibility and accountability measures for comparative use across service systems and geographic areas. The data system should include the following:

(A) Establishing measures to ensure the collection of consistent information to allow comparative racial and age data that are program based and outcome oriented.

(B) Recommending consistent, standardized reporting measurements.

(C) Working with agency participants to develop implementation plans that achieve consistency in:

(i) data collection;

(ii) program development and evaluation;

(iii) staff training; and

(iv) annual reporting.

(5) Work collaboratively within and across state and local agencies and programs to achieve consistent statewide standards for mandatory, ongoing cultural competency training and professional practice standards for government employees, school personnel, service providers, and professionals in systems serving members of a vulnerable population.

(6) Work collaboratively within and across state and local agencies and programs to develop and monitor a strategic plan to recruit and retain diverse professionals and staff level employees throughout all service delivery systems. The strategic plan developed must include provisions to ensure that bilingual training is available.

(7) Work collaboratively within and across state and local agencies to identify existing and to recommend new early intervention and preventive programming services for members of a vulnerable population. Intervention and preventive programming should be sensitive to race and should include culturally sensitive, evidence based programming or measures involving the following:

(A) Strength based approaches to engage and promote positive outcomes.

(B) Community based, wraparound services.

(C) Educational advocacy and support services.

(D) School based referrals to mental health care.

(E) Programming that supports collaborative relationships among community, faith based, private, and public organizations.

(F) Home based prevention services in the child welfare system.

(G) Transitional services for foster youth.

(H) Child and family teams for youth in system care.

(I) Other early intervention and preventive programming services.

(8) Work with local officials and the Indiana criminal justice institute to develop local juvenile justice councils and support the development of strategies to reduce disproportionality and disparity at the county level.

(9) Suggest policy development and fiscal planning efforts to achieve blended or braided funding for services delivered to members of a vulnerable population.

(10) Monitor and support ongoing implementation of agency efforts to reduce disproportionality and enhance quality of services to members of a vulnerable population.

(11) Report plans and progress to the governor, the legislative council, and the public at least semiannually. A report to the legislative council under this subdivision must be in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.

(12) Coordinate program review and fiscal planning by participant agencies.

(13) Direct service delivery providers to collect and report disaggregated data based on race and ethnicity by geographic and program areas.

As added by P.L.173-2009, SEC.1.