81-3136. Department of Health and Human Services; develop model for alternative response to reports of child abuse or neglect; contents; report.

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that the alternative response to reports of child abuse or neglect model developed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section be implemented in designated sites under the Child Protection and Family Safety Act no earlier than July 2014.

(2) The Department of Health and Human Services shall convene interested stakeholders and families to develop a model for alternative response to reports of child abuse or neglect under the act. The model shall include:

(a) Methodology for determining the location of sites for initial implementation of alternative response;

(b) An estimate of the percentage of reports of child abuse or neglect eligible for alternative response;

(c) Eligibility criteria for alternative response;

(d) The process to determine eligibility for alternative response;

(e) The assessment protocol and tools to be used for alternative response;

(f) The role of child abuse and neglect investigative teams and child abuse and neglect treatment teams in implementation sites;

(g) How, with whom, and what alternative response data will be shared;

(h) The criteria and process for transition of families from an alternative response to a traditional investigation;

(i) The criteria and process for families who refuse an alternative response;

(j) The plan to address the continuum of services needed for families receiving an alternative response;

(k) An overview of critical training elements for both staff who implement and stakeholders involved with alternative response implementation;

(l) A description of the evaluation component;

(m) The relationship of alternative response to Title IV-E waiver applications of the Department of Health and Human Services under the federal Social Security Act;

(n) A plan to communicate and update interested stakeholders and families with regard to the alternative response planning process;

(o) The identification of statutory and policy changes necessary to implement the alternative response model, including a procedure that provides that reports of child abuse and neglect which receive an alternative response shall not receive a formal determination and the subject of the report shall not be entered into the central registry of child protection cases maintained pursuant to section 28-718;

(p) A budget for implementing and sustaining an alternative response model;

(q) The mechanisms of oversight and accountability in the alternative response model; and

(r) A determination of how alternative response service providers will be selected.

(3) The Department of Health and Human Services shall provide the model developed under subsection (2) of this section in a report to the Nebraska Children's Commission by November 1, 2013, for the commission's review. The Nebraska Children's Commission shall electronically submit the report and review to the Legislature by December 15, 2013.

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