1. Each mental health consortium established pursuant to NRS 433B.333 shall prepare and submit to the Director of the Department a long-term strategic plan for the provision of mental health services to children with emotional disturbance in the jurisdiction of the consortium. A plan submitted pursuant to this section is valid for 10 years after the date of submission, and each consortium shall submit a new plan upon its expiration.

2. In preparing the long-term strategic plan pursuant to subsection 1, each mental health consortium must be guided by the following principles:

(a) The system of mental health services set forth in the plan should be centered on children with emotional disturbance and their families, with the needs and strengths of those children and their families dictating the types and mix of services provided.

(b) The families of children with emotional disturbance, including, without limitation, foster parents, should be active participants in all aspects of planning, selecting and delivering mental health services at the local level.

(c) The system of mental health services should be community-based and flexible, with accountability and the focus of the services at the local level.

(d) The system of mental health services should provide timely access to a comprehensive array of cost-effective mental health services.

(e) Children and their families who are in need of mental health services should be identified as early as possible through screening, assessment processes, treatment and systems of support.

(f) Comprehensive mental health services should be made available in the least restrictive but clinically appropriate environment.

(g) The family of a child with an emotional disturbance should be eligible to receive mental health services from the system.

(h) Mental health services should be provided to children with emotional disturbance in a sensitive manner that is responsive to cultural and gender-based differences and the special needs of the children.

3. The long-term strategic plan prepared pursuant to subsection 1 must include:

(a) An assessment of the need for mental health services in the jurisdiction of the consortium;

(b) The long-term strategies and goals of the consortium for providing mental health services to children with emotional disturbance within the jurisdiction of the consortium;

(c) A description of the types of services to be offered to children with emotional disturbance within the jurisdiction of the consortium;

(d) Criteria for eligibility for those services;

(e) A description of the manner in which those services may be obtained by eligible children;

(f) The manner in which the costs for those services will be allocated;

(g) The mechanisms to manage the money provided for those services;

(h) Documentation of the number of children with emotional disturbance who are not currently being provided services, the costs to provide services to those children, the obstacles to providing services to those children and recommendations for removing those obstacles;

(i) Methods for obtaining additional money and services for children with emotional disturbance from private and public entities; and

(j) The manner in which family members of eligible children and other persons may be involved in the treatment of the children.

4. On or before January 31 of each even-numbered year, each mental health consortium shall submit to the Director of the Department and the Commission:

(a) A list of the priorities of services necessary to implement the long-term strategic plan submitted pursuant to subsection 1 and an itemized list of the costs to provide those services;

(b) A description of any revisions to the long-term strategic plan adopted by the consortium during the immediately preceding year; and

(c) Any request for an allocation for administrative expenses of the consortium.

5. In preparing the biennial budget request for the Department, the Director of the Department shall consider the list of priorities and any request for an allocation submitted pursuant to subsection 4 by each mental health consortium. On or before September 30 of each even-numbered year, the Director of the Department shall submit to each mental health consortium a report which includes a description of:

(a) Each item on the list of priorities of the consortium that was included in the biennial budget request for the Department;

(b) Each item on the list of priorities of the consortium that was not included in the biennial budget request for the Department and an explanation for the exclusion; and

(c) Any request for an allocation for administrative expenses of the consortium that was included in the biennial budget request for the Department.

6. On or before January 31 of each odd-numbered year, each consortium shall submit to the Director of the Department and the Commission:

(a) A report regarding the status of the long-term strategic plan submitted pursuant to subsection 1, including, without limitation, the status of the strategies, goals and services included in the plan;

(b) A description of any revisions to the long-term strategic plan adopted by the consortium during the immediately preceding year; and

(c) A report of all expenditures made from an account maintained pursuant to NRS 433B.339, if any.

(Added to NRS by 2001 Special Session, 52; A 2001 Special Session, 55; 2003, 236, 357, 358; 2009, 664, 676; 2011, 1914)