A. The court may issue an order directing the county sheriff or his designee of the county in which the court is located to provide transportation to a child who is the subject of a deprived proceeding, regardless of where the child is placed within the state, for purposes of the following:

1. Transferring the child from his or her current placement to a designated inpatient treatment facility, as more further defined in the Inpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment of Minors Act;

2. Transferring the child from the inpatient treatment facility to court for hearing;

3. Transferring the child from an out-of-county placement to court for hearing and returning the child back to the out-of-county placement; and

4. Assisting the Department of Human Services in transporting a child from any location to placement when requested by the Department for purposes of ensuring the safekeeping of the child as well as the Department employee.

B. 1. The Department shall provide reimbursement to the county sheriff or his designee for necessary and actual expenses for transporting the child as follows:

a.a fee for the cost of personal services at the rate of Twelve Dollars ($12.00) per hour,

b.mileage reimbursement for each mile actually traveled at the rate established in the State Travel Reimbursement Act,

c.meals for transporting personnel, not to exceed Seven Dollars ($7.00) per meal, and

d.meals for the child being transported, not to exceed Seven Dollars ($7.00) per meal.

2. The Department shall process and mail reimbursement claims within sixty (60) days of receipt. Payments for services provided by the county sheriff’s office shall be paid to the county and deposited in the sheriff’s service fee account.

C. The court issuing the transportation order shall make such provision for the transportation and safekeeping of a child as is appropriate in the circumstances.

Added by Laws 2009, c. 233, § 137, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009.