OVERVIEW OF MNC

First statutorily addressed by the Juvenile Justice Act of 1990, the current Multiple Needs Child provisions became effective on April 27, 1993, when the Multiple Needs Child Act (MNCA) was signed into law. With the passage of the Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008, the Multiple Needs Child provisions are located in Article 5. The MNCA is for children who need services from two or more agencies and are at risk of out-of-home placement or movement into a more restrictive environment. These children’s needs are often multifaceted and require intensive collaborative efforts and service coordination from the child care agencies.

The MNCA required the development of the Executive Council, the State Children’s Services Facilitation Team (SCSFT) and county Children’s Services Facilitation Teams (CSFT).

The Executive Council is comprised of the heads of the following departments or agencies: the Department of Education, Human Resources, Mental Health, Public Health, and Youth Services. The Executive Council is responsible for providing general supervision and oversight over the State Children’s Services Facilitation Team (SCSFT), overseeing financial arrangements, approving its state plan and budget, approving policies and procedures, and establishing minimum standards for the operation of the county Children’s Services Facilitation Teams. Article 5, §12-15-504, Ala. Code 1975 (Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008).

The State Children’s Services Facilitation Team (SCSFT) consists of a representative appointed by the head of each of the following departments, agencies, or organizations: the Department of Education, Human Resources, Mental Health, Public Health, Youth Services, and the Alabama Chief Probation Officers Association. The SCSFT is responsible for planning for multiple needs children and for implementing the legislation within the policies approved by the Executive Council. Article 5, §12-15-505, Ala. Code 1975 (Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008).

The SCSFT established a Case Review Committee (CRC) which is responsible for reviewing referrals submitted by the county CSFTs and for making recommendations to the SCSFT regarding the referrals. The CRC members are appointed by their respective SCSFT member for the following agencies: Department of Education, Human Resources, Mental Health, Public Health, and Youth Services. CSFTs must adhere to the CRC referral procedures approved by the SCSFT.

The County Children’s Services Facilitation Teams (CSFT) is comprised of a representative appointed by the head of the following departments, agencies, or organizations: local education agency or agencies, the county Department of Human Resources, the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Youth Services, and a juvenile probation officer appointed by the presiding juvenile court judge. The CSFTs are responsible for collaboratively staffing and developing individualized plans for children identified as multiple needs children. CSFTs serve as resources to the juvenile courts as well as to the participating local child serving agencies. If local resources have been exhausted, the CSFT may refer the child’s case to be staffed by the SCSFT. Article 5, §12-15-506, Ala. Code 1975 (Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008).

Definition of a Multiple Needs Child

"(2) Multiple Needs Child. A child coming to the attention of the juvenile court or one of the entities listed herein who is at imminent risk of out-of-home placement or a placement in a more restrictive environment, and whose needs require the services of two or more of the following entities: Department of Youth Services, public school system (services for exceptional needs), Department of Human Resources, Department of Public Health, juvenile probation officers, or Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Article 5, §12-15-501(2), Ala. Code 1975 (Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008).

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