SB306

Existing law imposes certain requirements concerning the treatment of a child with an emotional disturbance. (NRS 433B.290-433B.339) Section 2.6 of this bill requires the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a task force to develop recommendations for the creation of a program that provides housing and other services to certain children: (1) who are discharged from a treatment facility or other division facility or who are released on parole or discharged from a state facility for the detention of children; and (2) whose parents or guardians are unable to accept the child back into the home after the discharge or release because of a health or safety risk. Section 2.6 also requires: (1) the Administrator of the Division to appoint representatives of the child welfare, juvenile justice and mental health systems to the task force; and (2) the task force to submit its recommendations to the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. Existing law defines “child with an emotional disturbance” for the purposes of chapter 433B of NRS related to the mental health of children. (NRS 433B.045) Section 6 of this bill revises the definition of “child with an emotional disturbance” to provide that the term includes, without limitation, a child with a severe emotional disturbance. Existing law designates certain facilities of the Division which provide services for the mental health of children for the purposes