STATE OF IDAHO JUDICIAL BRANCH
Supreme Court

Idaho Juvenile Rule 54.  Mental Health Assessments and Plans of Treatment Under I.C. § 20-511A.

(a) As used in this rule, 'interested parties' means:

(1) in Juvenile Corrections Act proceedings, the juvenile, the juvenile's parents, guardians and custodians, the juvenile's counsel, the prosecuting attorney, the department of health and welfare, the department of juvenile corrections, county probation and any other agencies or persons designated by the court.

(2) in Child Protective Act proceedings, the child, the child's parents, guardians and custodians, the child's counsel if any, the child's guardian ad litem if any, the attorney general or prosecuting attorney appearing in the case, the department of health and welfare, and any other agencies or persons designated by the court.

(b) When the court has reason to believe that the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present, the court may order the department of health and welfare to submit appropriate mental health assessments and a plan of treatment for the court's approval.  The order shall set a time for the submission of the mental health assessment and plan of treatment, which time may be extended for good cause.  Notice of the order shall be given to all interested parties.  The order shall give notice to the parents of the juvenile or child that initial costs of the preparation of the assessment and plan of treatment, and of any additional evaluation and/or recommendations under Idaho Code § 20-511A(3) and subsection (e) of this rule, may be borne by the department of health and welfare, but that, pursuant to I.C. § 20-511A(5), these costs and all costs associated with assessment and treatment shall be the responsibility of the parents according to their ability to pay based upon the sliding fee scale established pursuant to I.C. § 16-2433.

(c) At any time after determining that there is reason to believe that the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present, the court may order the convening of a screening team consisting of representatives from the department of health and welfare, county probation, local school officials, teen early intervention specialists as provided for under I.C. § 16-2404A, the department of juvenile corrections and/or other agencies or persons designated by the court. The screening team shall review the mental health assessment and plan of treatment and any other relevant information and make written recommendations to the court. Any parents or guardians of the juvenile or child who are available shall be included in the screening team and consulted with regard to the plan of treatment.  The order shall set a time for the submission of the written recommendations, which time may be extended for good cause.  The order shall designate a leading member of the screening team, who shall have the responsibility for scheduling meetings and submitting the written recommendations of the screening team to the court.  Notice of the order shall be given to all interested parties.

(d) The court may:

(1) order any agencies that have treated or had custody of the juvenile or child to release any pertinent information or records to the department of health and welfare for the purpose of mental health assessment and preparation of a plan of treatment;

(2) order the department of health and welfare, county probation, school officials and the department of juvenile corrections to release all pertinent information regarding the juvenile or child to the court and and/or the screening team; and 

(3) require the parents or guardians of the juvenile or child, and where appropriate require the juvenile or child, to allow information pertinent to the assessment or treatment of the child to be released to the department of health and welfare, the court and/or the screening team.  

(e) If the court, after receiving the mental health assessment  and  plan of  treatment submitted by the department of health and welfare and any recommendations from the screening team, determines that additional information is necessary  to determine whether the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present, or to determine an appropriate plan of treatment for the juvenile, the court may order an evaluation and/or recommendations for treatment to be furnished by a psychiatrist, licensed physician or licensed psychologist, with the expenses of such evaluation and/or recommendations to be borne by the department of health and welfare.

(f) After receiving the mental health assessment and plan of treatment from the department of health and welfare, any written recommendations from the screening team and any additional evaluations or recommendations for treatment, the court may make a determination of whether the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present.  If the court finds that such conditions are present, the court shall order mental health treatment in accordance with a plan of treatment approved by the court.  However, the court shall first hold a hearing before making such determination or entering such order if:  

(1) the court determines that a hearing would be helpful in making such determinations or fashioning the order; or

(2) any interested party objects to the entry of such a determination or order; or

(3) in-patient or residential treatment would be required as part of the plan of treatment, unless the hearing is waived by the juvenile or child and the parents or guardians of the juvenile or child.  Notice of the hearing shall be given to all interested parties.

(g) At the hearing, the court shall consider the mental health assessment and plan of treatment submitted by the department of health and welfare, the recommendations of the screening team and any additional evaluation or recommendations for treatment.  The parties may present evidence in support of, or opposed to, the information from any of these sources.  Each party shall have the right to present any relevant evidence on the issues of:  

(1) whether the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present; and

(2) what should be included in the plan of treatment, if any, ordered by the court.

(h) At the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall determine whether the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present.  If the court determines that such conditions are present, the court shall order mental health treatment for the juvenile or child in accordance with the plan of treatment approved by the court.  The court shall not order in-patient or residential treatment unless the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the conditions specified in I.C. § 20-511A(1)(a) and (b) are present and that such treatment is required.

(i) Where the procedures set forth in I.C. § 20-511A and this rule are initiated in a Juvenile Corrections Act proceeding, any communications made by the juvenile to any person participating in an assessment, evaluation or preparation of a plan of treatment for the juvenile, and made for the purpose of such assessment, evaluation or preparation of a plan of treatment, shall not be used against the juvenile for any purpose in the evidentiary hearing in the Juvenile Corrections Act proceeding. 

(j) A review hearing will be held within 120 days of the order approving plan of treatment or more frequently as determined by the court. At the review hearing, the court will review compliance with the approved plan of treatment and any motions concerning the plan. The court may:

(1) order the approved plan of treatment remain in full force and effect;

(2) approve recommended modifications to the plan of treatment, as appropriate; or

(3) find the department of health and welfare children’s mental health program has fulfilled its obligations under the I.C. § 20-511A order approving plan of treatment.

(Adopted August 4, 2005, effective August 15, 2005; amended April 26, 2007, effective July 1, 2007; amended March 15, 2022, effective July 1, 2022.)