1     
CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER PROGRAM

2     
2018 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund

5     
House Sponsor: Derrin R. Owens

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill requires the attorney general to establish a Children's Justice Center, satellite
10     office, or multidisciplinary team in Juab County.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     requires the attorney general to establish a Children's Justice Center, satellite office,
14     or multidisciplinary team in Juab County; and
15          ▸     makes technical changes.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     AMENDS:
22          67-5b-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 290
23     

24     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25          Section 1. Section 67-5b-102 is amended to read:
26          67-5b-102. Children's Justice Center -- Requirements of center -- Purposes of
27     center.

28          (1) (a) There is established [a program, known as] the Children's Justice Center
29     Program[, that provides] to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, intergovernmental
30     response to child abuse victims in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.
31          (b) The attorney general shall administer the program.
32          (c) The attorney general shall:
33          (i) allocate the funds appropriated by a line item pursuant to Section 67-5b-103;
34          (ii) administer applications for state and federal grants and subgrants;
35          (iii) staff the Advisory Board on Children's Justice;
36          (iv) assist in the development of new centers;
37          (v) coordinate services between centers;
38          (vi) contract with counties and other entities for the provision of services;
39          (vii) provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation to centers; and
40          (viii) provide other services to comply with established minimum practice standards as
41     required to maintain the state's and centers' eligibility for grants and subgrants.
42          (2) (a) The attorney general shall establish Children's Justice Centers, satellite offices,
43     or multidisciplinary teams in Beaver County, Box Elder County, Cache County, Carbon
44     County, Davis County, Duchesne County, Emery County, Grand County, Iron County, Juab
45     County, Kane County, Salt Lake County, San Juan County, Sanpete County, Sevier County,
46     Summit County, Tooele County, Uintah County, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington
47     County, and Weber County.
48          (b) The attorney general may establish other centers, satellites, or multidisciplinary
49     teams within a county and in other counties of the state.
50          (3) The attorney general and each center shall:
51          (a) coordinate the activities of the public agencies involved in the investigation and
52     prosecution of child abuse cases and the delivery of services to child abuse victims and child
53     abuse victims' families;
54          (b) provide a neutral, child-friendly program, where interviews are conducted and
55     services are provided to facilitate the effective and appropriate disposition of child abuse cases
56     in juvenile, civil, and criminal court proceedings;
57          (c) facilitate a process for interviews of child abuse victims to be conducted in a
58     professional and neutral manner;

59          (d) obtain reliable and admissible information that can be used effectively in child
60     abuse cases in the state;
61          (e) maintain a multidisciplinary team that includes representatives of public agencies
62     involved in the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and in the delivery of
63     services to child abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
64          (f) hold regularly scheduled case reviews with the multidisciplinary team;
65          (g) coordinate and track:
66          (i) investigation of the alleged offense; and
67          (ii) preparation of prosecution;
68          (h) maintain a working protocol that addresses the center's procedures for conducting
69     forensic interviews and case reviews, and for ensuring a child abuse victim's access to medical
70     and mental health services;
71          (i) maintain a system to track the status of cases and the provision of services to child
72     abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
73          (j) provide training for professionals involved in the investigation and prosecution of
74     child abuse cases and in the provision of related treatment and services;
75          (k) enhance community understanding of child abuse cases; and
76          (l) provide as many services as possible that are required for the thorough and effective
77     investigation of child abuse cases.
78          (4) To assist a center in fulfilling the requirements and statewide purposes as provided
79     in Subsection (3), each center may obtain access to any relevant juvenile court legal records
80     and adult court legal records, unless sealed by the court.






Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel