JUVENILES:  IN-HOME SERVICES

House Bill 4964 as introduced

Sponsor:  Rep. Leslie Love

Committee:  Criminal Justice

Complete to 11-25-15

SUMMARY:

The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to distribute an additional amount for reimbursement for the cost of juvenile justice services to a county that is not a county juvenile agency for "in-home services," and to define the term.  The bill is part of the legislative package to reform juvenile justice.  (Other bills in the package include HB 4947-4963 and 4965-4966.)

House Bill 4964 amends the Social Welfare Act. Currently, the DHHS provides for the distribution of money appropriated by the Legislature to counties for the cost of juvenile justice services as provided in the act.  For a county that is not a county juvenile agency, the amount distributed, with some exceptions, must equal 50% of the annual expenditures from the county's child care fund.

The bill would require an additional amount equal to 25% of the annual expenditures from the county's child care fund to be distributed for in-home services.

"In-home services" would be defined to mean services or programs used to provide children with early intervention to treat problems of delinquency, services or programs determined to be alternatives to out-of-home care, or services or programs to provide an early return home for children placed out of the home.  The term may include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

·       Individual and family counseling.

·       Employment/educational.

·       Wraparound services.

·       Family preservation.

·       Reintegration services.

MCL 400.117a

FISCAL IMPACT:

As introduced, House Bill 4964 would amend the Social Welfare Act to require that in addition to the currently required 50% reimbursement to counties for eligible expenses from the county’s Child Care Fund, an additional 25% shall be reimbursed to the counties for in-home services expenses.

The Child Care Fund (CCF) is a fund appropriated in the DHHS budget from which the state reimburses counties for 50% of eligible expenditures concerning the care and treatment for children who are court wards.  The Fund reimburses counties for programs that serve neglected, abused, and delinquent youth, and funding may be expended for out-of-home placements such as foster care homes or county-operated facilities.  Expenditures may also be made for in-home services which allow children to remain in their own homes, and may include job training skills, intensive probation, community wraparound services, mentoring, family counseling, electronic tethers, alternatives to detention, and other community-based services.

In FY 2013-14, the counties expended $111.8 million for in-home services from their county child care funds.  The state was required to reimburse the counties for half of those expenses; that amount of reimbursement was approximately $55.9 million.  Under the requirements of the bill, the state would need to reimburse to the counties an additional 25% of these specific expenditures.  Based on FY 2013-14 expenditures, this would cost the state an estimated additional $27.9 million and save the counties in aggregate a similar amount. 

As introduced, House Bill 4964 is part of a large package of legislative bills – some of which, if enacted, may increase the number of individuals that will require in-home services financed by county’s child care funds, which may require a larger increase to the state’s cost than mentioned above.  (Note:  Other bills in this legislative package may provide savings to the state as well.) 

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   Susan Stutzky

                                                                                                Fiscal Analyst:   Viola Bay Wild

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.