Relating to the placement of a child who is the subject of a pending delinquency petition in a supervised apartment living arrangement pursuant to a consent decree, and the circumstances under which the placement is paid by the state

Description

Senate File 2344 provides that, pursuant to a consent decree, a child who is the subject of a petition alleging that the child has committed a delinquent act may be placed in a supervised apartment living arrangement if the court determines that such a placement is the least restrictive option for the child. Placement is paid by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Background

Under Iowa Code section 232.46, after a petition has been filed that alleges a child has committed a delinquent act and prior to an entry of adjudication on the matter, a court may suspend the proceedings on motion of the child’s counsel and enter a consent decree. Once the consent decree has been entered, the case can be continued under the terms and conditions determined by the court. Under a consent decree, the court may place the child in a group or family foster care setting funded by the HHS if the court determines that to be the least restrictive option.

Assumptions

• Five newly eligible juveniles per year will participate in supervised apartment living.
• The annual cost per individual in the first year of supervised apartment living is $38,600 and the recurring annual cost is $1,600 per individual for the State cost of Medicaid. The HHS will pay the State Medicaid cost per individual for five fiscal years after the participation in the supervised apartment living arrangement.
• Juveniles who enter supervised apartment living will become eligible for Iowa aftercare services and the Education and Training Voucher Program upon turning 18 years of age.
• A juvenile who is placed in a supervised living arrangement will “age out” after one year.
• The HHS assumes that after one year in the supervised apartment living arrangement, the juvenile will qualify for additional programs under the HHS’s purview, including aftercare and the Education and Training Voucher Program. Participation in these programs may create additional costs to the HHS.

Fiscal Impact

At a rate of five newly eligible juveniles per fiscal year, the HHS estimates an FY 2025 fiscal impact of $193,000. If the rate of newly eligible juveniles remains constant, costs to the State are anticipated to increase every year until the Program is fully implemented in year six (FY 2030). Figure 1 shows the estimated fiscal impact to the HHS in the next six fiscal years. Figure 1 — Estimated State Costs Under SF 2344FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 FY 2030 State Cost 193,000$ 201,000$ 209,000$ 217,000$ 225,000$ 233,000$

Sources

• Department of Health and Human Services
• Legislative Services Agency