9:12A-7 Basic center shelter program.

6. a. A basic center shelter program shall provide a homeless youth with 24-hour, seven-day a week, walk-in access to emergency, short-term residential care. The services offered by the program shall provide a homeless youth with a stable out-of-home placement and help reunite the youth with his parent or legal guardian, except in the case where family reunification is not in the youth's best interest.

The services provided at the basic center shelter, as determined by the department's contract, may include, but are not limited to, the following core services:

(1) Family reunification services;

(2) Individual, family and group counseling;

(3) Food;

(4) A clothing allowance;

(5) Medical care;

(6) Educational services;

(7) Recreational activities; and

(8) Advocacy and referral services.

b. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is admitted to a basic center shelter, the shelter shall attempt to notify the youth's parent or legal guardian of the youth's admission within 24 hours after the admission. The notification shall include a description of the youth's physical and emotional condition and the circumstances surrounding the youth's admission to the basic center shelter, unless there are compelling reasons not to provide the parent or legal guardian with this information. Compelling reasons include, but are not limited to, circumstances in which the youth is or has been a victim of child abuse or neglect.

c. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is admitted to a basic center shelter, the shelter shall notify the division of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter within 24 hours after the admission to determine if the youth is in the legal care or custody of the division. If the homeless youth is in the legal care or custody of the division, the division, in consultation with the basic center shelter, shall determine what services shall be provided to the youth. The services may include, but are not limited to: crisis intervention services, continued temporary placement in the basic center shelter for up to 30 days, placement in an alternative living arrangement or referral to a transitional living program established pursuant to section 7 of this act or to other appropriate organizations and agencies.

d. When the basic center shelter has reason to believe that the youth is an abused or neglected child as defined in P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21 et seq.), the basic center shelter shall report the allegation to the division pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.10). A homeless youth may remain at a basic center shelter for up to 30 days pending the division's disposition of any case originated pursuant to this subsection.

e. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is not in the legal care or custody of the division as provided in subsection c. of this section, and a basic center shelter has not made a report to the division pursuant to subsection d. of this section, the basic center shelter shall notify a juvenile-family crisis intervention unit, established pursuant to P.L.1982, c.80 (C.2A:4A-76 et seq.), in the county of residence of the homeless youth, within 24 hours of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter, that a juvenile-family crisis exists as defined in section 3 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-22).

f. In the event that a basic center shelter notifies a juvenile-family crisis intervention unit pursuant to subsection e. of this section, the homeless youth may remain at the basic center shelter for up to 10 days without the consent of the youth's parent or legal guardian. During this time, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit and the basic center shelter shall help to reunite the youth with his parent or legal guardian. If reunification with the parent or legal guardian is not in the youth's best interest or not possible because the youth's parent or legal guardian cannot be located, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit, in consultation with the basic center shelter, shall determine what services shall be provided to the youth. The services may include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention services and continued temporary placement in the basic center shelter for up to an additional 30 days.

g. In the case of a homeless youth from another state who is under the age of 18, a basic center shelter shall notify the Compact Administrator of the Interstate Compact on Juveniles, as soon as practicable, but within 24 hours of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter. The Compact Administrator shall facilitate the youth's return home to his parent or legal guardian or make other suitable care arrangements for the youth.

L.1999,c.224,s.6.