GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

EXTRA SESSION 1994

S	1 

SENATE BILL 143

Short Title:  AOC/Juv. Serv. Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Winner of Mecklenburg.
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Referred to:  Courts.
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February 15, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR STAFF AND STAFF SUPPORT IN THE JUVENILE SERVICES DIVISION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS AND TO REQUIRE A REVIEW OF COUNSELORS' TRAINING QUALIFICATIONS AND JOB TRAINING.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. (a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Administrative Office of the Courts the sum of two million six hundred fifty-five thousand four hundred sixty-five dollars ($2,655,465) for the 1994-95 fiscal year for staff and staff support in the Juvenile Services Division.  These funds shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$672,133 to establish 18 additional positions to be used for regular probation and aftercare caseload, supervision, and support activities.  Fifteen probation/aftercare counselor positions, one court counselor supervisor position, and two juvenile court secretary positions shall be established. The counselor positions shall be allocated so as to make all judicial districts have equal to or less than one case per counselor below the probation/aftercare statewide caseload average as of December 31, 1993; and
(2)	$1,983,332 to expand the intensive counselor program by 53 positions.  Forty-five intensive counselor positions, three court counselor supervisor positions, and five juvenile court secretary positions shall be established.  These intensive counselor positions shall be allocated to the 10 districts with the highest incidence of juvenile arrests for violent offenses, whether these violent offenses would be misdemeanors or felonies if committed by an adult.
(b) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall review the job qualifications and requirements of all counselor positions, including existing positions as well as those established by this act, with emphasis on the training requirements and job qualifications of intensive counselors, to determine that counselors to be hired are capable of intervening effectively with delinquent youth and their families and to determine whether changes in training requirements and job qualifications are advisable.
(c) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall report to the General Assembly by February 1, 1995, on the allocation by judicial district of all positions funded in this act and on the method used for the allocation.  The report shall also include the current status of recruitment for positions and the results of the review required by subsection (b) of this act, together with any recommendations on changes to the training requirements and job qualifications of counselors.
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1994.