Senate Approves Major Reform of CHINS System

In an effort to provide troubled children with the care they need, I’m proud to say that the Senate unanimously passed a bill to transform the 38-year-old Children in Need of Services (CHINS) program this July. CHINS handles children who consistently get in trouble at home or at school, also working with runaways and students who are habitually truant.

The bill eliminates the current juvenile court-based system, which unnecessarily puts troubled children in front of a judge before seeking the necessary services to help the children and their families. This system would be replaced with a statewide community-based intervention network that would prioritize offering school and community services for children and families.

More than half of the children who are placed in front of a judge are suffering from some type of mental disorder and require better care and services before being put in this position. This bill and its reforms are critical in improving these children’s lives and keeping families together.

In addition, the new system, established under the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, will consist of a statewide network of family resource centers and community-based services for those requiring assistance. 

The program will divert children from the legal process and instead provide them with the appropriate solution including: behavioral, medical, and mental health treatment; special education evaluations; mentoring, family and parent support; after-school and out-of-school opportunities; and finally crisis management and other behavioral and preventative services.

Under this bill, school districts are required to offer truancy prevention programs to habitually truant students prior to referring them to juvenile court. And, children requiring assistance are prohibited from being placed in DYS custody, confined in shackles or confined in a court lockup in connection with any request for assistance.

Finally, the probation department is required to file reports on the services they provide to children and families who require assistance.

I want to thank Senator Karen Spilka of Ashland for her hard work over the past six years on this important legislation.

After passing in the Senate, the bill was referred to the House of Representatives for further action.