§ 10A-2-7-306. Designation of organizations as Youth Services Agencies - Termination of designation - Contract administration.

A.  Funds specifically appropriated to the Office of Juvenile Affairs for designated Youth Services Agency programs for both the Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Department of Human Services or funds allocated by the Department of Human Services for designated Youth Services programs and provided to the Office of Juvenile Affairs by interagency agreement shall be made available through contracts negotiated by the Office of Juvenile Affairs to organizations designated by the Board of Juvenile Affairs as "Youth Services Agencies".  All core community-based programs and services to be performed by a Youth Services Agency during a contract period shall be included in one contract or contract extension for that period.  Designations of Youth Services Agencies by the Board shall be granted based on community needs, as indicated in the State Plan for Youth Services Agencies which shall be adopted by rule by the Board.  The State Plan for Youth Services Agencies shall be adopted in accordance with criteria approved by the Board of Juvenile Affairs after full consideration of any recommendations of the Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services.  The criteria and plan adopted by the Board shall designate community-based Youth Services Agency Service Areas that will serve as the primary catchment area for each Youth Services Agency.  Until the criteria is established by the Board, the criteria established by the Commission for Human Services shall remain in effect.  The criteria for designation of Youth Services Agencies shall include but shall not be limited to:

1.  Capability to deliver all or part of the compensable services enumerated in Section 2-7-303 of this title, if the Youth Services Agency is to provide such services;

2.  Capability to deliver all or part of the compensable children's services that the Department of Human Services is authorized to provide for by contract with a private agency, if the Youth Services Agency is to provide such services;

3.  Adequate and qualified staff who are available as needed, within a reasonable time after being contacted for services in each county served by the agency;

4.  Adequate services in the Youth Services Agency Area served by the agency;

5.  Financial viability;

6.  A documented need for the local services to be offered as determined by a local needs assessment for the Youth Services Agency Service Area that shall be reviewed and approved or modified by the Board and included in the State Plan for Youth Services Agencies; and

7.  Any negative impact on the ability to provide services or the financial viability of an existing Youth Services Agency.

As used in this section, "financial viability" means the ability of a Youth Services Agency to continue to achieve its operating objectives and fulfill its mission over the long term.  When determining the financial viability of a Youth Services Agency, the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall develop an analysis that takes into consideration the three (3) previous fiscal years' financial audits, if available; the previous fiscal year program audits, if available; the current fiscal year financial position; and one-year future revenue and expenditure projection.

B.  The criteria for designation of Youth Services Agencies also may include:

1.  Successful completion of an initial peer review by the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services or another Oklahoma nonprofit corporation whose membership consists solely of Youth Services Agencies and of whom at least a majority of Youth Services Agencies are members; and

2.  Such other criteria as the Board of Juvenile Affairs determines appropriate.

C.  Each Youth Services Agency receiving, by grant or contract from the Department of Human Services on June 30, 1995, state funds specifically appropriated for community-based youth services programs, is hereby automatically designated a "Youth Services Agency".

D.  The Board of Juvenile Affairs, on recommendation of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, may terminate the designation of a Youth Services Agency that:

1.  Is seriously deficient in the administration of its program;

2.  Loses financial viability; or

3.  Fails to successfully complete the annual peer review process by the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services or another Oklahoma nonprofit corporation whose membership consists solely of Youth Services Agencies and of whom at least a majority of Youth Services Agencies are members.

Before the Board of Juvenile Affairs terminates the designation of a Youth Services Agency, the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall complete a report documenting its reasons for the termination.  The report shall be submitted to the Board for review.  The report shall contain an analysis of the program administration, financial viability and most recent peer review report of the Youth Services Agency.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs shall also develop a plan to ensure that services provided by the Youth Services Agency whose designation is being terminated shall continue to be provided by another Youth Services Agency or agencies.  In developing the plan, the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall give full consideration to any recommendations of the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services.  The plan shall be submitted to the Board as part of the report documenting the reasons for termination of the Youth Services Agency by the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Any applicant organization denied designation as a Youth Services Agency or any Youth Services Agency whose designation as a Youth Services Agency is being terminated, is entitled to an individual proceeding as provided in Article II of the Administrative Procedures Act.

E.  No Youth Services Agency shall be eligible to receive funding until the beginning of the fiscal year after it receives its designation as a Youth Services Agency unless it is replacing a Youth Services Agency whose designation has been terminated.  No Youth Services Agency shall receive funding for the first time if such funding will result in lowering the contract amount from the previous fiscal year for any existing Youth Services Agency.

F.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs shall be the sole administrator of Youth Services Agency contracts.  Any contracting procedure shall include a procedure for converting all contracts to a system of payment which will be structured in a manner that will allow for the receipt of all available federal funds.  Provided, the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall make no requirement that would require a juvenile to be inappropriately diagnosed for the purpose of receiving federal reimbursement for services.

G.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Department of Human Services shall enter into a cooperative agreement that establishes procedures to ensure the continuation of services provided for in paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section by Youth Services Agencies.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs shall consult with the Department of Human Services when assessing the capability of a Youth Services Agency to deliver services pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section.

H.  Funds for the support of Youth Services Agencies shall be authorized by the Office of Juvenile Affairs only on the basis of cost reimbursement performance contracts or fee-for-service contracts.  If a Youth Services Agency provides some services on a fee-for-services basis and some services on a cost reimbursement basis, no cost which has been included as part of the rate for services provided on a fee-for-service basis shall be reimbursable under the cost reimbursement portion of the contract.  Fees charged for annual peer reviews shall be reimbursable.

I.  The Board may establish a fixed and uniform rate for any community-based prevention service, including services to individuals, groups, and community relations directed toward the larger community, so long as the segment of the larger community or target audience of persons to benefit is identified and the specific prevention activities to be performed are described in the rate.

J. Contracts for the support of, or for services by, Youth Services Agencies shall be negotiated in the following manner:

1.  The local board of the Youth Services Agency, based upon its knowledge and assessment of the needs of the community, shall prepare and present to the Office of Juvenile Affairs a proposal to provide community-based services to juveniles and families in the youth services service area in which it is located.  The proposal shall be specific in terms of its program objectives and goals and the services the Youth Services Agency proposes to render;

2.  Upon receipt of the proposal of the Youth Services Agency, the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall determine if the proposal meets the criteria adopted by the Board of Juvenile Affairs in the State Plan for Youth Services Agencies and, within the resources available, meets the need for community-based services in the youth services service area.  If no State Plan for Youth Services exists, the proposal shall be deemed to meet the need for community-based services in the youth services area;

3.  Contracts shall require performance of a specific service or services to be performed.  Where the services cannot be broken down into units, specifically measurable and reviewable services shall be stated.  Contracts may contain requirements of performance based upon measurable quality outcome indicators.  Documentation required for monitoring and evaluation of the contract shall be consistent with the terms of the contract, shall be in accordance with generally accepted governmental accounting practices, and so far as possible, sufficient for the Office of Juvenile Affairs to monitor the performance of the contract without being overly burdensome to the Youth Services Agency.  The documentation to be required is the proper subject of negotiation as part of the contracts, and the parties may rely on the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for assistance if they are unable to reach agreement;

4.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Youth Services Agency shall negotiate the final terms and enter into the contract.  Youth Services Agencies may authorize the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services or another Oklahoma nonprofit corporation, whose membership consists solely of Youth Services Agencies and of whom at least a majority of Youth Services Agencies are members, to negotiate on their behalf; and

5.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs and a Youth Services Agency may agree to extend their fiscal year 2006 contracts for a period not to exceed one (1) year in order to implement the provisions of this subsection.  The amount of money in the contracts may be amended to reflect any change in the money appropriated for fiscal year 2007 for community-based service agencies.

K.  Contracts with Youth Services Agencies for community-based services shall be for a period of twelve (12) months, beginning at the first of each fiscal year, and renewable on an annual basis.  Contracts shall be considered during the third and fourth quarter of the fiscal year for contracting the following year.  Consideration for renewal shall include a review of the performance of the current contract including the annual peer review.  If the Office of Juvenile Affairs determines the contractual relationship shall be renewed, it shall be in a new contract for the upcoming fiscal year and may or may not contain the same terms, conditions, form and format as the previous contract.  Any change from the contract of the previous year that is proposed by the Youth Services Agency or the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall be the subject of negotiation at the request of either party.

L.  The Oklahoma Association of Youth Services, or another Oklahoma nonprofit corporation whose membership consists solely of Youth Services Agencies and of whom at least a majority of Youth Services Agencies are members may provide technical assistance to the Youth Services Agencies in the preparation and presentation of their proposals or negotiations as requested by a Youth Services Agency.

M.  The Office of Juvenile Affairs is authorized to contract with the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services or another Oklahoma nonprofit corporation whose membership consists solely of Youth Services Agencies and of whom at least a majority of Youth Services Agencies are members for evaluation, training and program materials and for statewide office support, including rental of office space and general technical assistance for Youth Services Agencies with which the Office of Juvenile Affairs has contracts.

Added by Laws 2002, c. 4, § 4, emerg. eff. Feb. 15, 2002.  Amended by Laws 2006, c. 320, § 9, emerg. eff. June 9, 2006; Laws 2009, c. 234, § 10, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009.  Renumbered from § 7302-3.6a of Title 10 by Laws 2009, c. 234, § 171, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009.  Amended by Laws 2012, c. 304, § 42; Laws 2013, c. 404, § 22, eff. Nov. 1, 2013.