OVERVIEW OF MNC

First statutorily addressed by the Juvenile Justice Act of 1990, the current Multiple Needs Child provisions became effective on April 27, 1993, when the Multiple Needs Child Act (MNC) was signed into law.  The MNC Act is for children who need services from two or more agencies and are at risk of out-of-home placement or movement into a more restrictive environment. These children’s needs are often multifaceted and require intensive collaborative efforts and service coordination from the child care agencies.

The MNC legislation required the development of an Executive Council, a State Children’s Services Facilitation Team (SCSFT) and a local county Children’s Services Facilitation Team (CSFT).

The Executive Council is comprised of the Commissioners or Directors of the five children’s service agencies: the Departments of Education, Human Resources, Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Youth Services and Public Health. The Executive Council is responsible for providing general supervision and oversight over the State Children’s Services Facilitation Team (SCSFT), overseeing financial arrangements, approving policies and procedures, and establishing minimum standards for the operation of the county Children’s Services Facilitation Teams.

The State Children’s Services Facilitation Team (SCSFT) is comprised of representatives of each agency and the Association of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers.  The SCSFT is responsible for planning for multiple needs children and for implementing the legislation within the policies established by the Executive Council.  The SCSFT established a Case Review Committee (CRC) which is responsible for reviewing referrals submitted by the County CSFTs and for making recommendations to the SCSFT regarding the referrals.

The County Children’s Services Facilitation Teams (CSFT) are responsible for collaboratively staffing and providing services to children identified as multiple needs children.  County teams serve as resources to the juvenile courts as well as to the participating local child serving agencies. If all local resources have been exhausted, the local team may refer the child’s case to be staffed by the SCSFT.

What is a Multiple Needs Child ?

"(2) Multiple Needs Child. A child coming to the attention of the juvenile court or one of the entities listed herein who is at imminent risk of out-of-home placement or a placement in a more restrictive environment, and whose needs require the services of two or more of the following entities: Department of Youth Services, public school system (services for exceptional needs), Department of Human Resources, Department of Public Health, juvenile probation officers, or Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation." Section 12-15-501, Alabama Juvenile Justice Act of 2008

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