Article 27A.

Authority Over Parents, Guardians, or Custodians of Vulnerable Juveniles Who Are Receiving Juvenile Consultation Services.

§ 7B-2715.  Attend all scheduled meetings with juvenile court counselor.

The parent, guardian, or custodian of a juvenile being provided services through a juvenile consultation shall attend all scheduled meetings with the juvenile court counselor provided sufficient notice of the meeting was given to the parent, guardian, or custodian. (2021-123, s. 5(e).)

§ 7B-2716.  Attend parental responsibility classes.

The juvenile court counselor may direct the parent, guardian, or custodian of a juvenile who is being provided services through a juvenile consultation to attend parental responsibility classes if those classes are available in the district in which the parent, guardian, or custodian resides. (2021-123, s. 5(e).)

§ 7B-2717.  Medical, surgical, psychiatric, or psychological evaluation or treatment of vulnerable juveniles who are receiving juvenile consultation services or parents.

(a) The juvenile court counselor shall work with the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile receiving juvenile consultation services to obtain for the juvenile any medical, surgical, psychiatric, psychological, or other evaluation or treatment as needed or recommended as part of the juvenile consultation process. The juvenile court counselor shall work with the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile and other funding resources to find a means for paying for such services, including helping the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile to apply for benefits under the North Carolina Medicaid program.

(b) The juvenile court counselor, with written recommendations of a qualified physician, surgeon, or mental health provider, shall advise the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile receiving juvenile consultation services to be directly involved in the juvenile's evaluation or treatment and participate in medical, psychiatric, psychological, or other evaluation or treatment of the juvenile if it is determined to be in the best interests of the juvenile.

(c) The juvenile court counselor may recommend that the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile receiving juvenile consultation services undergo psychiatric, psychological, or other evaluation or treatment or counseling with written orders or recommendations from a qualified mental or physical health provider directed toward remedying behaviors or conditions that led to or contributed to the juvenile's receipt of a juvenile consultation.

(d) With written orders or recommendations from a qualified mental or physical health provider, the juvenile court counselor may recommend that the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile receiving juvenile consultation services seek funding through the Division of Juvenile Justice and/or the local management entity and managed care organization that serves the catchment area to pay the cost of any evaluation or treatment recommended for the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile. (2021-123, s. 5(e); 2022-74, s. 9D.15(d).)

§ 7B-2718.  Compliance with recommendations of the juvenile court counselor for juveniles receiving juvenile consultation services.

(a) In cases in which the juvenile court counselor is providing juvenile consultation services, the juvenile court counselor may transport the parent, guardian, or custodian of a juvenile receiving juvenile consultation services and the juvenile receiving juvenile consultation services, to the extent the juvenile court counselor is able to do so, to keep an appointment or to comply with the recommendations of the juvenile court counselor.

(b) In all cases in which the juvenile court counselor is providing juvenile consultation services, the juvenile court counselor shall work collaboratively with the parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile, the Department of Social Services, the local management entity or managed care organization, the local education authority, and all other community stakeholders involved with the juvenile and family. This will be identified as the Juvenile and Family Team, and all local community agencies involved with the juvenile and family shall be invited to all meetings scheduled with the juvenile and parent, guardian, or custodian of the juvenile.

(c) If a parent, guardian, or custodian of a juvenile refuses to follow the recommendations of the Juvenile and Family Team, and this refusal puts the juvenile at risk of abuse, neglect, or dependency, the juvenile court counselor shall report to the Department of Social Services who may file an abuse, neglect, or dependency petition pursuant to G.S. 7B-403. (2021-123, s. 5(e).)