§ 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).)