ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor

Ch. 431

in the care and custody of the Department when the youths are isolated from
customary community educational services;

(4) (3) A joint assessment with the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene of the costs and actions necessary to implement the 3-year plan for enhanced
mental health services and to:

(i) Integrate this plan into the Department's comprehensive
Health Services Division 3-year plan published in 2003;

(ii) Establish assessment and treatment programs in facilities and
prevention and early intervention programs in the community and aftercare services;
and

(iii) Identify barriers to funding and means to maximize federal
funds;

(5) (4) The identification and evaluation of appropriate somatic health,
mental health, substance abuse, and nutrition services to youth that come within the
jurisdiction of the Department;

(6) (5) A joint recommendation with the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene on how the State will provide appropriate health care to all youth
under the care of the Department;

(7) (6) A report on efforts taken to identify and reduce disproportionate
minority confinement in each county in the State, including Baltimore City, and to:

(i) Collaborate with local jurisdictions to collect offense data by
race, offense, and zip code;

(ii) Analyze risk assessment procedures in each jurisdiction; and

(iii) If disproportionate minority confinement is found to exist,
identify the source or level at which the disproportionality exists and alternatives
that are available to decrease or eliminate disproportionate minority confinement;
and

(8) (7) A management plan for:

(i) The evaluation of existing staff functions throughout the
Department and all State, local, and private staff functions, including intake, clinical,
probation, case management, and aftercare;

(ii) The establishment of professional qualifications, competency
testing, educational and training requirements, and credentialing for all positions in
the Department;

(iii) An aggressive recruitment effort to hire the most qualified
workers and retention efforts using performance-based evaluations with merit-based
incentives and competitive salaries, and to ensure proper caseloads for all public and
private employees that are competitive with neighboring states; and

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