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House approves temporary expansion allowing Life Skills and Transition Center to accept certain children in crisis; critics warn of repeating institutional-era
Summary
Senate Bill 21-12 passed the House 65-25 to permit the Life Skills and Transition Center (LSTC) to accept narrowly defined non‑eligible minors for short-term stabilization, with a June 30, 2027 sunset and biannual reporting; debate centered on facility suitability, historical institutional concerns and a DHHS fiscal note.
Bismarck — The House approved Senate Bill 21-12 on final passage Tuesday, 65-25, authorizing the Life Skills and Transition Center (LSTC) to serve a narrowly defined group of minors who are legal North Dakota residents but are not eligible under current developmental-disability criteria when no other placement is available.
Representative Kaye Anderson, the bill carrier, told the chamber the change is intended to fill limited, urgent placement gaps for children with complex behavioral or psychiatric needs who, absent an option, may be housed temporarily in county offices or other unsuitable settings while case managers search for placements. “This bill codifies the center’s authority to serve and treat this narrowly defined and vulnerable population on a time-limited basis so that further study and analysis can occur,” she said on the floor.
The human-services committee recommended the bill with a…
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