Appropriations committee backs funding for juvenile fitness-to-proceed evaluations and lack-of-criminal-responsibility exams

The Appropriations — Human Resources Division on Wednesday recommended funding for two related Senate bills that would create and pay for juvenile forensic evaluations and short-term remediation services.

Jonathan Alm, attorney with the Department of Health and Human Services, told the committee the two bills under review—Senate Bill 2,036 and Senate Bill 2,037—address separate but related parts of juvenile forensic work: fitness-to-proceed evaluations and remediation services (bill 2,036) and juvenile lack-of-criminal-responsibility evaluations (bill 2,037). “North Dakota does not have remediation services, so this would be new in the bill,” Alm said, describing remediation as “a process of providing learning opportunities, services and supports to achieve fitness to proceed.”

Committee members focused on cost, capacity and where services would be performed. The appropriation in 2,036 is $500,000; Alm said most of that money would pay for evaluations and for remediation that can run up to 120 days and must be delivered “in the least restrictive available environment.” The appropriation in 2,037 is $300,000 and would fund contracting for juvenile lack-of-criminal-responsibility examinations.

Representative Murphy pressed staff on how the $500,000 figure was derived and what would happen if the amount proved insufficient. Alm said the bills carried…