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Lawmakers, schools and law enforcement press HHS on CHINS navigators and chronic absenteeism
Summary
Committee members and HHS officials discussed the Children in Need of Services (CHINS) program, its navigator model, and concerns from schools and law enforcement that the current staffing model lacks enforcement power and needs more capacity.
BISMARCK — Lawmakers, school officials and law enforcement representatives have raised concerns about the capacity and authority of CHINS (Children in Need of Services) navigators after responsibility for many CHINS referrals moved from juvenile courts to human‑service zones.
Corey Peterson of HHS described how the CHINS team operates: an eight‑person statewide team — one supervisor and navigators hired out of a host zone — that receives referrals from schools, parents and police and “navigates” families to services rather than providing court‑ordered case management. Peterson said CHINS staff are intended to divert youth from juvenile court…
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