West Virginia Code 49-2-907 – Examination, diagnosis classification and treatment; period of custody
(a) As a part of the disposition for a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent, and who has been determined by a risk and needs assessment to be high risk or who has committed an act or acts of violence, the court may, upon its own motion or upon request of counsel, order the juvenile to be delivered into the custody of the Director of the Division of Juvenile Services, who shall cause the juvenile to be transferred to a juvenile diagnostic center for a period not to exceed thirty days. During this period, the juvenile shall undergo examination, diagnosis, classification and a complete medical examination and shall at all times be kept apart from the general juvenile inmate population in the director's custody.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 49-2-907
- child: means an individual who meets one of the following conditions:
(A) Is under thirteen years of age. See West Virginia Code 49-1-202
- Court: means the circuit court of the county with jurisdiction of the case or the judge in vacation unless otherwise specifically provided. See West Virginia Code 49-1-207
- Division of Juvenile Services: means the division within the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. See West Virginia Code 49-1-208
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Juvenile: means any person under eighteen years of age or is a transitioning adult. See West Virginia Code 49-1-202
- Multidisciplinary team: means a group of professionals and paraprofessionals representing a variety of disciplines who interact and coordinate their efforts to identify, diagnose and treat specific cases of child abuse and neglect. See West Virginia Code 49-1-207
- Needs Assessment: means an evidence-informed assessment which identifies the needs a child or family has, which, if left unaddressed, will likely increase the chance of reoccurring. See West Virginia Code 49-1-206
- Parent: means an individual defined as a parent by law or on the basis of a biological relationship, marriage to a person with a biological relationship, legal adoption or other recognized grounds. See West Virginia Code 49-1-204
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
(b) During the examination period established by subsection (a) of this section, the director, or his or her designee, shall convene and direct a multidisciplinary treatment team for the juvenile which team will include the juvenile, if appropriate, the juvenile's probation officer, the juvenile's case worker, if any, the juvenile's custodial parent or parents, the juvenile's guardian, attorneys representing the juvenile or the parents, the guardian ad litem, if any, the prosecuting attorney and an appropriate school official or representative. The team may also include, where appropriate, a court-appointed special advocate, a member of a child advocacy center and any other person who may assist in providing recommendations for the particular needs of the juvenile and the family.
(c) Not later than thirty days after commitment pursuant to this section the juvenile shall be remanded and delivered to the custody of the director, an appropriate agency or any other person that the court by its order directs. Within ten days after the end of the examination, diagnosis and classification, the Director of the Division of Juvenile Services shall make or cause to be made a report to the court containing the results, findings, conclusions and recommendations of the multidisciplinary team with respect to that juvenile.