The purpose of the Twenty-First Judicial District Children and Youth and Planning
Board is to participate in the formulation of and to prepare a comprehensive plan
for services and programs for children and youth in Tangipahoa Parish, as follows:
to assist in the development, implementation, and operation of services which encourage
positive development, diversion of children and youth from the criminal justice and
the foster care system reduction in the commitments of youth to state institutions,
and providing community response to the growing rate of juvenile delinquency. The
coordination and implementation of services shall include, but are not limited to
prevention, early intervention, diversion, alternatives to home displacement, alternatives
to incarceration, and treatment services, the assessment, alignment, coordination,
prioritization, and measurement of all available services and programs that address
the needs of children and youth including those at risk for, or identified with, social,
emotional, or developmental problems, including, but not limited to educational failure,
abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, juvenile or parental mental illness, juvenile
or parental substance abuse, poverty, development disabilities and delinquency. The
board is intended to encourage collaborative efforts among local stakeholders for
assessing the physical, social, behavioral, and educational needs of children and
youth in their respective communities and for assisting in the development of comprehensive
plans to address such needs. The board shall perform all services authorized by La.
R.S. 46:1941.1 et seq.
