HB 347 Summary

• Prohibits disciplinary confinement of youth under 19 years of age in Department of Corrections custody

• Authorizes emergency confinement only when nonphysical intervention is ineffective, imminent risk of harm exists, and all less-restrictive options are exhausted, with placement limited to 24 hours unless extended by mental health clinician for an additional 24 hours maximum

• Requires mental health clinician evaluation within 1 hour of emergency confinement placement and face-to-face evaluations every 2 hours thereafter, with documentation of assessments and justification for continued placement

• Authorizes medical confinement to allow youth to recover from illness or prevent disease spread, limited to the time necessary for recovery, with medical professional evaluations at least every 12 hours

• Requires Department of Corrections to review and certify compliance of its youth confinement policies by January 1, 2021, and mandates sheriffs and chief correctional officers to adopt model standards relating to youth in detention facilities; effective October 1, 2020