Missouri Revised Statutes Title XII. Public Health and Welfare § 211.207. Youth services division may request evaluation--procedure after evaluation--transfer of custody

1. If a child is committed to the division of youth services and subsequently appears to be mentally disordered, as defined in chapter 630, the division shall refer the child to the department of mental health for evaluation. The evaluation shall be performed within twenty days by a mental health facility or regional center operated by the department of mental health and, if practicable, on an outpatient basis, for the purpose of determining whether inpatient care at a mental health facility or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility is appropriate because the child meets the criteria specified in subsection 2 of section 211.202 or in section 633.120, respectively.

2. If, as a result of the evaluation, the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, determines that the child is not mentally disordered so as to require inpatient care and treatment in a mental health facility or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility, the director, or his designee, shall so notify the director of the division of youth services. If the child was evaluated on an inpatient or residential basis, the child shall be returned to the division of youth services.

3. If the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, determines that the child requires inpatient care and treatment at a mental health facility operated by the department of mental health or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility operated by the department of mental health, the director, or his designee, shall notify the director of the division of youth services that admission is appropriate. The director of the division may transfer the physical custody of the child to the department of mental health for admission to a department of mental health facility and the department of mental health shall accept the transfer subject to the availability of suitable accommodations.

4. The director of the department of mental health, or his designee, shall cause an individualized treatment or habilitation plan to be prepared by the mental health facility or developmental disability facility for each child. The mental health facility or developmental disability facility shall review the status of the child at least once every thirty days. If, as a result of any such review, it is determined that inpatient care and treatment at a mental health facility or residential habilitation in a developmental disability facility is no longer appropriate for the child because the child does not meet the criteria specified in subsection 2 of section 211.202 or in section 633.120, respectively, the director of the department of mental health, or his designee, shall so notify the director of the division of youth services and shall return the child to the custody of the division.

5. If a child for any reason ceases to come under the jurisdiction of the division of youth services, he may be retained in a mental health facility or developmental disability facility only as otherwise provided by law.