75-52,164. Evidence-based programs account of the state general fund. (a) (1) There is hereby established in the state treasury the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund, which shall be administered by the department of corrections. All expenditures from the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund shall be for the development and implementation of evidence-based community programs and practices for:

(A) Juvenile offenders and their families;

(B) juveniles experiencing behavioral health crisis and their families;

(C) children who have been administered a risk and needs assessment and have been identified as needing services pursuant to K.S.A. 2023 Supp. 38-2292, and amendments thereto; and

(D) grants as provided in subsection (e).

(2) Evidence-based community programs and practices may be administered by community supervision offices, juvenile intake and assessment, court services, community corrections, juvenile crisis intervention centers, community mental health centers, community health centers, the youth advocate program, jobs for America's graduates Kansas transition services and any other community-based service provider offering evidence-based community programs.

(3) All expenditures from the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the secretary of corrections or the secretary's designee.

(b) At least annually, throughout the year, the secretary of corrections shall determine and certify to the director of accounts and reports the amount in each account of the state general fund of a state agency that has been determined by the secretary to be actual or projected cost savings as a result of cost avoidance resulting from decreased reliance on incarceration in the juvenile correctional facility and placement in youth residential centers. The baseline shall be calculated on the cost of incarceration and placement in fiscal year 2015.

(c) Upon receipt of a certification pursuant to subsection (b), the director of accounts and reports shall transfer the amount certified pursuant to subsection (b) from each account of the state general fund of a state agency that has been determined by the secretary of corrections to be actual or projected cost savings to the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund.

(d) Prioritization of evidence-based programs account of the state general fund moneys will be given to regions that demonstrate a high rate of out-of-home placement of juvenile offenders per capita that have few existing community-based alternatives.

(e) (1) The secretary of corrections shall develop and implement a grant program with the goal of implementing evidence-based community programs described in subsection (a) and promising practices throughout the state, subject to the availability of funding in the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund after other expenditures for evidence-based programs are made. The secretary shall adopt grant requirements in accordance with this section. Any provider of evidence-based community programs for juveniles may apply for a grant. The grant program shall give priority to any county that demonstrates a low availability of evidence-based community programs for juveniles. The secretary shall evaluate the programs that received a grant to ensure the program is being delivered as such program was designed.

(2) Child welfare case management providers shall not be eligible to receive grants under this subsection.

(f) Expenditures made from the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund shall be made promptly and on a rolling basis to develop and implement evidence-based community programs as services are needed throughout the state.

(g) The evidence-based programs account of the state general fund and any other moneys transferred pursuant to this section shall be used for the purposes set forth in this section and for no other governmental purposes. It is the intent of the legislature that the funds and the moneys deposited in this fund shall remain intact and inviolate for the purposes set forth in this section.

History: L. 2016, ch. 46, § 13; L. 2017, ch. 90, § 15; L. 2018, ch. 107, § 7; L. 2023, ch. 96, § 14; July 1.