To the extent resources are available, the Judicial Council shall provide education on mental health and developmental disability issues affecting juveniles in delinquency proceedings pursuant to Section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to judicial officers and, as appropriate, to other public officers and entities that may be involved in the arrest, evaluation, prosecution, defense, disposition, and postdisposition or placement phases of delinquency proceedings. The education shall include, to the extent possible, using available resources, information on the early identification of mental illness or developmental disability in delinquency proceedings, on statutory and case law providing for the assessment or evaluation of minors with mental health problems or developmental disabilities, on specialized adjudication or disposition procedures, such as mental health courts, that may apply to these minors, and on appropriate programs, services, and placements for minors with mental health problems or developmental disabilities, including information on the benefits and detriments of placing minors with mental health problems or developmental disabilities in secure juvenile justice facilities, such as the Department of the Youth Authority.
(Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 265, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2006.)