Passed by the House April 25, 2009 Yeas 92   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 25, 2009 Yeas 49   ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1782 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/23/09.
AN ACT Relating to encouraging early and consistent engagement of parents in children's dependency matters; amending RCW 13.34.065, 13.34.145, and 13.34.180; reenacting and amending RCW 13.34.062; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that when children
have been found dependent and placed in out-of-home care, the
likelihood of reunification with their parents diminishes significantly
after fifteen months. The legislature also finds that early and
consistent parental engagement in services and participation in
appropriate parent-child contact and visitation increases the
likelihood of successful reunifications. The legislature intends to
promote greater awareness among parents in dependency cases of the
importance of active participation in services, visitation, and case
planning for the child, and the risks created by failure to participate
in their child's case over the long term.
Sec. 2 RCW 13.34.062 and 2007 c 413 s 4 and 2007 c 409 s 5 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) Whenever a child is taken into custody by child protective
services pursuant to a court order issued under RCW 13.34.050 or when
child protective services is notified that a child has been taken into
custody pursuant to RCW 26.44.050 or 26.44.056, child protective
services shall make reasonable efforts to inform the parent, guardian,
or legal custodian of the fact that the child has been taken into
custody, the reasons why the child was taken into custody, and their
legal rights under this title, including the right to a shelter care
hearing, as soon as possible. Notice must be provided in an
understandable manner and take into consideration the parent's,
guardian's, or legal custodian's primary language, level of education,
and cultural issues.
(b) In no event shall the notice required by this section be
provided to the parent, guardian, or legal custodian more than twenty-four hours after the child has been taken into custody or twenty-four
hours after child protective services has been notified that the child
has been taken into custody.
(2)(a) The notice of custody and rights may be given by any means
reasonably certain of notifying the parents including, but not limited
to, written, telephone, or in person oral notification. If the initial
notification is provided by a means other than writing, child
protective services shall make reasonable efforts to also provide
written notification.
(b) The written notice of custody and rights required by this
section shall be in substantially the following form:
Sec. 3 RCW 13.34.065 and 2008 c 267 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) When a child is taken into custody, the court shall hold a
shelter care hearing within seventy-two hours, excluding Saturdays,
Sundays, and holidays. The primary purpose of the shelter care hearing
is to determine whether the child can be immediately and safely
returned home while the adjudication of the dependency is pending.
(b) Any parent, guardian, or legal custodian who for good cause is
unable to attend the shelter care hearing may request that a subsequent
shelter care hearing be scheduled. The request shall be made to the
clerk of the court where the petition is filed prior to the initial
shelter care hearing. Upon the request of the parent, the court shall
schedule the hearing within seventy-two hours of the request, excluding
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The clerk shall notify all other
parties of the hearing by any reasonable means.
(2)(a) The department of social and health services shall submit a
recommendation to the court as to the further need for shelter care in
all cases in which it is the petitioner. In all other cases, the
recommendation shall be submitted by the juvenile court probation
counselor.
(b) All parties have the right to present testimony to the court
regarding the need or lack of need for shelter care.
(c) Hearsay evidence before the court regarding the need or lack of
need for shelter care must be supported by sworn testimony, affidavit,
or declaration of the person offering such evidence.
(3)(a) At the commencement of the hearing, the court shall notify
the parent, guardian, or custodian of the following:
(i) The parent, guardian, or custodian has the right to a shelter
care hearing;
(ii) The nature of the shelter care hearing, the rights of the
parents, and the proceedings that will follow; and
(iii) If the parent, guardian, or custodian is not represented by
counsel, the right to be represented. If the parent, guardian, or
custodian is indigent, the court shall appoint counsel as provided in
RCW 13.34.090; and
(b) If a parent, guardian, or legal custodian desires to waive the
shelter care hearing, the court shall determine, on the record and with
the parties present, whether such waiver is knowing and voluntary. A
parent may not waive his or her right to the shelter care hearing
unless he or she appears in court and the court determines that the
waiver is knowing and voluntary. Regardless of whether the court
accepts the parental waiver of the shelter care hearing, the court must
provide notice to the parents of their rights required under (a) of
this subsection and make the finding required under subsection (4) of
this section.
(4) At the shelter care hearing the court shall examine the need
for shelter care and inquire into the status of the case. The
paramount consideration for the court shall be the health, welfare, and
safety of the child. At a minimum, the court shall inquire into the
following:
(a) Whether the notice required under RCW 13.34.062 was given to
all known parents, guardians, or legal custodians of the child. The
court shall make an express finding as to whether the notice required
under RCW 13.34.062 was given to the parent, guardian, or legal
custodian. If actual notice was not given to the parent, guardian, or
legal custodian and the whereabouts of such person is known or can be
ascertained, the court shall order the supervising agency or the
department of social and health services to make reasonable efforts to
advise the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the status of the
case, including the date and time of any subsequent hearings, and their
rights under RCW 13.34.090;
(b) Whether the child can be safely returned home while the
adjudication of the dependency is pending;
(c) What efforts have been made to place the child with a relative;
(d) What services were provided to the family to prevent or
eliminate the need for removal of the child from the child's home;
(e) Is the placement proposed by the agency the least disruptive
and most family-like setting that meets the needs of the child;
(f) Whether it is in the best interest of the child to remain
enrolled in the school, developmental program, or child care the child
was in prior to placement and what efforts have been made to maintain
the child in the school, program, or child care if it would be in the
best interest of the child to remain in the same school, program, or
child care;
(g) Appointment of a guardian ad litem or attorney;
(h) Whether the child is or may be an Indian child as defined in 25
U.S.C. Sec. 1903, whether the provisions of the Indian child welfare
act apply, and whether there is compliance with the Indian child
welfare act, including notice to the child's tribe;
(i) Whether, as provided in RCW 26.44.063, restraining orders, or
orders expelling an allegedly abusive household member from the home of
a nonabusive parent, guardian, or legal custodian, will allow the child
to safely remain in the home;
(j) Whether any orders for examinations, evaluations, or immediate
services are needed. The court may not order a parent to undergo
examinations, evaluation, or services at the shelter care hearing
unless the parent agrees to the examination, evaluation, or service;
(k) The terms and conditions for parental, sibling, and family
visitation.
(5)(a) The court shall release a child alleged to be dependent to
the care, custody, and control of the child's parent, guardian, or
legal custodian unless the court finds there is reasonable cause to
believe that:
(i) After consideration of the specific services that have been
provided, reasonable efforts have been made to prevent or eliminate the
need for removal of the child from the child's home and to make it
possible for the child to return home; and
(ii)(A) The child has no parent, guardian, or legal custodian to
provide supervision and care for such child; or
(B) The release of such child would present a serious threat of
substantial harm to such child, notwithstanding an order entered
pursuant to RCW 26.44.063; or
(C) The parent, guardian, or custodian to whom the child could be
released has been charged with violating RCW 9A.40.060 or 9A.40.070.
(b) If the court does not release the child to his or her parent,
guardian, or legal custodian, the court shall order placement with a
relative, unless there is reasonable cause to believe the health,
safety, or welfare of the child would be jeopardized or that the
efforts to reunite the parent and child will be hindered. The relative
must be willing and available to:
(i) Care for the child and be able to meet any special needs of the
child;
(ii) Facilitate the child's visitation with siblings, if such
visitation is part of the supervising agency's plan or is ordered by
the court; and
(iii) Cooperate with the department in providing necessary
background checks and home studies.
(c) If the child was not initially placed with a relative, and the
court does not release the child to his or her parent, guardian, or
legal custodian, the supervising agency shall make reasonable efforts
to locate a relative pursuant to RCW 13.34.060(1). In determining
placement, the court shall weigh the child's length of stay and
attachment to the current provider in determining what is in the best
interest of the child.
(d) If a relative is not available, the court shall order continued
shelter care or order placement with another suitable person, and the
court shall set forth its reasons for the order. If the court orders
placement of the child with a person not related to the child and not
licensed to provide foster care, the placement is subject to all terms
and conditions of this section that apply to relative placements.
(e) Any placement with a relative, or other person approved by the
court pursuant to this section, shall be contingent upon cooperation
with the agency case plan and compliance with court orders related to
the care and supervision of the child including, but not limited to,
court orders regarding parent-child contacts, sibling contacts, and any
other conditions imposed by the court. Noncompliance with the case
plan or court order is grounds for removal of the child from the home
of the relative or other person, subject to review by the court.
(f) Uncertainty by a parent, guardian, legal custodian, relative,
or other suitable person that the alleged abuser has in fact abused the
child shall not, alone, be the basis upon which a child is removed from
the care of a parent, guardian, or legal custodian under (a) of this
subsection, nor shall it be a basis, alone, to preclude placement with
a relative under (b) of this subsection or with another suitable person
under (d) of this subsection.
(6)(a) A shelter care order issued pursuant to this section shall
include the requirement for a case conference as provided in RCW
13.34.067. However, if the parent is not present at the shelter care
hearing, or does not agree to the case conference, the court shall not
include the requirement for the case conference in the shelter care
order.
(b) If the court orders a case conference, the shelter care order
shall include notice to all parties and establish the date, time, and
location of the case conference which shall be no later than thirty
days before the fact-finding hearing.
(c) The court may order another conference, case staffing, or
hearing as an alternative to the case conference required under RCW
13.34.067 so long as the conference, case staffing, or hearing ordered
by the court meets all requirements under RCW 13.34.067, including the
requirement of a written agreement specifying the services to be
provided to the parent.
(7)(a) A shelter care order issued pursuant to this section may be
amended at any time with notice and hearing thereon. The shelter care
decision of placement shall be modified only upon a showing of change
in circumstances. No child may be placed in shelter care for longer
than thirty days without an order, signed by the judge, authorizing
continued shelter care.
(b)(i) An order releasing the child on any conditions specified in
this section may at any time be amended, with notice and hearing
thereon, so as to return the child to shelter care for failure of the
parties to conform to the conditions originally imposed.
(ii) The court shall consider whether nonconformance with any
conditions resulted from circumstances beyond the control of the
parent, guardian, or legal custodian and give weight to that fact
before ordering return of the child to shelter care.
(8)(a) If a child is returned home from shelter care a second time
in the case, or if the supervisor of the caseworker deems it necessary,
the multidisciplinary team may be reconvened.
(b) If a child is returned home from shelter care a second time in
the case a law enforcement officer must be present and file a report to
the department.
Sec. 4 RCW 13.34.145 and 2008 c 152 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The purpose of a permanency planning hearing is to review the
permanency plan for the child, inquire into the welfare of the child
and progress of the case, and reach decisions regarding the permanent
placement of the child.
(a) A permanency planning hearing shall be held in all cases where
the child has remained in out-of-home care for at least nine months and
an adoption decree, guardianship order, or permanent custody order has
not previously been entered. The hearing shall take place no later
than twelve months following commencement of the current placement
episode.
(b) Whenever a child is removed from the home of a dependency
guardian or long-term relative or foster care provider, and the child
is not returned to the home of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian
but is placed in out-of-home care, a permanency planning hearing shall
take place no later than twelve months, as provided in this section,
following the date of removal unless, prior to the hearing, the child
returns to the home of the dependency guardian or long-term care
provider, the child is placed in the home of the parent, guardian, or
legal custodian, an adoption decree, guardianship order, or a permanent
custody order is entered, or the dependency is dismissed. Every effort
shall be made to provide stability in long-term placement, and to avoid
disruption of placement, unless the child is being returned home or it
is in the best interest of the child.
(c) Permanency planning goals should be achieved at the earliest
possible date, preferably before the child has been in out-of-home care
for fifteen months. In cases where parental rights have been
terminated, the child is legally free for adoption, and adoption has
been identified as the primary permanency planning goal, it shall be a
goal to complete the adoption within six months following entry of the
termination order.
(2) No later than ten working days prior to the permanency planning
hearing, the agency having custody of the child shall submit a written
permanency plan to the court and shall mail a copy of the plan to all
parties and their legal counsel, if any.
(3) At the permanency planning hearing, the court shall conduct the
following inquiry:
(a) If a goal of long-term foster or relative care has been
achieved prior to the permanency planning hearing, the court shall
review the child's status to determine whether the placement and the
plan for the child's care remain appropriate.
(b) In cases where the primary permanency planning goal has not
been achieved, the court shall inquire regarding the reasons why the
primary goal has not been achieved and determine what needs to be done
to make it possible to achieve the primary goal. The court shall
review the permanency plan prepared by the agency and make explicit
findings regarding each of the following:
(i) The continuing necessity for, and the safety and
appropriateness of, the placement;
(ii) The extent of compliance with the permanency plan by the
agency and any other service providers, the child's parents, the child,
and the child's guardian, if any;
(iii) The extent of any efforts to involve appropriate service
providers in addition to agency staff in planning to meet the special
needs of the child and the child's parents;
(iv) The progress toward eliminating the causes for the child's
placement outside of his or her home and toward returning the child
safely to his or her home or obtaining a permanent placement for the
child;
(v) The date by which it is likely that the child will be returned
to his or her home or placed for adoption, with a guardian or in some
other alternative permanent placement; and
(vi) If the child has been placed outside of his or her home for
fifteen of the most recent twenty-two months, not including any period
during which the child was a runaway from the out-of-home placement or
the first six months of any period during which the child was returned
to his or her home for a trial home visit, the appropriateness of the
permanency plan, whether reasonable efforts were made by the agency to
achieve the goal of the permanency plan, and the circumstances which
prevent the child from any of the following:
(A) Being returned safely to his or her home;
(B) Having a petition for the involuntary termination of parental
rights filed on behalf of the child;
(C) Being placed for adoption;
(D) Being placed with a guardian;
(E) Being placed in the home of a fit and willing relative of the
child; or
(F) Being placed in some other alternative permanent placement,
including independent living or long-term foster care.
At this hearing, the court shall order the department to file a
petition seeking termination of parental rights if the child has been
in out-of-home care for fifteen of the last twenty-two months since the
date the dependency petition was filed unless the court makes a good
cause exception as to why the filing of a termination of parental
rights petition is not appropriate. Any good cause finding shall be
reviewed at all subsequent hearings pertaining to the child. For
purposes of this section, "good cause exception" includes but is not
limited to the following: The child is being cared for by a relative;
the department has not provided to the child's family such services as
the court and the department have deemed necessary for the child's safe
return home; or the department has documented in the case plan a
compelling reason for determining that filing a petition to terminate
parental rights would not be in the child's best interests.
(c)(i) If the permanency plan identifies independent living as a
goal, the court shall make a finding that the provision of services to
assist the child in making a transition from foster care to independent
living will allow the child to manage his or her financial, personal,
social, educational, and nonfinancial affairs prior to approving
independent living as a permanency plan of care.
(ii) The permanency plan shall also specifically identify the
services that will be provided to assist the child to make a successful
transition from foster care to independent living.
(iii) The department shall not discharge a child to an independent
living situation before the child is eighteen years of age unless the
child becomes emancipated pursuant to chapter 13.64 RCW.
(d) If the child has resided in the home of a foster parent or
relative for more than six months prior to the permanency planning
hearing, the court shall also enter a finding regarding whether the
foster parent or relative was informed of the hearing as required in
RCW 74.13.280, 13.34.215(5), and 13.34.096.
(4) In all cases, at the permanency planning hearing, the court
shall:
(a)(i) Order the permanency plan prepared by the agency to be
implemented; or
(ii) Modify the permanency plan, and order implementation of the
modified plan; and
(b)(i) Order the child returned home only if the court finds that
a reason for removal as set forth in RCW 13.34.130 no longer exists; or
(ii) Order the child to remain in out-of-home care for a limited
specified time period while efforts are made to implement the
permanency plan.
(5) Following the first permanency planning hearing, the court
shall hold a further permanency planning hearing in accordance with
this section at least once every twelve months until a permanency
planning goal is achieved or the dependency is dismissed, whichever
occurs first.
(6) Prior to the second permanency planning hearing, the agency
that has custody of the child shall consider whether to file a petition
for termination of parental rights.
(7) If the court orders the child returned home, casework
supervision shall continue for at least six months, at which time a
review hearing shall be held pursuant to RCW 13.34.138, and the court
shall determine the need for continued intervention.
(8) The juvenile court may hear a petition for permanent legal
custody when: (a) The court has ordered implementation of a permanency
plan that includes permanent legal custody; and (b) the party pursuing
the permanent legal custody is the party identified in the permanency
plan as the prospective legal custodian. During the pendency of such
proceeding, the court shall conduct review hearings and further
permanency planning hearings as provided in this chapter. At the
conclusion of the legal guardianship or permanent legal custody
proceeding, a juvenile court hearing shall be held for the purpose of
determining whether dependency should be dismissed. If a guardianship
or permanent custody order has been entered, the dependency shall be
dismissed.
(9) Continued juvenile court jurisdiction under this chapter shall
not be a barrier to the entry of an order establishing a legal
guardianship or permanent legal custody when the requirements of
subsection (8) of this section are met.
(10) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to limit the ability
of the agency that has custody of the child to file a petition for
termination of parental rights or a guardianship petition at any time
following the establishment of dependency. Upon the filing of such a
petition, a fact-finding hearing shall be scheduled and held in
accordance with this chapter unless the agency requests dismissal of
the petition prior to the hearing or unless the parties enter an agreed
order terminating parental rights, establishing guardianship, or
otherwise resolving the matter.
(11) The approval of a permanency plan that does not contemplate
return of the child to the parent does not relieve the supervising
agency of its obligation to provide reasonable services, under this
chapter, intended to effectuate the return of the child to the parent,
including but not limited to, visitation rights. The court shall
consider the child's relationships with siblings in accordance with RCW
13.34.130.
(12) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to limit the
procedural due process rights of any party in a termination or
guardianship proceeding filed under this chapter.
Sec. 5 RCW 13.34.180 and 2001 c 332 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) A petition seeking termination of a parent and child
relationship may be filed in juvenile court by any party to the
dependency proceedings concerning that child. Such petition shall
conform to the requirements of RCW 13.34.040, shall be served upon the
parties as provided in RCW 13.34.070(8), and shall allege all of the
following unless subsection (2) or (3) of this section applies:
(a) That the child has been found to be a dependent child;
(b) That the court has entered a dispositional order pursuant to
RCW 13.34.130;
(c) That the child has been removed or will, at the time of the
hearing, have been removed from the custody of the parent for a period
of at least six months pursuant to a finding of dependency;
(d) That the services ordered under RCW 13.34.136 have been
expressly and understandably offered or provided and all necessary
services, reasonably available, capable of correcting the parental
deficiencies within the foreseeable future have been expressly and
understandably offered or provided;
(e) That there is little likelihood that conditions will be
remedied so that the child can be returned to the parent in the near
future. A parent's failure to substantially improve parental
deficiencies within twelve months following entry of the dispositional
order shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption that there is little
likelihood that conditions will be remedied so that the child can be
returned to the parent in the near future. The presumption shall not
arise unless the petitioner makes a showing that all necessary services
reasonably capable of correcting the parental deficiencies within the
foreseeable future have been clearly offered or provided. In
determining whether the conditions will be remedied the court may
consider, but is not limited to, the following factors:
(i) Use of intoxicating or controlled substances so as to render
the parent incapable of providing proper care for the child for
extended periods of time or for periods of time that present a risk of
imminent harm to the child, and documented unwillingness of the parent
to receive and complete treatment or documented multiple failed
treatment attempts; ((or))
(ii) Psychological incapacity or mental deficiency of the parent
that is so severe and chronic as to render the parent incapable of
providing proper care for the child for extended periods of time or for
periods of time that present a risk of imminent harm to the child, and
documented unwillingness of the parent to receive and complete
treatment or documentation that there is no treatment that can render
the parent capable of providing proper care for the child in the near
future; or
(iii) Failure of the parent to have contact with the child for an
extended period of time after the filing of the dependency petition if
the parent was provided an opportunity to have a relationship with the
child by the department or the court and received documented notice of
the potential consequences of this failure, except that the actual
inability of a parent to have visitation with the child including, but
not limited to, mitigating circumstances such as a parent's
incarceration or service in the military does not in and of itself
constitute failure to have contact with the child; and
(f) That continuation of the parent and child relationship clearly
diminishes the child's prospects for early integration into a stable
and permanent home.
(2) In lieu of the allegations in subsection (1) of this section,
the petition may allege that the child was found under such
circumstances that the whereabouts of the child's parent are unknown
and no person has acknowledged paternity or maternity and requested
custody of the child within two months after the child was found.
(3) In lieu of the allegations in subsection (1)(b) through (f) of
this section, the petition may allege that the parent has been
convicted of:
(a) Murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, or
homicide by abuse as defined in chapter 9A.32 RCW against another child
of the parent;
(b) Manslaughter in the first degree or manslaughter in the second
degree, as defined in chapter 9A.32 RCW against another child of the
parent;
(c) Attempting, conspiring, or soliciting another to commit one or
more of the crimes listed in (a) or (b) of this subsection; or
(d) Assault in the first or second degree, as defined in chapter
9A.36 RCW, against the surviving child or another child of the parent.
(4) Notice of rights shall be served upon the parent, guardian, or
legal custodian with the petition and shall be in substantially the
following form:
A petition for termination of parental rights has been filed against you. You have important legal rights and you must take steps to protect your interests. This petition could result in permanent loss of your parental rights.
1. You have the right to a fact-finding hearing before a judge.
2. You have the right to have a lawyer represent you at the hearing. A lawyer can look at the files in your case, talk to the department of social and health services and other agencies, tell you about the law, help you understand your rights, and help you at hearings. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent you. To get a court-appointed lawyer you must contact: (explain local procedure) .
3. At the hearing, you have the right to speak on your own behalf, to introduce evidence, to examine witnesses, and to receive a decision based solely on the evidence presented to the judge.
You should be present at this hearing.
You may call (insert agency) for more information about your child. The agency's name and telephone number are (insert name and telephone number) ."