(1) Within the department's appropriations, the department shall ensure that a case review panel reviews cases involving dependent children where permanency is not achieved for children within eighteen months after being placed in out-of-home care.
(2) The case review panel shall be comprised of, at a minimum, a lead social services specialist and either the office of the family and children's ombuds or another external organization with child welfare experience.
(3) Beginning September 1, 2018, the panel shall review all cases where, after October 19, 2017, a dependent child reaches eighteen months in out-of-home placement and has not achieved permanency. This review must occur by the child's nineteenth month in out-of-home placement. At each case review, the panel must develop a plan of action, including recommended next steps for the department to take, to achieve permanency.
(4) The department is encouraged to convene the case review panel regularly to review other cases involving dependent children as needed to ensure stability and permanency is achieved and length of stay for children in out-of-home placement is reduced.