Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb2010%20intr.htm&yr=2019&sesstype=RS&i=2010
Timestamp: 2019-11-22 17:49:37
Document Index: 595408970

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By Delegates Kessinger, Ellington, Hill, Summers, Pack, Storch, Rowan, Sypolt, Harshbarger, Phillips and Capito
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §9-5-27; to amend and reenact §49-1-206 of said code; to amend and reenact §49-2-10, §49-2-113, and §49-2-708 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §49-2-111A; and to amend and reenact §49-4-108, §49-4-406, §49-4-413, §49-4-604, §49-4-608, §49-4-711, §49-4-714 and §49-4-724 of said code, all relating to foster care.
§9-5-27. Transitioning foster care into managed care.
(a) “Eligible services” means acute care, including medical, pharmacy, dental, and behavioral health services.
(b) The secretary shall transition to a capitated Medicaid program for a child classified as a foster child and a child placed in foster care under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act who is living in the state by July 1, 2019. The program shall be statewide, fully integrated, and risk based; shall integrate Medicaid-reimbursed eligible services; and shall align incentives to ensure the appropriate care is delivered in the most appropriate place and time.
(c) The secretary shall make payments for the eligible services, including home and community-based services, using a managed care model.
(d) The secretary shall submit, if necessary, applications to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for waivers of federal Medicaid requirements that would otherwise be violated in the implementation of the program, and shall consolidate any additional waivers where appropriate.
(e) If a selected managed care organization ceases to contract with the Department of Health and Human Services to provide Medicaid managed care services, it must provide all patient records, including medical records, to the next selected managed care organization to ensure the Eligible Medicaid Beneficiaries do not experience an interruption in care.
(f) In designing the program, the secretary shall ensure that the program:
(1) Reduces fragmentation and offers a seamless approach to meeting participants’ needs;
(2) Delivers needed supports and services in the most integrated, appropriate, and cost-effective way possible;
(3) Offers a continuum of acute care services, which includes an array of home and community-based options;
(4) Includes a comprehensive quality approach across the entire continuum of care services; and
(5) Consults stakeholders in the program development process.
(g) The department shall evaluate the transition to managed by July 1, 2022, and report its findings to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability.
(h) The transition of foster care to managed care shall terminate on June 30, 2024, unless continued by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources.
“Child Advocacy Center (CAC)” means a community-based organization that is a member in good standing with the West Virginia Child Abuse Network, Inc., as set forth in §49-3-101 of this code.
“Child care” means responsibilities assumed and services performed in relation to a child’s physical, emotional, psychological, social, and personal needs and the consideration of the child’s rights and entitlements, but does not include secure detention or incarceration under the jurisdiction of the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation pursuant to §49-2-901 et seq. of this code. It includes the provision of child care services or residential services.
“Child care center” means a facility maintained by the state or any county or municipality thereof, or any agency or facility maintained by an individual, firm, corporation, association, or organization, public or private for the care of 13 or more children for child care services in any setting, if the facility is open for more than 30 days per year per child.
“Child care services” means direct care and protection of children during a portion of a 24- hour day outside of the child’s own home which provides experiences to children that foster their healthy development and education.
“Child placing agency” means a child welfare agency organized for the purpose of placing children in private family homes for foster care or for adoption. The function of a child placing agency may include the investigation and certification of foster family homes and foster family group homes as provided in this chapter. The function of a child placing agency may also include the supervision of children who are 16 or 17 years old and living in unlicensed residences.
“Child welfare agency” means any agency or facility maintained by the state or any county or municipality thereof, or any agency or facility maintained by an individual, firm, corporation, association, or organization, public or private, to receive children for care and maintenance or for placement in residential care facilities, including, without limitation, private homes or any facility that provides care for unmarried mothers and their children. A child welfare agency does not include juvenile detention facilities or juvenile correctional facilities operated by or under contract with the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, pursuant to §49-2-901 et seq. of this code, nor any other facility operated by that division for the secure housing or holding of juveniles committed to its custody.
“Community based” means a facility, program, or service located near the child’s home or family and involving community participation in planning, operation, and evaluation and which may include, but is not limited to, medical, educational, vocational, social, and psychological guidance, training, special education, counseling, substance abuse, and any other treatment or rehabilitation services.
“Community-based juvenile probation sanctions” means any of a continuum of nonresidential accountability measures, programs, and sanctions in response to a technical violation of probation, as part of a system of community-based juvenile probation sanctions and incentives, that may include, but are not limited to:
“Evidence-based practices” means policies, procedures, programs, and practices demonstrated by research to reliably produce reductions in the likelihood of reoffending.
“Facility” means a place or residence, including personnel, structures, grounds, and equipment used for the care of a child or children on a residential or other basis for any number of hours a day in any shelter or structure maintained for that purpose. Facility does not include any juvenile detention facility or juvenile correctional facility operated by or under contract with the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the secure housing or holding of juveniles committed to its custody.
“Family child care facility” means any facility which is used to provide nonresidential child care services for compensation for seven to 12 children, including children who are living in the household, who are under six years of age. A facility may be in a provider’s residence or a separate building.
“Family child care home” means a facility which is used to provide nonresidential child care services for compensation in a provider’s residence. The provider may care for four to six children at one time, including children who are living in the household, who are under six years of age.
“Family support”, for the purposes of §49-2-601 et seq. of this code, means goods and services needed by families to care for their family members with developmental disabilities and to enjoy a quality of life comparable to other community members.
“Foster family home” means a private residence which is used for the care on a residential basis of no more than five children who are unrelated by blood, marriage, or adoption to any adult member of the household.
“Home-based family preservation services” means services dispensed by the Department of Health and Human Resources or by another person, association, or group who has contracted with that division to dispense services when those services are intended to stabilize and maintain the natural or surrogate family in order to prevent the placement of children in substitute care. There are two types of home-based family preservation services and they are as follows:
“Informal family child care” means a home that is used to provide nonresidential child care services for compensation for three or fewer children, including children who are living in the household who are under six years of age. Care is given in the provider’s own home to at least one child who is not related to the caregiver.
“Needs Assessment” means an evidence-informed assessment which identifies the needs a child or family has, which if left unaddressed, will likely increase the chance of reoccurring.
“Nonviolent misdemeanor offense” means a misdemeanor offense that does not include any of the following:
“Out-of-home placement” means a post-adjudication placement in a foster family home, group home, nonsecure facility, emergency shelter, hospital, psychiatric residential treatment facility, staff secure facility, hardware secure facility, detention facility, or other residential placement other than placement in the home of a parent, custodian, or guardian.
“Out-of-school time” means a child care service which offers activities to children before and after school, on school holidays, when school is closed due to emergencies, and on school calendar days set aside for teacher activities.
“Placement” means any temporary or permanent placement of a child who is in the custody of the state in any foster home, group home, or other facility or residence.
“Pre-adjudicatory community supervision” means supervision provided to a youth prior to adjudication, for a period of supervision up to one year for an alleged status or delinquency offense.
“Regional family support council” means the council established by the regional family support agency to carry out the responsibilities specified in §49-2-601 et seq. of this code.
“Relative family child care” means a home that provides nonresidential child care services only to children related to the caregiver. The caregiver is a grandparent, great grandparent, aunt, uncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, or adult sibling of the child or children receiving care. Care is given in the provider’s home.
“Residential services” means child care which includes the provision of nighttime shelter and the personal discipline and supervision of a child by guardians, custodians, or other persons or entities on a continuing or temporary basis. It may include care or treatment, or both, for transitioning adults. Residential services does not include or apply to any juvenile detention facility or juvenile correctional facility operated by the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, created pursuant to this chapter, for the secure housing or holding of juveniles committed to its custody.
“Staff secure facility” means any public or private residential facility characterized by staff restrictions of the movements and activities of individuals held in lawful custody in such facility, and which limits its residents’ access to the surrounding community, but is not characterized by construction fixtures designed to physically restrict the movements and activities of residents.
“State family support council” means the council established by the Department of Health and Human Resources pursuant to §49-2-601 et seq. of this code to carry out the responsibilities specified in §49-2-1 et seq. of this code.
“Time-limited reunification services” means individual, group, and family counseling, inpatient, residential, or outpatient substance abuse treatment services, mental health services, assistance to address domestic violence, services designed to provide temporary child care, and therapeutic services for families, including crisis nurseries and transportation to or from those services, provided during 15 of the most recent 22 months a child or juvenile has been in foster care, as determined by the earlier date of the first judicial finding that the child is subjected to abuse or neglect, or the date which is 60 days after the child or juvenile is removed from home.
It shall be the duty of the state department in cooperation with the state department of health to establish reasonable minimum standards for foster-home care to which all certified foster homes must conform. No unsupervised foster home shall be certified until an investigation of the home and its standards of care has been made by the state department or by a licensed child welfare agency serving as its representative. Any such home that conforms to the established standards of care and to the prescribed rules shall receive a certificate from the state department, which shall be in force for one year three years from the date of issuance and which may be renewed unless revoked because of willful violation of the provisions of this chapter. The certificate shall show the name of the persons authorized to conduct the home, its exact location and the number of children that may be received and cared for at one time. No certified foster home shall receive for care more children than are specified in the certificate.
§49-2-111A. Perform based contracting for child placing agencies.
(A) A person less than 18 years of age; or
(B) A person age 18 to 21 years who is eligible to receive the extended foster care services.
(2) “Child-placing agency” means an agency licensed by the department to place a child in a foster care home.
(4) “Evidence-based” means a program or practice that is cost-effective and includes at least two randomized or statistically controlled evaluations that have demonstrated improved outcomes for its intended population.
(5) “Performance-based contracting” means structuring all aspects of the procurement of services around the purpose of the work to be performed and the desired results with the contract requirements set forth in clear, specific, and objective terms with measurable outcomes and linking payment for services to contractor performance.
(6) “Promising practice” means a practice that presents, based upon preliminary information, potential for becoming a research-based or consensus-based practice.
(7) “Research-based” means a program or practice that has some research demonstrating effectiveness, but that does not yet meet the standard of evidence-based practices.
(b) No later than December 1, 2020, the department shall enter into performance-based contracts with child placing agencies.
(c) In conducting the procurement, the department shall actively consult with other state agencies and other entities with expertise in performance-based contracting with child placing agencies.
(d) The procurement process shall be developed and implemented in a manner that complies with applicable provisions of this code.
(e) The procurement and resulting contracts shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Adequate capacity to meet the anticipated service needs in the contracted service area of the child placing agency;
(2) Fiscal solvency of the child placing agency;
(3) The use of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices, where appropriate, including fidelity and quality assurance provisions;
(4) Child placing agency data reporting, including data on performance and service outcomes; including but not limited to:
(A) Safety outcomes;
(B) Permanency outcomes;
(C) Well-Being outcomes; and
(D) Incentives earned; and
(5) A hold harmless period to determine a baseline for evaluation.
(f) As part of the procurement process under this section, the department shall issue the request for proposals no later than December 31, 2019. The department shall notify the apparently successful bidders no later than June 30, 2020.
(g) Performance-based payment methodologies must be used in child placing agency contracting. Performance measures should relate to successful engagement by a child or parent in services included in their case plan, and resulting improvement in identified problem behaviors and interactions. For the first year of implementation of performance-based contracting, the department may transfer financial risk for the provision of services to the child placing agency only to the limited extent necessary to implement a performance-based payment methodology, such as phased payment for services. However, the department may develop a shared savings methodology through which the child placing agency will receive a defined share of any savings that result from improved performance. If the department receives a Title IV-E waiver, the shared savings methodology must be consistent with the terms of the waiver. If a shared savings methodology is adopted, the child placing agency shall reinvest the savings in enhanced services to better meet the needs of the families and children they serve.
(h) The department shall actively monitor the child placing agency’s compliance with the terms of contracts executed under this section.
(i) The use of performance-based contracts under this section shall be done in a manner that does not adversely affect the state’s ability to continue to obtain federal funding for child welfare-related functions currently performed by the state and with consideration of options to further maximize federal funding opportunities and increase flexibility in the use of such funds, including use for preventive and in-home child welfare services.
(j) The department shall report the performance of the child placing agency to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability by December 31, annually.
(3) Summer recreation camps operated for children attending sessions for periods not exceeding 30 days;
(6) Any juvenile detention facility or juvenile correctional facility operated by or under contract with the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the secure housing or holding of juveniles committed to its custody;
(7) Any out-of-school time program that has been awarded a grant by the West Virginia Department of Education to provide out-of-school time programs to kindergarten through 12th grade students when the program is monitored by the West Virginia Department of Education; or
(C) The programs’ primary source of funding is not from fees for service except for programs operated by county parks and recreation commissions, boards and municipalities; and
(2) A child-care service shall update the evacuation plan by December 31 of each year. If a child-care service fails to update the plan, no action shall be taken against the child-care services license or registration until notice is provided and the child-care service is given 30 days after the receipt of notice to provide an updated plan.
(j) Any residential child-care center who has entered into a contract with the department shall accept any child who meets the residential child-care center’s program criteria. Any residential child-care center who has entered into a contract with the department may not discharge any child in its program without the consent of the department.
(a) The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources is authorized to propose rules for legislative approval necessary to implement this article for legislative approval in accordance with §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code.
(1) Shall create a three year certification period for a foster home, unless a substantial change occurs and a home safety assessment is performed at least annually. The department has sole authority to determine if a substantial change has occurred;
(2) Shall require that the criminal background check to be conducted at the time of the recertification;
(3) May not prevent the placement or cause the removal of a foster child for cosmetic damage to a residence;
(4) Shall permit the use of dedicated sleeping spaces as appropriate for the child’s needs, age, and similar to other household members; and
(5) Shall review and update the legislative rules while considering normalcy and the reasonable and prudent parent standard.
(c) Notwithstanding the time frames in §29A-3-1 et seq., the department shall revise the foster care legislative rules and may submit for review and approval to the Rule-making and Review Committee by October 31, 2019.
§49-4-108. Payment of services.
(a) At any time during any proceedings brought pursuant to this article chapter, the court may upon its own motion, or upon a motion of any party, order the Department of Health and Human Resources to pay the Medicaid rates for professional services rendered by a psychologist, psychiatrist, physician, therapist or other health care professional to a child or other party to the proceedings. Professional services include, but are not limited to, treatment, therapy, counseling, evaluation, report preparation, consultation and preparation of expert testimony. The Department of Health and Human Resources shall set the fee schedule for the services in accordance with the Medicaid rate, if any, or the customary rate and adjust the schedule as appropriate. Every psychologist, psychiatrist, physician, therapist or other A health care professional shall be paid by the Department of Health and Human Resources upon completion of services and submission of a final report or other information and documentation as required by the policies and procedures implemented by the Department of Health and Human Resources.
(b) At any time during any proceeding brought pursuant to this chapter, the court may upon its own motion, or upon a motion of any party, order the Department of Health and Human Resources to pay for socially necessary services rendered by an entity who has agreed to comply with §9-2-6(21) of this code. The Department of Health and Human Resources shall set the reimbursement rates for the socially necessary services.
(a) When a juvenile is adjudicated as a status offender pursuant to §49-4-711 of this code, the Department of Health and Human Resources shall promptly convene a multidisciplinary treatment team and conduct an assessment, utilizing a standard uniform comprehensive assessment instrument or protocol, including a risk and needs assessment, to determine the juvenile's mental and physical condition, maturity and education level, home and family environment, rehabilitative needs and recommended service plan, which shall be provided in writing to the court and team members. Upon completion of the assessment, the treatment team shall prepare and implement a comprehensive, individualized service plan for the juvenile.
(b) When a juvenile is adjudicated as a delinquent or has been granted a pre-adjudicatory community supervision period pursuant to §49-4-708 of this code, the court, either upon its own motion or motion of a party, may require the Department of Health and Human Resources to convene a multidisciplinary treatment team and conduct an assessment, utilizing a standard uniform comprehensive assessment instrument or protocol, including a risk and needs assessment, to determine the juvenile's mental and physical condition, maturity and education level, home and family environment, rehabilitative needs and recommended service plan, which shall be provided in writing to the court and team members. A referral to the Department of Health and Human Resources to convene a multidisciplinary treatment team and to conduct such an assessment shall be made when the court is considering placing the juvenile in the department's custody or placing the juvenile out-of-home at the department's expense pursuant to §49-4-714 of this code. In any delinquency proceeding in which the court requires the Department of Health and Human Resources to convene a multidisciplinary treatment team, the probation officer shall notify the department at least 15 working days before the court proceeding in order to allow the department sufficient time to convene and develop an individualized service plan for the juvenile.
(c) When a juvenile has been adjudicated and committed to the custody of the Director of the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, including those cases in which the juvenile has been committed for examination and diagnosis, or the court considers commitment for examination and diagnosis, the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall promptly convene a multidisciplinary treatment team and conduct an assessment, utilizing a standard uniform comprehensive assessment instrument or protocol, including a risk and needs assessment, to determine the juvenile's mental and physical condition, maturity and education level, home and family environment, rehabilitative needs and recommended service plan. Upon completion of the assessment, the treatment team shall prepare and implement a comprehensive, individualized service plan for the juvenile, which shall be provided in writing to the court and team members. In cases where the juvenile is committed as a post-sentence disposition to the custody of the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the plan shall be reviewed quarterly by the multidisciplinary treatment team. Where a juvenile has been detained in a facility operated by the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation without an active service plan for more than 60 days, the director of the facility may call a multidisciplinary team meeting to review the case and discuss the status of the service plan.
(2) In juvenile proceedings conducted pursuant to §49-4-701 et seq. of this code, the following representatives shall serve as members and attend each meeting of the multidisciplinary treatment team, so long as they receive notice at least seven days prior to the meeting:
(B) The juvenile's case manager in the Department of Health and Human Resources or the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation;
(I) Any other person or agency representative who may assist in providing recommendations for the particular needs of the juvenile and family, including domestic violence service providers. In delinquency proceedings, the probation officer shall be a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team. When appropriate, the juvenile case manager in the Department of Health and Human Resources and the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall cooperate in conducting multidisciplinary treatment team meetings when it is in the juvenile's best interest.
(5) In any case in which a juvenile has been placed out of his or her home except for a temporary placement in a shelter or detention center, the multidisciplinary treatment team shall cooperate with the state agency in whose custody the juvenile is placed to develop an after-care plan. The rules of juvenile procedure and §49-4-409 of this code govern the development of an after-care plan for a juvenile, the submission of the plan to the court and any objection to the after-care plan.
(6) If a juvenile respondent admits the underlying allegations of the case initiated pursuant to §49-4-701 through §49-4-725 of this code, in the multidisciplinary treatment planning process, his or her statements may not be used in any juvenile or criminal proceedings against the juvenile, except for perjury or false swearing
(a) For any juvenile ordered to probation supervision pursuant to §49-4-714 of this code, the probation officer assigned to the juvenile shall develop and implement an individualized case plan in consultation with the juvenile's parents, guardian or custodian, and other appropriate parties, and based upon the results of a risk and needs assessment conducted within the last six months 90 days prior to the disposition to probation. The probation officer shall work with the juvenile and his or her family, guardian or custodian to implement the case plan following disposition. At a minimum, the case plan shall:
(b) For any juvenile disposed to an out-of-home placement with the department, the department shall ensure that the residential service provider develops and implements an individualized case plan based upon the recommendations of the multidisciplinary team pursuant to §49-4-406 of this code and the results of a risk and needs assessment. At a minimum, the case plan shall include:
(c) For any juvenile committed to the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall develop and implement an individualized case plan based upon the recommendations made to the court by the multidisciplinary team pursuant to section four hundred six, article four of this chapter §49-4-406(c) of this code and the results of a risk and needs assessment. At a minimum, the case plan shall include:
(2) The services to be offered and provided by the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation and any contracted service providers; and
§49-4-604. Disposition of neglected or abused children; case plans; dispositions; factors to be considered; reunification; orders; alternative dispositions.
(a) Child and family case plans. — Following a determination pursuant to §49-4-602 of this code wherein the court finds a child to be abused or neglected, the department shall file with the court a copy of the child's case plan, including the permanency plan for the child. The term “case plan” means a written document that includes, where applicable, the requirements of the family case plan as provided in §49-4-408 of this code and that also includes, at a minimum, the following:
(1) A description of the type of home or institution in which the child is to be placed, including a discussion of the appropriateness of the placement and how the agency which is responsible for the child plans to assure that the child receives proper care and that services are provided to the parents, child, and foster parents in order to improve the conditions that made the child unsafe in the care of his or her parent(s), including any reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U. S. C. §12101, et seq., to parents with disabilities in order to allow them meaningful access to reunification and family preservation services;
(2) A plan to facilitate the return of the child to his or her own home or the concurrent permanent placement of the child; and address the needs of the child while in relative or foster care, including a discussion of the appropriateness of the services that have been provided to the child.
The term “permanency plan” refers to that part of the case plan which is designed to achieve a permanent home for the child in the least restrictive setting available. The plan must document efforts to ensure that the child is returned home within approximate time lines for reunification as set out in the plan. Reasonable efforts to place a child for adoption or with a legal guardian should be made at the same time, or concurrent with, reasonable efforts to prevent removal or to make it possible for a child to return to the care of his or her parent(s) safely. If reunification is not the permanency plan for the child, the plan must state why reunification is not appropriate and detail the alternative, concurrent permanent placement plans for the child to include approximate time lines for when the placement is expected to become a permanent placement. This case plan shall serve as the family case plan for parents of abused or neglected children. Copies of the child's case plan shall be sent to the child's attorney and parent, guardian or custodian or their counsel at least five days prior to the dispositional hearing. The court shall forthwith proceed to disposition giving both the petitioner and respondents an opportunity to be heard.
(b) Disposition decisions. — The court shall give precedence to dispositions in the following sequence:
(5) Upon a finding that the abusing parent or battered parent or parents are presently unwilling or unable to provide adequately for the child's needs, commit the child temporarily to the care, custody, and control of the state department, a licensed private child welfare agency, or a suitable person who may be appointed guardian by the court. The court order shall state:
(C) Whether the department has made reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U. S. C. §12101, et seq., to parents with disabilities in order to allow them meaningful access to reunification and family preservation services;
(D) What efforts were made or that the emergency situation made those efforts unreasonable or impossible; and
(E) The specific circumstances of the situation which made those efforts unreasonable if services were not offered by the department. The court order shall also determine under what circumstances the child's commitment to the department are to continue. Considerations pertinent to the determination include whether the child should:
(i) Be considered for legal guardianship;
(ii) Be considered for permanent placement with a fit and willing relative; or
(iii) Be placed in another planned permanent living arrangement, but only in cases where the child has attained 16 years of age and the department has documented to the circuit court a compelling reason for determining that it would not be in the best interests of the child to follow one of the options set forth in subparagraphs (i) or (ii) of this paragraph. The court may order services to meet the special needs of the child. Whenever the court transfers custody of a youth to the department, an appropriate order of financial support by the parents or guardians shall be entered in accordance with §49-4-801 through §49-4-803 of this code;
(C) Other factors as the court considers necessary and proper. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the court shall give consideration to the wishes of a child 14 years of age or older or otherwise of an age of discretion as determined by the court regarding the permanent termination of parental rights. No adoption of a child shall take place until all proceedings for termination of parental rights under this article and appeals thereof are final. In determining whether or not parental rights should be terminated, the court shall consider the efforts made by the department to provide remedial and reunification services to the parent. The court order shall state:
(iii) Whether or not the department made reasonable efforts, with the child's health and safety being the paramount concern, to preserve the family, or some portion thereof, and to prevent the placement or to eliminate the need for removing the child from the child's home and to make it possible for the child to safely return home, or that the emergency situation made those efforts unreasonable or impossible; and
(iv) Whether or not the department made reasonable efforts to preserve and reunify the family, or some portion thereof, including a description of what efforts were made or that those efforts were unreasonable due to specific circumstances.
(7) For purposes of the court's consideration of the disposition custody of a child pursuant to this subsection, the department is not required to make reasonable efforts to preserve the family if the court determines:
(A) The parent has subjected the child, another child of the parent or any other child residing in the same household or under the temporary or permanent custody of the parent to aggravated circumstances which include, but are not limited to, abandonment, torture, chronic abuse, and sexual abuse;
(i) Committed murder of the child's other parent, guardian or custodian, another child of the parent, or any other child residing in the same household or under the temporary or permanent custody of the parent;
(iii) Attempted or conspired to commit murder or voluntary manslaughter, or been an accessory before or after the fact to either crime;
(iv) Committed a malicious assault that results in serious bodily injury to the child, the child's other parent, guardian or custodian, to another child of the parent, or any other child residing in the same household or under the temporary or permanent custody of the parent; or
(v) Committed sexual assault or sexual abuse of the child, the child's other parent, guardian or custodian, another child of the parent, or any other child residing in the same household or under the temporary or permanent custody of the parent.
(C) The parental rights of the parent to another child have been terminated involuntarily;
(c) As used in this section, “no reasonable likelihood that conditions of neglect or abuse can be substantially corrected” means that, based upon the evidence before the court, the abusing adult or adults have demonstrated an inadequate capacity to solve the problems of abuse or neglect on their own or with help. Those conditions exist in the following circumstances, which are not exclusive:
(1) The abusing parent or parents have habitually abused or are addicted to alcohol, controlled substances or drugs, to the extent that proper parenting skills have been seriously impaired and the person or persons have not responded to or followed through the recommended and appropriate treatment which could have improved the capacity for adequate parental functioning;
(3) The abusing parent or parents have not responded to or followed through with a reasonable family case plan or other rehabilitative efforts of social, medical, mental health, or other rehabilitative agencies designed to reduce or prevent the abuse or neglect of the child, as evidenced by the continuation or insubstantial diminution of conditions which threatened the health, welfare, or life of the child;
(5) The abusing parent or parents have repeatedly or seriously injured the child physically or emotionally, or have sexually abused or sexually exploited the child, and the degree of family stress and the potential for further abuse and neglect are so great as to preclude the use of resources to mitigate or resolve family problems, or assist the abusing parent or parents in fulfilling their responsibilities to the child; and
(6) The battered parent's parenting skills have been seriously impaired and the person has willfully refused or is presently unwilling or unable to cooperate in the development of a reasonable treatment plan, or has not adequately responded to or followed through with the recommended and appropriate treatment plan.
(d) The court may, as an alternative disposition, allow the parents or custodians an improvement period not to exceed six months. During this period the court shall require the parent to rectify the conditions upon which the determination was based. The court may order the child to be placed with the parents, or any person found to be a fit and proper person, for the temporary care of the child during the period. At the end of the period, the court shall hold a hearing to determine whether the conditions have been adequately improved and at the conclusion of the hearing shall make a further dispositional order in accordance with this section.
(e) The court may not terminate the parental right of a parent on the sole basis that the parent is participating in a medically-assisted treatment program for substance use disorder.
§49-4-608. Permanency hearing; frequency; transitional planning; out-of-state placements; findings; notice; permanent placement review.
(a) Permanency hearing when reasonable efforts are not required. -- If the court finds, pursuant to this article, that the department is not required to make reasonable efforts to preserve the family, then, notwithstanding any other provision, a permanency hearing must be held within 30 days following the entry of the court order so finding, and a permanent placement review hearing must be conducted at least once every 90 days thereafter until a permanent placement is achieved.
(b) Permanency hearing every 12 months until permanency is achieved. -- If, 12 months after receipt by the department or its authorized agent of physical care, custody, and control of a child either by a court-ordered placement or by a voluntary agreement, the department has not placed a child in an adoptive home; placed the child with a natural parent, placed the child in legal guardianship, or permanently placed the child with a fit and willing relative, the court shall hold a permanency hearing. The department shall file a progress report with the court detailing the efforts that have been made to place the child in a permanent home and copies of the child's case plan, including the permanency plan as defined in §49-1-201 and §49-4-604 of this code. Copies of the report shall be sent to the parties and all persons entitled to notice and the right to be heard. The court shall schedule a hearing, giving notice and the right to be present to the child's attorney; the child; the child's parents; the child's guardians; the child's foster parents; any preadoptive parent, or any relative providing care for the child; any person entitled to notice and the right to be heard; and other persons as the court may, in its discretion, direct. The child's presence may be waived by the child's attorney at the request of the child or if the child is younger than 12 years and would suffer emotional harm. The purpose of the hearing is to review the child's case, to determine whether and under what conditions the child's commitment to the department shall continue, to determine what efforts are necessary to provide the child with a permanent home, and to determine if the department has made reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan. The court shall conduct another permanency hearing within 12 months thereafter for each child who remains in the care, custody, and control of the department until the child is placed in an adoptive home, returned to his or her parents, placed in legal guardianship, or permanently placed with a fit and willing relative.
(c) Transitional planning for older children. -- In the case of a child who has attained 16 years of age, the court shall determine the services needed to assist the child to make the transition from foster care to independent living. The child’s case plan should specify services aimed at transitioning the child into adulthood. When a child turns 17, or as soon as a child aged 17 comes into a case, the department must immediately provide the child with assistance and support in developing a transition plan that is personalized at the direction of the child. The plan must include specific options on housing, health insurance, education, local opportunities for mentors, continuing support services, work force support, and employment services, and the plan should be as detailed as the child may elect. In addition to these requirements, when a child with special needs turns 17, or as soon as a child aged 17 with special needs comes into a case, he or she is entitled to the appointment of a department adult services worker to the multidisciplinary treatment team, and coordination between the multidisciplinary treatment team and other transition planning teams, such as special education individualized education planning (IEP) teams.
(d) Out-of-state placements. -- In any case in which the court decides to order the child placed in an out-of-state facility or program it shall set forth in the order directing the placement the reasons why the child was not placed in an in-state facility or program A court may not order a child to be placed in an out-of-state facility unless the child is diagnosed with a health issue that no in-state facility or program serves. If the child is to be placed with a relative or other responsible person out of state, the court shall use judicial leadership to help expedite the process under the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children provided in §49-7-101 and §49-7-102 and the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act provided in §48-20-101 et seq. of this code.
(e) Findings in order. -- At the conclusion of the hearing the court shall, in accordance with the best interests of the child, enter an order containing all the appropriate findings. The court order shall state:
(1) Whether or not the department made reasonable efforts to preserve the family and to prevent out-of-home placement or that the specific situation made the effort unreasonable;
(2) Whether or not the department made reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan and concurrent plan for the child;
(3) The appropriateness of the child’s current placement, including its distance from the child's home and whether or not it is the least restrictive one (most family-like one) available;
(4) The appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement;
(5) Services required to meet the child's needs and achieve permanency; and
(6) In addition, in the case of any child for whom another planned permanent living arrangement is the permanency plan, the court shall: (A) Inquire of the child about the desired permanency outcome for the child; (B) make a judicial determination explaining why, as of the date of the hearing, another planned permanent living arrangement is the best permanency plan for the child; and, (C) provide in the court order compelling reasons why it continues to not be in the best interest of the child to (i) return home, (ii) be placed for adoption, (iii) be placed with a legal guardian, or (iv) be placed with a fit and willing relative.
(f) The department shall annually report to the court the current status of the placements of children in the care, custody and control of the state department who have not been adopted.
(g) The department shall file a report with the court in any case where any child in the custody of the state receives more than three placements in one year no later than 30 days after the third placement. This report shall be provided to all parties and persons entitled to notice and the right to be heard. Upon motion by any party, the court shall review these placements and determine what efforts are necessary to provide the child with a permanent home. No report may be provided to any parent or parent's attorney whose parental rights have been terminated pursuant to this article.
(h) The department shall give actual notice, in writing, to the court, the child, the child's attorney, the parents and the parents' attorney at least 48 hours prior to the move if this is a planned move, or within 48 hours of the next business day after the move if the child is in imminent danger in the child’s current placement, except where the notification would endanger the child or the foster family. A multidisciplinary treatment team shall convene as soon as practicable after notice to explore placement options. This requirement is not waived by placement of the child in a home or other residence maintained by a private provider. No notice may be provided pursuant to this provision to any parent or parent's attorney whose parental rights have been terminated pursuant to this article.
(i) Nothing in this article precludes any party from petitioning the court for review of the child's case at any time. The court shall grant the petition upon a showing that there is a change in circumstance or needs of the child that warrants court review.
(j) Any foster parent, preadoptive parent or relative providing care for the child shall be given notice of and the right to be heard at the permanency hearing provided in this section.
(3) If the allegations in a petition alleging that the juvenile is delinquent are admitted or are sustained by proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the court shall schedule the matter for disposition pursuant to §49-4-704 of this code. The court shall receive and consider the results of the risk and needs assessment, as defined in §49-1-206 of this code, prior to or at the disposition. pursuant to section seven hundred twenty-four, article four of this chapter
(4) If the allegations in a petition alleging that the juvenile is a status offender are admitted or sustained by clear and convincing evidence, the court shall consider the results of the risk and needs assessment, as defined in §49-1-206 of this code, prior to or at the disposition pursuant to section seven hundred twenty-four, article four of this chapter and refer the juvenile to the Department of Health and Human Resources for services, pursuant to §49-4-712 of this code, and order the department to report back to the court with regard to the juvenile's progress at least every 90 days or until the court, upon motion or sua sponte, orders further disposition under §49-4-712 of this code or dismisses the case from its docket: Provided, That in a judicial circuit operating a truancy program, a circuit judge may, in lieu of referring truant juveniles to the department, order that the juveniles be supervised by his or her probation office: Provided, however, That a circuit judge may also refer a truant juvenile to a truancy diversion specialist.
(5) If the allegations in a petition are not sustained by evidence as provided in §49-4-711(c) and §49-4-711(d) of this code, the petition shall be dismissed and the juvenile shall be discharged if he or she is in custody.
(6) Findings of fact and conclusions of law addressed to all allegations in the petition shall be stated on the record or reduced to writing and filed with the record or incorporated into the order of the court. The record shall include the treatment and rehabilitation plan the court has adopted after recommendation by the multidisciplinary team as provided for in §49-4-406 of this code.
(a) In aid of disposition of juvenile delinquents, the juvenile probation officer assigned to the juvenile shall, upon request of the court, make an investigation of the environment of the juvenile and the alternative dispositions possible. The court, upon its own motion, or upon request of counsel, may order the use of a standardized screener, as defined in §49-1-206 of this code or, if additional information is necessary, a psychological examination of the juvenile. The report of an examination and other investigative and social reports shall not be relied upon the court in making a determination of adjudication. Unless waived, copies of the report shall be provided to counsel for the petitioner and counsel for the juvenile no later than 72 hours prior to the dispositional hearing.
(b) Following the adjudication, the court shall receive and consider the results of a risk and needs assessment, conducted pursuant to section seven hundred twenty-four, article four of this chapter as defined in §49-1-206 of this code, and shall conduct the disposition, giving all parties an opportunity to be heard. The disposition may include reasonable and relevant orders to the parents, custodians or guardians of the juvenile as is necessary and proper to effectuate the disposition. At disposition the court shall not be limited to the relief sought in the petition and shall, in electing from the following alternatives, consider the best interests of the juvenile and the welfare of the public:
(3) Upon a finding that the juvenile is in need of extra-parental supervision: (A) Place the juvenile under the supervision of a probation officer of the court or of the court of the county where the juvenile has his or her usual place of abode or other person while leaving the juvenile in custody of his or her parent or custodian; and (B) prescribe a program of treatment or therapy or limit the juvenile's activities under terms which are reasonable and within the child's ability to perform, including participation in the litter control program established pursuant to §22-15A-3 of this code or other appropriate programs of community service;
(4) Upon a finding that a parent or custodian is not willing or able to take custody of the juvenile, that a juvenile is not willing to reside in the custody of his or her parent or custodian or that a parent or custodian cannot provide the necessary supervision and care of the juvenile, the court may place the juvenile in temporary foster care or temporarily commit the juvenile to the department or a child welfare agency. The court order shall state that continuation in the home is contrary to the best interest of the juvenile and why; and whether or not the department made a reasonable effort to prevent the placement or that the emergency situation made those efforts unreasonable or impossible. Whenever the court transfers custody of a youth to the department, an appropriate order of financial support by the parents or guardians shall be entered in accordance with §49-4-801 through §49-4-803 et seq. of this code and guidelines promulgated by the Supreme Court of Appeals;
(5) (A) Upon a finding that the best interests of the juvenile or the welfare of the public require it, and upon an adjudication of delinquency, the court may commit the juvenile to the custody of the Director of the Division of Juvenile Services Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation for placement in a juvenile services facility for the treatment, instruction and rehabilitation of juveniles. The court maintains discretion to consider alternative sentencing arrangements.
(B) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, in the event that the court determines that it is in the juvenile's best interests or required by the public welfare to place the juvenile in the custody of the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the court shall provide the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation with access to all relevant court orders and records involving the underlying offense or offenses for which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent, including sentencing and presentencing reports and evaluations, and provide the division with access to school records, psychological reports and evaluations, risk and needs assessment results, medical reports and evaluations or any other such records as may be in the court's possession as would enable the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation to better assess and determine the appropriate counseling, education and placement needs for the juvenile offender.
(6) After a hearing conducted under the procedures set out in §27-5-4(c) and §27-5-4(d) of this code, commit the juvenile to a mental health facility in accordance with the juvenile's treatment plan; the director of the mental health facility may release a juvenile and return him or her to the court for further disposition. The order shall state that continuation in the home is contrary to the best interests of the juvenile and why; and whether or not the state department made a reasonable effort to prevent the placement or that the emergency situation made those efforts unreasonable or impossible.
The court shall make all reasonable efforts to place the juvenile in the least restrictive alternative appropriate to the needs of the juvenile and the community: Provided, That a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for a nonviolent misdemeanor offense may not be placed in an out-of-home placement within the Division of Juvenile Services Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the department if that juvenile has no prior adjudications as either a status offender or as a delinquent, or no prior dispositions to a pre-adjudicatory improvement period or probation for the current matter, excluding placements made for abuse or neglect: Provided, however, That if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that there is a significant and likely risk of harm, as determined by a risk and needs assessment, to the juvenile, a family member or the public and that continued placement in the home is contrary to the best interest of the juvenile, such juvenile may be ordered to an out-of-home placement: Provided further, That the department has made all reasonable efforts to prevent removal of the juvenile from his or her home, or that reasonable efforts are not required due to an emergent situation.
(f) Following a disposition under §49-4-714(b)(4), §49-4-714(b)(5), or §49-4-714(b)(6) of this code, the court shall include in the findings of fact the treatment and rehabilitation plan the court has adopted upon recommendation of the multidisciplinary team under §49-4-406 of this code.
§49-4-724. Standardized risk and needs assessment assessments.
(a) The Supreme Court of Appeals is requested to adopt a risk and needs assessment to be used for juvenile dispositions adjudicated delinquents, detained and delivered to, or committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitation. A validation study of the risk and needs assessment may be conducted at least every three years to ensure that the risk and needs assessment is predictive of the risk of reoffending.
(b) Each juvenile adjudicated for a status or delinquency offense and committed or detained with the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation in accordance with this chapter §49-4-714(b)(5)(A) of this code shall undergo a risk and needs assessment prior to disposition to identify specific factors that predict a juvenile's likelihood of reoffending and, when appropriately addressed, may reduce the likelihood of reoffending. The risk and needs assessment may be conducted by a probation officer, other court official or the state department division worker trained to conduct the risk and needs assessment.
(c) Each multidisciplinary team convened pursuant to section four hundred six, article four of this chapter §49-4-406(c) of this code shall receive and consider the results of the risk and needs assessment of the juvenile.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to make modifications to West Virginia’s foster care system.