reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-54 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-54 - Determination by court as to placement.

30:4C-54 Determination by court as to placement.  5. The court shall, within 15 days following receipt of the notice of the initial placement pursuant to a voluntary agreement, determine, based solely upon the petition and other affidavits and written materials submitted to the court, whether or not reasonable efforts have been made to prevent the placement and whether or not the continuation of the child in his home would be contrary to the welfare of the child, and either approve the placement or order the return of the child to his home, except that, lack of reasonable efforts to prevent placement shall not be the sole basis for the court's order of a return of the child to his home. If the division has documented an exception to the requirement to provide reasonable efforts towards family reunification, the court shall make a finding of whether reasonable efforts are required in accordance with section 25 of P.L.1999, c.53 (C.30:4C-11.3). The child's health, safety and need for permanency shall be of paramount concern to the court when it makes its finding. The court also may require the submission of supplementary material or schedule a summary hearing if: a. The court has before it conflicting statements of material fact;  b. The court determines that it is in the best interest of the child; or c. The child's parents or legal guardian requests the hearing.  The court shall provide written notice to the parties involved in the hearing at least five days prior to the hearing. The court shall provide written notice of the date, time and place of such hearing to the parents or legal guardian of the child, the child or the child's counsel, the child's temporary caretaker, the division, and any other party the court deems appropriate. If the child's caretaker is a resource family parent, preadoptive parent or relative, the caretaker shall receive written notice of, and shall have a right to be heard at, the hearing, but the caretaker shall not be made a party to the hearing solely on the basis of the notice and right to be heard. L.1977, c.424, s.5; amended 1978, c.125, s.3; 1987, c.252, s.3; 1999, c.53, s.43; 2005, c.169, s.14; 2007, c.228, s.5.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-55 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-55 - Placement plans, requirements.

30:4C-55 Placement plans, requirements.  6. The division shall prepare and revise, when necessary, in consultation with the child's parents or legal guardian and, when appropriate, the child, a placement plan for each child placed outside his home. The placement plan shall include: a. A statement of the goal for the permanent placement or return home of the child and anticipated date that the goal will be achieved; b. The intermediate objectives relating to the attainment of the goal; c. A statement of the duties and responsibilities of the division, the parents or legal guardian and the temporary caretaker, including the services to be provided by the division to the child and to the temporary caretaker; d. A statement of the services to be provided to the parent or legal guardian or an exception to the requirement to provide reasonable efforts toward family reunification in accordance with section 25 of P.L.1999, c.53 (C.30:4C-11.3). Services to facilitate adoption or an alternative permanent placement may be provided concurrently with services to reunify the child with the parent or guardian; and e. A permanency plan for the child and the division's reasonable efforts to achieve that plan, if: the division has established an exception to the requirement to provide reasonable efforts toward family reunification in accordance with section 25 of P.L.1999, c.53 (C.30:4C-11.3); or the child has been in placement for 12 months. The permanency plan shall include whether and, if applicable, when: (a) the child shall be returned to the parent or guardian, if the child can be returned home without endangering the child's health or safety; (b) the division has determined that family reunification is not possible, and the division shall file a petition for the termination of parental rights for the purpose of adoption; or (c) the division has determined that termination of parental rights is not appropriate in accordance with section 31 of P.L.1999, c.53 (C.30:4C-15.3) and the child shall be placed in an alternative permanent placement. L.1977,c.424,s.6; amended 1999, c.53, s.44.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-56 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-56 - Administrative procedures to provide for needs of children and to obtain federal aid

30:4C-56. Administrative procedures to provide for needs of children and to obtain federal aid  The division shall be responsible for establishing such administrative procedures as will enable it to effectively provide for the needs of children placed outside their homes and to secure such Federal funding as is available to meet these needs. Such procedures shall provide for: a. Appropriate planning and regular review of each child's case by the division; b. Collection and analysis of data regarding the division's caseload to facilitate the continuing evaluation of the division's services, policies and procedures with regard to children placed outside their homes; and, c. Provision of such information as may be required by the courts or the placement review boards. L.1977, c. 424, s. 7.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-58.1 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-58.1 - Placement for adoption

30:4C-58.1. Placement for adoption  When a child is placed in a home for the purpose of adoption, the division shall notify the family part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in the child's county of supervision in writing of the placement. Upon receipt of the notice, the board shall not schedule further reviews of the case unless:  a. The child is removed from the adoptive home;  b. The complaint for adoption was not filed within eight months of the placement and the filing of the complaint is not imminent; or  c. The plan for the child was modified so that immediate adoption by the stated adoptive parents no longer is the goal.  The division shall send the court and the board a status report on the case every four months. When a complaint for adoption has been filed, the division shall inform the court and no further board reviews shall be held while that action is pending.  When a judgment of adoption has been entered the court shall dismiss the complaint pursuant to section 4 of P.L. 1977, c. 424 (C. 30:4C-53).  If a child is placed in an adoptive home prior to the completion of the initial court review, the court shall retain jurisdiction to complete the review.  L. 1982, c. 24, s. 10; amended by L. 1984, c. 85, s. 4; 1987, c. 252, s. 6.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-59 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-59 - Written notice in advance of review.

30:4C-59 Written notice in advance of review.  10. Each board shall provide written notice of the date, time and place of each review at least 15 days in advance to the following, each of whom shall be entitled to attend the review and to submit information in writing to the board: a. The division or agency; b. The child; c. The parents including a non-custodial parent or legal guardian; d. The temporary caretaker; e. Any other person or agency whom the board determines has an interest in or information relating to the welfare of the child; f. The counsel for a parent, child or other interested party who has provided or is providing representation in the case before the board; and If the child's caretaker is a resource family parent or relative, the caretaker shall receive written notice of, and shall have a right to be heard at, the review, but the caretaker shall not be made a party to the review solely on the basis of the notice and right to be heard. The board may determine who may be in attendance at any particular portion of its meeting. Nothing herein shall be interpreted to exclude judges and court support staff from attending review board meetings.  The written notice shall inform the person of his right to attend the review and to submit written information and shall be prepared in a manner which will encourage the person's attendance at the review. Notice to the child may be waived by the court on a case by case basis either on its own motion or on the petition of any of the above persons in cases where the court determines that notice would be harmful to the child. A waiver of notice to the child shall not waive the notice requirement to counsel for the child or other representatives of the child. The review board may seek information from any agency which has been involved with the child, parents or legal guardian or temporary caretaker. If the agency fails to provide the requested information, the court may, upon the request of the board, issue a subpena to the agency for the information. The board shall conduct a review and make recommendations based upon the written materials; provided, however, that the board shall afford any party or person entitled to notice pursuant to this section a reasonable opportunity to appear and to present his views and recommendations. Upon the request of the board, the Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court may subpena a person to attend the review board meeting. A designated agency shall provide relevant and necessary information to the board regarding a child who is reviewed by the board. L.1977, c.424, s.10; amended 1978, c.125, s.6; 1982, c.24, s.4; 1984, c.85, s.5; 1987, c.252, s.7; 1999, c.53, s.46; 2004, c.130, s.87; 2007, c.228, s.6.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-62 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-62 - Child Placement Advisory Council

30:4C-62. Child Placement Advisory Council  13. There is hereby established a Child Placement Advisory Council to consist of one member from each of the child placement review boards to be selected annually by the chairman of each review board. The Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts and the council shall jointly develop a budget which shall provide the council with reasonable and necessary administrative and clerical support services adequate to enable the council to carry out its responsibilities and shall reimburse the members of the council for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.  The council shall have the authority, consistent with the funds appropriated to the Administrative Office of the Courts for the purposes of this act, to determine annually its program and budget. The council shall, in consultation with the Administrative Office of the Courts, develop guidelines for its annual programs and other aspects of this act.  It shall be the responsibility of the council to:  a. Advise the Supreme Court with respect to the issuance of rules governing the duties, responsibilities and practices of the review boards;  b. Review the policies, practices and procedures of the division with respect to the placement of children;  c. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this act in promoting the welfare of children placed outside their home. These activities may be carried out through the regular collection of data from each county, as well as through other appropriate means;  d. Advise the Supreme Court with respect to the establishment of guidelines and procedures for the training of placement review board members;  e. Advise the Supreme Court with respect to the establishment of reporting procedures to be followed by the review boards for the provision of data for the evaluation of this act;  f. Make an annual report on the effectiveness of the implementation of this act to the Supreme Court, the Governor and the Legislature and such other reports as it may deem proper or as may be requested from time to time by the Supreme Court, the Governor or the Legislature; and  g. Review county plans and reports pursuant to section 8 of P.L. 1977, c. 424 (C. 30:4C-57).  L. 1977, c. 424; s.13; amended by L. 1978, c. 125, s. 9; 1982, c. 24, s. 7; 1987, c. 252, s. 11.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-62.1 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-62.1 - Grants or contributions; acceptance

30:4C-62.1. Grants or contributions; acceptance  The Child Placement Advisory Council may accept from any governmental department or agency, public or private body or any other source, grants or contributions to be used for carrying out its responsibilities under P.L.1977, c. 424 (C. 30:4C-50 et seq.). L.1982, c. 24, s. 9, eff. April 27, 1982.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-63 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-63 - Rules for conduct of review boards; promulgation by Supreme Court

30:4C-63. Rules for conduct of review boards; promulgation by Supreme Court  The Supreme Court, in consultation with the Child Placement Advisory Council, shall: issue such rules governing the duties, responsibilities and practices of the board as it deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act; establish guidelines and procedures for the training of placement review board members; and establish reporting procedures to be followed by the review boards for the provision of data for the evaluation of this act. L.1977, c. 424, s. 14. Amended by L.1978, c. 125, s. 10, eff. Oct. 16, 1978.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-64 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-64 - Joint legislative committee to monitor and evaluate act; report

30:4C-64. Joint legislative committee to monitor and evaluate act; report  The Institutions, Health and Welfare committees of the Senate and General Assembly, or their respective successors, are constituted a joint committee for the purposes of monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of this act. At least 3 months prior to the date of expiration of this act, the Joint Committee shall report to the Legislature as to whether this act shall be extended, in either its present or modified form, or whether it shall be permitted to expire. L.1977, c. 424, s. 15.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-65 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-65 - Severability

30:4C-65. Severability  If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of the act and application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. L.1977, c. 424, s. 16.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-66 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-66 - Short title

30:4C-66. Short title  1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Bring Our Children Home Act."  L.1992,c.111,s.1.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-67 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-67 - Findings, declarations.

30:4C-67 Findings, declarations.  2. The Legislature finds and declares that it is the intent of the Legislature to preserve the sanctity of the family unit, to the extent that the preservation does not jeopardize the safety of children, which shall be of paramount concern, and to prevent the unnecessary out-of-home placement of emotionally disturbed children, whether in New Jersey or out-of-State. The Legislature further finds and declares that it is in the best interest of children that an individualized, appropriate child and family driven care system be developed so that children with special emotional needs and their families receive safe and appropriate educational, nonresidential, residential and family supportive services. L.1992,c.111,s.2; amended 1999, c.53, s.51.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-68 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-68 - Definitions

30:4C-68. Definitions  3. As used in this act: "Case Assessment Resource Team" or "CART" means an entity that reviews the needs of every child in the defined target population and recommends a service plan that best meets the needs of that child and his family;  "County Inter-Agency Coordinating Council" or "CIACC" means an entity which fosters cross-system service planning for the defined target population; and  "Individualized, appropriate child and family driven care system" means a plan of care for a child with special emotional needs that will provide for, as a priority, the needs of the child and the family, including whatever placement in or out-of-State that is most appropriate for the child and his family.  L.1992,c.111,s.3.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-69 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-69 - Development of interdepartmental plan.

30:4C-69 Development of interdepartmental plan.  4. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall develop an interdepartmental plan for the implementation of an individualized, appropriate child and family driven care system for children with special emotional needs and for the reduction of inappropriate use of out-of-home placements of these children. The plan shall first address children ready to be returned from in-State and out-of-State residential facilities, and those at imminent risk of extended out-of-home placement. The commissioner shall consult with appropriate representatives from the State departments of Education, Human Services, Corrections, Health and Senior Services and Community Affairs, the Office of the Public Defender, the Statewide Children's Coordinating Council in the Department of Children and Families, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and Statewide family advocacy groups, in the development of the plan. L.1992, c.111, s.4; amended 1994, c.58, s.51; 2005, c.155, s.90; 2006, c.47, s.144; 2010, c.34, s.9.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-70 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-70 - Establishment of CART, CIACC.

30:4C-70 Establishment of CART, CIACC.  5. A county may establish a CART and CIACC in accordance with the provisions of this act. In the event that a county does not establish a CART or CIACC, the Department of Children and Families may establish a CART or CIACC for that county.  L.1992, c.111, s.5; amended 2006, c.47, s.145.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-71 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-71 - Contents of plan.

30:4C-71 Contents of plan.  6. The plan shall: a. Assess current policies and activities of all divisions in the Department of Children and Families in the implementation of the individualized, appropriate child and family driven care system;  b. Assess the implementation of the policies and procedures of the Case Assessment Resource Teams (CARTs) and the County Inter-Agency Coordinating Councils (CIACCs) sanctioned by the Department of Children and Families to be certain, among other things, that a family using the services is a full participant in the CART/CIACC process;  c. Be consistent with principles set forth in section 7 of this act;  d. Set forth specific timelines and procedures for the implementation of new policies and practices that shall be undertaken to develop a system of care which is integrated across divisional and departmental lines; e. Specify the role and function of the CARTs and CIACCs in developing the individualized, appropriate child and family driven care system;  f. Recommend departmental or divisional organizational changes required to execute the system of care;  g. Specify the interdepartmental amounts and sources of financial resources required to implement and maintain a coordinated system of care;  h. Develop a mechanism to guarantee that savings accrued through implementation of this plan be applied to community-based children's services; i. Identify funding mechanisms compatible with individual county needs to carry out the purposes of this act;  j. Develop a system to monitor and evaluate the outcomes for children with special emotional needs who have received community-based services as a result of the implementation of an individualized, appropriate child and family driven care system;  k. Develop an independent evaluation mechanism to report at least quarterly, which is designed to enhance and evaluate the CART/CIACC inter-agency system at both the local and Statewide levels;  l. Describe all services, both public and private, including rehabilitation services, vocational services, substance abuse services, housing services, educational services, medical and dental care to be provided by local school systems under the "Education of the Handicapped Act," (20 U.S.C. s.1401 et seq.); and  m. Describe how parents will be involved in the development of the plan and how the plan will insure their full participation in the CART/CIAAC process.  L.1992, c.111, s.6; amended 2006, c.47, s.146.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-72 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-72 - Principles of system of care

30:4C-72. Principles of system of care  7. The individualized, appropriate child and family driven system of care may embody the following principles:  a. Services are to be child and family driven, with priority given to keeping children in their own homes. A child and his family or his primary caregiver, if no family is living, shall be fully involved in all aspects of the planning and delivery of services;  b. Services are to be community-based and are to be provided in the least restrictive setting consistent with the unique needs and potential of each child and family;  c. Services are to promote early identification and intervention; d. Services are to be culturally and ethnically competent; e. Services should be based upon the child's potential and reflect a continuum of care that includes out-of-home placement when appropriate;  f. The rights of children and their families are to be protected; and g. A case coordinator should be assigned to each child and family to insure that service plans are implemented.  L.1992,c.111,s.7.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-73 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-73 - Use of monies saved.

30:4C-73 Use of monies saved.  8. Any monies saved by the Department of Children and Families in preventing the out-of-home placement of children pursuant to this act shall be used by the department to provide services pursuant to the interdepartmental plan developed pursuant to this act.  L.1992, c.111, s.8; amended 2006, c.47, s.147.
NJ Rev Stat § 30:4C-74 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 30 - Institutions and Agencies|Section 30:4C-74 - Findings, declarations

30:4C-74. Findings, declarations  1. The Legislature finds and declares that: a. The obligation of the State to preserve the sanctity of the family and prevent the placement of children outside the home should be fulfilled in the context of a clear and consistent policy which emphasizes the strengthening of families through the application of intensive family preservation services;  b. In recent years, several states have found that family preservation services can provide an effective, efficient and humane alternative to out-of-home placement;  c. Family preservation services are based on the following principles:  (1) Safety of the child is always the first concern, (2) Children should be raised by their own families whenever possible,  (3) An intervention should build on family strengths and be responsive to family needs, and  (4) Improvement of family functioning is essential in order to promote the child's health, safety and welfare, allowing the family to remain intact and the children to remain at home; and  d. It is the intent of this act that a comprehensive family preservation services program be provided in every county of the State.  L.1993,c.157,s.1.