2023 Wyoming Statutes › Title 14 - Children › Chapter 3 - Protection › Article 4 - Child Protection Act › Section 14-3-429 - Decree Where Child Adjudged Neglected; Dispositions; Terms and Conditions; Legal Custody.

14-3-429. Decree where child adjudged neglected; dispositions; terms and conditions; legal custody.
(a) In determining the disposition to be made under this act in regard to any child:
(i) The court shall review the predisposition report, the recommendations, if any, of the multidisciplinary team, the case plan and other reports or evaluations ordered by the court and indicate on the record what materials were considered in reaching the disposition;
(ii) If the court does not place the child in accordance with the recommendations of the predisposition report or multidisciplinary team, the court shall enter on the record specific findings of fact relied upon to support its decision to deviate from the recommended disposition;
(iii) When a child is adjudged by the court to be neglected the court shall enter its decree to that effect and make a disposition as provided in this section that places the child in the least restrictive environment consistent with what is best suited to the public interest of preserving families and the physical, mental and moral welfare of the child;
(iv) When a child is adjudged to be neglected the court shall ensure that reasonable efforts were made by the department of family services to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child from the child's home or to make it possible for the child to return to the child's home. Before placing a child outside of the home, the court shall find by clear and convincing evidence that to return the child to the child's home would not be in the best interest of the child despite efforts that have been made;
(v) The court shall not order an out-of-state placement unless:
(A) Evidence has been presented to the court regarding the costs of the out-of-state placement being ordered together with evidence of the comparative costs of any suitable alternative in-state treatment program or facility, as determined by the department of family services pursuant to W.S. 21-13-315(d)(vii), whether or not placement in the in-state program or facility is currently available;
(B) The court makes an affirmative finding on the record that no placement can be made in a Wyoming institution or in a private residential treatment facility or group home located in Wyoming that can provide adequate treatment or services for the child; and
(C) The court states on the record why no in-state placement is available.
(b) If the child is found to be neglected the court may:
(i) Permit the child to remain in the legal custody of his parents, guardian or custodian without protective supervision, subject to terms and conditions prescribed by the court;
(ii) Place the child under protective supervision;
(iii) Transfer temporary legal custody to a relative or other suitable adult the court finds qualified to receive and care for the child, with or without supervision, subject to terms and conditions prescribed by the court;
(iv) Transfer temporary legal custody to the department of family services or a state or local public agency responsible for the care and placement of neglected children, provided the child shall not be committed to the Wyoming boys' school, the Wyoming girls' school or the Wyoming state hospital.
(c) In cases where a child is ordered removed from the child's home:
(i) If a child is committed or transferred to an agency or institution under this section, at least every three (3) months the agency or institution shall recommend to the court if the order should be continued;
(ii) The court shall order the parents or other legally obligated person to pay a reasonable sum for the support and treatment of the child as required by W.S. 14-3-435, or shall state on the record the reasons why an order for support was not entered;
(iii) In cases where the child is placed in custody of the department, support shall be established by the department through a separate civil action;
(iv) Any order regarding potential placement at a psychiatric residential treatment facility shall not specify a particular psychiatric residential treatment facility or level of care for the placement of the child;
(v) If the child is placed in a qualified residential treatment program:
(A) Within thirty (30) days of the placement a qualified individual shall conduct an assessment to determine whether the child's needs can be met through placement with family members or in a foster family home, or if the placement in a qualified residential treatment program provides the most effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive environment consistent with short-term and long-term goals of the child and the child's permanency plan;
(B) Within sixty (60) days of the placement the court shall:
(I) Consider the assessment completed pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;
(II) Determine whether the child's needs can be met through placement in a foster family home or whether the placement in a qualified residential treatment program provides the most effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive environment;
(III) Determine whether the placement is consistent with short-term and long-term goals of the child, as specified in the child's permanency plan;
(IV) Approve or disapprove the placement.
(d) As a part of any order of disposition and the terms and conditions thereof, the court may:
(i) Impose any demands, requirements, limitations, restrictions or restraints on the child, and do all things with regard to the child that his parents might reasonably and lawfully do under similar circumstances;
(ii) Order the child, or his parents, or both, to undergo evaluation and indicated treatment or another program designed to address problems which contributed to the adjudication. A parent who willfully violates or neglects or refuses to comply with any order of the court may be found in contempt and punished as provided by W.S. 14-3-438;
(iii) Require the child's parents or guardian to attend a parenting class or other appropriate education or treatment designed to address problems which contributed to the adjudication and to pay all or part of the cost of the class, education or treatment in accordance with the court's determination of their ability to pay;
(iv) Require the child's parents or guardian and the child to participate in a court supervised treatment program qualified under W.S. 7-13-1601 through 7-13-1615, provided the court supervised treatment program accepts the child's parents or guardian and the child for participation in its program.
Note: Effective 7/1/2024 this paragraph will read as:
(iv) Require the child's parents or guardian and the child to participate in a court supervised treatment program qualified under W.S. 5-12-101 through 5-12-118, provided the court supervised treatment program accepts the child's parents or guardian and the child for participation in its program.
(e) An institution, organization or agency vested with legal custody of a child by court order shall have the right to determine where and with whom the child shall live, provided that placement of the child does not remove him from the state of Wyoming without court authorization. An individual vested with legal custody of a child by court order shall personally exercise custodial rights and responsibilities unless otherwise authorized by the court.
(f) Whenever the court vests legal custody of a child in an institution, organization or agency it shall transmit with the order copies of all clinical reports, social studies and other information pertinent to the care and treatment of the child. The institution, organization or agency receiving legal custody of a child shall provide the court with any information concerning the child that the court may request.
(g) In placing a child in the custody of an individual or a private agency or institution, the court shall give primary consideration to the needs and welfare of the child. Where a choice of equivalent services exists, the court shall, whenever practicable, select a person or an agency or institution governed by persons of the same religion as that of the parents of the child. In case of a difference in the religious faith of the parents, then the court shall select the person, agency or institution governed by persons of the religious faith of the child, or if the religious faith of the child is not ascertainable, then of the faith of either parent.
(h) Absent a specific provision in the placement order requiring prior court approval for any change in placement, a department of state government vested with temporary legal custody of a child by court order under this section has authority to place the child in a residential facility or other out-of-home placement of similar or less restrictive confinement provided:
(i) At least ten (10) days prior to the change in placement written notice of the proposed placement is served upon the child, the child's parents, the child's representative, the current placement provider and the office of the district attorney of original jurisdiction, personally or by certified mail to the recipient's last known address; and
(ii) None of the parties within ten (10) days after notice is filed with the juvenile court having jurisdiction, makes a written objection to the proposed change in placement.
(j) If a placement order vesting a department of state government with temporary legal custody of a child under this section includes a provision that court approval shall be required prior to any change in placement, the department may proceed to place the child in a residential facility or other out-of-home placement of similar or less restrictive confinement, and the court shall be deemed to have approved such change in placement, if:
(i) The conditions of paragraphs (h)(i) and (ii) of this section are met; and
(ii) The court on its own motion does not set the matter for hearing within fifteen (15) days after notice of the proposed change in placement is filed with the juvenile court.