2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 49. Child Welfare › Article 4. Court Actions › §49-4-409. After-Care Plans; Contents; Written Comments; Contacts; Objections; Courts

(a) Prior to the discharge of a child from any out-of-home placement to which the juvenile was committed pursuant to this chapter, the department or the Division of Juvenile Services shall convene a meeting of the multidisciplinary treatment team to which the child has been referred or, if no referral has been made, convene a multidisciplinary treatment team for any child for which a multidisciplinary treatment plan is required by this article and forward a copy of the juvenile's proposed after-care plan to the court which committed the juvenile. A copy of the plan shall also be sent to: (1) The child's parent, guardian or custodian; (2) the child's lawyer; (3) the child's probation officer or community mental health center professional; (4) the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the original commitment proceedings were held; and (5) the principal of the school which the child will attend. The plan shall have a list of the names and addresses of these persons attached to it.
(b) The after-care plan shall contain a detailed description of the education, counseling and treatment which the child received at the out-of-home placement and it shall also propose a plan for education, counseling and treatment for the child upon the child's discharge. The plan shall also contain a description of any problems the child has, including the source of those problems, and it shall propose a manner for addressing those problems upon discharge.
(c) Within twenty-one days of receiving the plan, the child's probation officer or community mental health center professional shall submit written comments upon the plan to the court which committed the child. Any other person who received a copy of the plan pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may submit written comments upon the plan to the court which committed the child. Any person who submits comments upon the plan shall send a copy of those comments to every other person who received a copy of the plan.
(d) Within twenty-one days of receiving the plan, the child's probation officer or community mental health center professional shall contact all persons, organizations and agencies which are to be involved in executing the plan to determine whether they are capable of executing their responsibilities under the plan and to further determine whether they are willing to execute their responsibilities under the plan.
(e) If adverse comments or objections regarding the plan are submitted to the circuit court, it shall, within forty-five days of receiving the plan, hold a hearing to consider the plan and the adverse comments or objections. Any person, organization or agency which has responsibilities in executing the plan, or their representatives, may be required to appear at the hearing unless they are excused by the circuit court. Within five days of the hearing, the circuit court shall issue an order which adopts the plan as submitted or as modified in response to any comments or objections.
(f) If no adverse comments or objections are submitted, a hearing need not be held. In that case, the circuit court shall consider the plan as submitted and shall, within forty-five days of receiving the plan, issue an order which adopts the plan as submitted.
(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (e) and (f) of this section, the plan which is adopted by the circuit court shall be in the best interests of the child and shall also be in conformity with West Virginia's interest in youths as embodied in this chapter.
(h) The court which committed the child shall appoint the child's probation officer or community mental health center professional to act as supervisor of the plan. The supervisor shall report the child's progress under the plan to the court every sixty days or until the court determines that no report or no further care is necessary.