Opinion ID: 2423019
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Were Reasonable Services Provided?

Text: The determination of whether DCYF has made reasonable efforts to encourage and strengthen a parent-child relationship is a fact-intensive endeavor and, therefore, unique to each family. See In re Joseph S., 788 A.2d 475, 478 (R.I.2002); In re Kristen B., 558 A.2d at 203. In her argument to this Court, respondent-mother contends that DCYF did not take meaningful, substantial steps to address and ameliorate [her] identified problem areas, save for substance abuse. We agree that there is little evidence that DCYF was effective in connecting the respondent with services that would address her mental health, parenting, and other issues. The record shows only that DCYF made an effort to refer the respondent to Dr. Parsons for a parent/child evaluation. [13] However, because the trial justice terminated Shakiyyah's parental rights on the ground of chronic substance abuse, we have confined our review only to the department's endeavors to resolve that issue. Any of DCYF's shortcomings with respect to other problems that were identified in the case plans are relevant only to the extent that those problems may have contributed to the respondent's inability to overcome her difficulties with substance abuse. See In re Natalya C., 946 A.2d at 202-04. Here, the record does not give any indication that Shakiyyah was incapable of complying with or succeeding with substance-abuse treatment, even considering her other challenges. [14] As such, we cannot find any clear error in the trial justice's findings or conclusions of law.