Opinion ID: 2331541
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: the role of and requirements on the trial court

Text: We explained the role of and requirements on trial courts in applying Subtitle 8 of Maryland's Family Law Article in our opinion in In re: Damon M., pointing out that: Prior to 1998, the responsibility for developing a permanency plan for a child in foster care was entrusted to the local department of social services. Md.Code (1984, 1991 Repl.Vol., 1995 Cum.Supp.) § 5-525(c) of the Family Law Article. Before 1996, a plan developed by the local department was reviewed by the court, together with the report and recommendation of the Foster Care Review Board, as a part of the disposition review hearing the court was required to conduct. Md.Code (1984, 1991 Repl. Vol.) § 5-544(3) of the Family Law Article. As a result of the amendment of the Juvenile Causes Act in 1996, see Ch. 595, Laws of 1996, the juvenile court was mandated to hold a hearing to review the implementation of a permanency plan for each child in foster care within 10 months of the disposition hearing in which the CINA finding was made. Md. Code (1996, 1997 Cum.Supp.) § 3-826.1 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article. It is of interest to note that the statute provided that if the child was to be continued in placement for a specified period, then the court would have to determine the extent of compliance with the permanency plan. § 3-826.1(d). The subsequent amendment to § 3-826.1, see ch. 539, Laws of 1998, to make it conform with the Federal Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 effected a significant change. Now, the court has the responsibility for determining the permanency plan, § 3-826.1(a)(1) and justifying the placement of children in out of home placements for a specified period or on a long-term or permanent basis, § 3-826.1(d), in addition to conducting periodic, six month reviews. § 3-826.1(f). In re: Damon M., 362 Md. at 430-31 n. 1, 765 A.2d 624 n. 1. We continued, explaining that: Section 3-826.1, [now codified as § 3-823] [10] requires the court, not later than 11 months after a child found to be in need of assistance has been placed in foster care, see also Md.Code (1989, 1991 Repl.Vol., 1997 Cum.Supp.) § 5-501 (m) of the Family Law Article, to hold a permanency planning hearing to determine the permanency plan for that child. § 3-826.1(a)(1) [now § 3-823(b)(1)]. At that hearing, for each child in placement and in determining the plan, the court is required to make certain decisions and findings, § 3-826.1(c), [now § 3-823(e)] specifically, whether the child should be: returned to the parent or guardian, § 3-826.1(c)(1)(i) [now § 3-823(e)(1)(i) ]; placed with relatives to whom adoption or guardianship is granted, § 3-826.1(c)(1)(ii) [now § 3-823(e)(1)(ii) ]; placed for adoption, § 3-826.1(c)(1)(iii) [now § 2-823(e)(1)(iii) ]; emancipated, § 3-826.1(c)(1)(iv) [now deleted]; or because of the child's special needs or circumstances, continued in placement on a permanent or long-term basis or for a specified period. § 3-826.1(c)(1)(v) and (vi) [now § 3-823(e)(1)(v) and (vi) ]. There are restrictions on the court's ability to continue a child in placement because of the child's special needs or circumstances. § 3-826.1(d) [now § 3-823(f) ]. That section prohibits the court from using that option unless it finds that the agency to which the child is committed has documented a compelling reason for determining that it would not be in the best interest of the child to: (1) Return home; (2) Be referred for termination of parental rights; or (3) Be placed for adoption or guardianship with a specified and appropriate relative or legal guardian willing to care for the child. Section 3-826.1 (f) [now § 3-823(h)] mandates periodic reviews of the permanency plan by the court. Subsection (f)(1)(i) [now § 3-823(h)(1)(i) ] provides that such reviews will be no less frequently than every six months until commitment is rescinded. If, however, at the permanency planning hearing or a subsequent review hearing, the court, inter alia, orders a child continued in permanent foster care, the court is no longer required to hold the review hearings at six month intervals. Subsection (f)(1)(ii) [now § 3-823(h)(1)(ii), now revised to require review hearings every 12 months.]. As is true of the initial permanency planning hearing, the court must make some determinations at the hearing to review the permanency plan. § 3-826.1(f)(2) [now § 3-823(h)(2) ]. Among other things, in addition to determining whether the commitment remains necessary and appropriate, subsection (f)(2)(i) [now § 3-823(h)(2)(i) ], and evaluating the progress made toward alleviating or mitigating the causes of the commitment, subsection (f)(2)(iii) [now § 3-823(h)(2)(iii) ], the court is required to determine the extent of compliance with the permanency plan, subsection (f)(2)(ii) [now § 3-823(h)(2)(ii) ], and to change it if a change in the permanency plan would be in the child's best interest. Subsection (f)(2)(v) [now § 3-823(h)(2)(vi) ]. The permanency plan is an integral part of the statutory scheme designed to expedite the movement of Maryland's children from foster care to a permanent living, and hopefully, family arrangement. It provides the goal toward which the parties and the court are committed to work. It sets the tone for the parties and the court and, indeed, may be outcome determinative. Services to be provided by the local social service department and commitments that must be made by the parents and children are determined by the permanency plan. And, because it may not be changed without the court first determining that it is in the child's best interest to do so, the permanency plan must be in the child's best interest. These are the reasons, no doubt, that the court is charged with determining the plan and with periodically reviewing it, evaluating all the while the extent to which it is being complied with. It is true, of course, that a parent will have lost custody before a permanency plan will have been developed. Nevertheless, once determined, because the permanency plan sets out the anticipated permanent placement, to the achievement of which the reasonable efforts, required by § 3-826.1(f)(3) [now § 3-823(h)(3) ], must and will be directed, it can not be totally divorced from the issue and, in point of fact and in a real sense, actually is a part of it. Moreover and in fact, when the plan is reunification, there necessarily is, on the part of the court and, certainly, the parent, an expectationmore than a hopethat the parent will regain custody. That is, after all, the point of the plan and the reasonable efforts, including the provision of services to the family, so necessary to achieving compliance. Id., 362 Md. at 435-37, 765 A.2d at 627-28. As In re: Damon M. observes, the purpose of a permanency plan is to set the direction in which the parent, agencies, and the court will work in terms of reaching a satisfactory conclusion to the situation. Once set initially, the goal of the permanency plan is re-visited periodically at hearings to determine progress and whether, due to historical and contemporary circumstances, that goal should be changed. It is not the purpose of the initial permanency plan hearing, however, to resolve all issues involved in that final resolution. If that were the case, there would be no need for review of how, on a regular basis, the plan is progressing or not. Also as In re: Damon M. indicates, the initial permanency plan hearing is to be held and conducted expeditiously. Protracted proceedings in establishing the initial plan defeat the purpose of the statute. The statute presumes that, unless there are compelling circumstances to the contrary, the plan should be to work toward reunification, as it is presumed that it is in the best interest of a child to be returned to his or her natural parent. D.