Opinion ID: 887296
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Whether the District Court erred in terminating K.G.'s parental rights.

Text: ¶ 41 K.G. contends that DPHHS failed to produce clear and convincing evidence at the termination hearing that she failed to meet the goals of her treatment plans. She maintains that the evidence established that she had complied with the requirements of the treatment plans that had a substantial bearing upon her ability to provide a safe and secure home for the children. She argues that the requirements in the plans that she failed to meet were more directed to reducing the turmoil in her life and that her failure to meet such requirements was not sufficient to terminate her parental rights. ¶ 42 This Court has stated that a natural parent's right to the care and custody of a child is a fundamental liberty interest which must be protected by fundamentally fair procedures. A.T., ¶ 10. Thus, before terminating an individual's parental rights, a district court must adequately address each applicable statutory requirement. A.T., ¶ 10. In addition, primary consideration must be given to the physical, mental and emotional conditions and needs of the children. Consequently, the best interests of the children are of paramount concern in a parental rights termination proceeding and take precedence over the parental rights. A.F., ¶ 13 (citing § 41-3-609(3), MCA). ¶ 43 To terminate a parent-child relationship, a district court must determine that one of the criteria in § 41-3-609, MCA, exists. D.V., ¶ 16 (citing Matter of M.J.W., 1998 MT 142, ¶ 16, 289 Mont. 232, ¶ 16, 961 P.2d 105, ¶ 16). Section 41-3-609, MCA, provides, in relevant part: (1) The court may order a termination of the parent-child legal relationship upon a finding established by clear and convincing evidence ... that any of the following circumstances exist: . . . . (f) the child is an adjudicated youth in need of care and both of the following exist: (i) an appropriate treatment plan that has been approved by the court has not been complied with by the parents or has not been successful; and (ii) the conduct or condition of the parents rendering them unfit is unlikely to change within a reasonable time. (2) In determining whether the conduct or condition of the parents is unlikely to change within a reasonable time, the court shall enter a finding that continuation of the parent-child legal relationship will likely result in continued abuse or neglect or that the conduct or the condition of the parents renders the parents unfit, unable, or unwilling to give the child adequate parental care. ¶ 44 At the time of the termination hearing, D.A. had been in foster care for 32 months and A.A. had been in foster care for 20 months. As discussed in the previous issue, K.G. did not comply with any of her treatment plans during that time. Moreover, several individuals testified that K.G. was no closer to reunification than she had been when she first became involved with DPHHS and that her compliance had actually declined in the months before the termination hearing. ¶ 45 Since the time that D.A. was first taken into protective custody, K.G. was evaluated twice by Dr. Sarah Baxter (Dr. Baxter), a clinical psychologist. Dr. Baxter testified at the termination hearing that a major concern regarding the safety of the children was the level of chaos and violence in K.G.'s life. K.G. had a history of involving herself with unstable, abusive relationships and becoming overly dependent on those relationships. While K.G. made some progress in this area, the record indicates that K.G. was still associating with individuals who could put her and her children at risk. ¶ 46 Dr. Baxter testified that she had concerns about K.G.'s ability to parent the children. Although Dr. Baxter found that K.G.'s interactions with her children were appropriate, nurturing and warm, Dr. Baxter was concerned that K.G. did not believe that D.A. was having seizures as a result of her injuries and that K.G. would not adequately address that problem if the children were returned to her care. ¶ 47 Furthermore, K.G. regularly missed appointments and visits. Dr. Baxter's second evaluation of K.G. occurred only after Dr. Baxter went to K.G.'s home and got her out of bed after K.G. failed to show up for her appointment. More importantly, Dr. Baxter testified that she was concerned about K.G.'s lack of attendance at visits with her children. During the nine months prior to the termination hearing, K.G. attended only half of the scheduled visits with A.A. and D.A. Dr. Baxter stated that attending visits regularly was extremely important and that missing visits at that rate would create a high level of stress for the children. ¶ 48 In addition, Jim Dupuis, the supervised visitation specialist, testified that although there had been improvements in K.G.'s parenting ability, he would not be comfortable with allowing overnight visits for the children with K.G. He also testified that he would not recommend reunification at this time. ¶ 49 Similarly, the children's guardian ad litem testified that because A.A. had been in foster care all of his life and D.A. had been in foster care since she was ten months old, it was in the children's best interests to get some permanency. Hence, the guardian ad litem recommended that K.G.'s parental rights be terminated. ¶ 50 Based on a thorough review of the record in this case, we hold that there was sufficient evidence for the District Court to conclude that K.G. had not complied with her treatment plans and that the conduct or condition rendering her unfit was unlikely to change within a reasonable time. Section 41-3-609(1)(f), MCA. Accordingly, we hold that the District Court did not err in terminating K.G.'s parental rights.