Opinion ID: 2382556
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Alaska Statute 47.10.011(11) mental health

Text: The superior court found that OCS met its burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that both children were in need of aid based on Barbara's mental health issues. It found that Barbara has a long history of depression and suicide attempts, including attempting suicide prior to getting pregnant with Michael, when she was four months pregnant with Michael, and one year after his birth. The superior court observed that Barbara had not followed through on the strong recommendation of Dr. Long that she engage in extensive mental health therapy. Instead, Barbara maintained only a minimal relationship with a nurse practitioner and was not taking psychotropic medication as recommended. The superior court also found that Barbara's mental health issues had a very clear ramification[] for her ability to parent her children, impacting her day-to-day functioning and her judgment. Barbara challenges the superior court's findings on the grounds that the court relied on Dr. Long's testimony, which was based on a two-year old psychological evaluation, and ignored the testimony of Hammaker that, at the time of trial, Barbara was not experiencing any major depressive symptoms or mood disorder symptoms, she did not need to take medication, and her mental health did not impair her ability to parent. But it is the role of the trial court to make credibility determinations and weigh conflicting evidence as it did here. [18] It may have been preferable for Dr. Long to update her evaluation with an in-person visit or to have another expert evaluate Barbara closer to trial, but it was not necessary. [19] Barbara further argues, correctly, that a mental illness alone may not form the basis of a finding under this subsection [20] and contends that OCS failed to demonstrate the required nexus between her alleged mental illness and any risk of harm to her children. [21] She contends that OCS offered no specific instances of how Barbara's mental health placed the children at substantial risk of harm. In Alyssa B. v. State, Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Family & Youth Services, a mother made the same challenge to a superior court's finding that her daughter was in need of aid based on her mental illness. [22] Rejecting this challenge, we identified specific conduct found by the trial court that placed her daughter at risk: a refusal to work with the department leading to a failure to develop any bond with her daughter; and a refusal to cooperate with authority figures that may lead to an unwillingness to get help if her daughter needed it for medical or other problems. [23] In this case, the superior court's finding that Barbara's mental health problems adversely affected her ability to parent is supported by the record. During trial, Barbara testified that she had attempted suicide when Michael was one year old. Dr. Long testified that if her depression remains untreated, it is possible that she would attempt suicide again. Dr. Long also testified that Barbara exhibited a pattern of entering into relationships with abusive men with substance abuse problems. A social worker testified that the lack of treatment of her depression would continue to impact her ability to safely care for her children. The superior court's determination that Michael and Gary were children in need of aid based on Barbara's untreated mental health issues is supported by the record.